Scheme of upgradation of merit of schedule caste students
Scholarship, education
Education
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
The Scheme of Upgradation of Merit of SC students provides for 100% Central Assistance to States/UTs for arranging remedial and special coaching for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students studying in class IX to XII. While remedial coaching aims at removing deficiencies in school subjects, special coaching is provided with a view to prepare students for competitive examinations for entry into professional courses like Engineering and Medical. The main objective of the scheme is to upgrade the merit of Scheduled Caste students by providing them with facilities for all round development through education in residential/non-residential schools. There will be no bar for any student to avail coaching for both the purposes (viz. Remedial and special). It is proposed to be done by: Removing their educational deficiencies. Facilitating their entry into professional courses by upgrading their merit so that they can compete with other students for admission to higher education courses and for senior administrative and technical occupations. Generating self-confidence and self reliance in them. The States will pay adequate attention to maintenance of hostel buildings and other infrastructural facilities(Ministry of social justice and empowerment, n.d.).
Maximum 2050 fresh students will be covered under the scheme annually. The coaching should start at class IX level and continue till a student has completed class XII. This is proposed with a view to making sufficient time available for coaching as well as meaningful interaction between these children and others. Thus a period of four years would be available for intensive training and coaching to a student to make up for his/her educational deficiencies and to enable him/her to compete for entry into collegiate level courses, particularly, in professional disciplines and ultimately for senior and remunerative positions on their own merit. Although entry point under the Scheme would be Class IX, a student may be enrolled in class X/ XI if he/she has shown excellent performance in the previous examination and if he/she had missed entry at class IX level for any reason(Ministry of social justice and empowerment, n.d.). Coaching will be both remedial, with a view to removing deficiencies in school subjects, and special for preparing student for competitive examinations required for entry into professional courses like Engineering and Medicine. The emphasis of remedial coaching would be to remove educational deficiencies from which these students suffer and to promote study habits. It is found that educational deficiencies generally result from inadequate linguistic skills and lack of understanding of basic concepts in Mathematics and Science. It is, therefore, proposed to provide coaching in linguistic skills. Science and Mathematics, coaching for competitive examinations i.e. special coaching will be more specific and organized in relation to the competencies required by professional institutions for passing their entry examinations. Syllabi for special coaching will need to be prepared with the help of Experts. While remedial coaching will continue throughout the stay of students in the selected schools (class IX – XII), intensive coaching for competitive examinations will be provided to them on Sundays, holidays and during summer/winter vacations. Special coaching should be arranged at some centrally placed schools, where students of class XI and XII of the nearby schools participating in the programme can gather on specified days(Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, n.d.). Besides the amount of scholarship, students with disabilities would also be eligible for the following assistance: I. Reader Allowance of Rs.200 per month for blind students in classes IX to XII. II. Transport allowance of Rs.100 per month for the disabled students if such a student does not reside in the hostel, which is within the premises of educational institution. Special pay of Rs.200 per month be admissible to any employee of the hostel willing to extend help to a severely orthopaedically handicapped students residing in a hostel managed by the educational or by the State Government/Union Territory Admn. who may need the assistance of a helper. III. Escort allowance of Rs.100 per month for severely handicapped day scholar students with lower extremity disability. IV. Allowance of Rs.200 per month towards extra coaching to mentally retarded and mentally ill students in classes IX to XII (Ministry of social justice and empowerment, n.d.)" "The Scheme provides for 100% central assistance to the States and Union Territories for implementation of the Scheme. A package grant of Rs.25,000 per student per year will be given with the following break-up: (i) Rs.15,000 per student per year as under: Boarding & lodging charges @ Rs 900 per month for 10 months =Rs.9,000 (This component would be payable to the students studying in residential schools only) Pocket money @ Rs.300 for 10 months=Rs.3,000 Books and Stationery Rs.3,000 (ii) Rs.10,000 per year per student for honorarium to Principal, Experts and other incidental charges (Ministry of social justice and empowerment, n.d.)
Allocated awards may be used by States for boys & girl students in the ratio of 50:50. However, unutilized awards by girls may be used by boys and vice-versa. Target should also be fixed to include at least 3% disabled SC students wherever possible (Ministry of social justice and empowerment, n.d.)
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment + state govt
1. National: Nicholas Kujur 2. Madhepura: Anurag
1. Deputy Secretary 2. DWO
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National : 011-23070912 (Off.) Madhepura: 0612-2867480
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