State will fund post-matric scholarship scheme: OPS

Reiterating that the April 2018 (revised) guidelines of the Centre denies post-matric scholarship to Adi Dravidar students admitted under management quota in self-financing colleges and the committed liability of the State was increased to Rs 1,526.46 crore from earlier Rs 353 crore for the scheme, Panneerselvam, intervening during the debate on demand for grants for Adi Dravidar Welfare department in the assembly, said the State would bear the additional financial burden in the interest of SC/ST students.

The Deputy Chief Minister also added that the State government would continue to urge the Centre to withdraw the committed liability system and adopt the 60:40 expenditure sharing policy usually followed while implementing Central schemes to implement the post-matric scholarship scheme for SC/ST students.

Recalling that the Centre had allowed States to claim any money spent more than the committed liability of Rs 353.55 crore from it till April 2018 when the guidelines were revised and committed liability capped at Rs 1,526 crore, Panneerselvam informed the House that the State government has allocated Rs 850 crore to provide all fee concessions except maintenance fee assistance (distributed to students of 2017-18 year) and management fees (paid to institutions) under post-matric scholarship scheme for SC/ST students.

Noting that arrears to the tune of Rs 1,841.69 crore was due to the State from the Centre under the scheme, Panneerselvam said the revised guidelines have rendered 31,000 Adi Dravidar students joining professional courses ineligible to avail the post-matric scholarship.