Raise income ceiling for post-matric, pre-matric scholarships, CM Stalin tells PM Modi

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the annual family income ceiling from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh for post-matric and pre-matric scholarships distributed to SC/ST and OBC students.

Drawing PM Modi's attention to the urgent need to enhance the annual family income limit set for the grant of Post-Matric and Pre-Matric Scholarships for SC, ST and OBC students by the Union government, Stalin highlighted the current annual income ceiling for the scholarship for SC/ST/ OBC students being pegged at Rs 2.5 lakh.

He said that the Government of India revised the income ceiling for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) to Rs 8 lakh and also raised the income ceiling for schemes like National Overseas Scholarship and Top-Class Education Scheme to Rs 8 lakh for SC/ST students, which has benefitted many students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Citing the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) Report showing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of SC/ST students and certain OBC students remaining significantly lower than other students, Stalin, in his letter to the PM, said, "I request your favourable intervention in this matter to consider and increase the annual family income ceiling for Post and Pre-Matric scholarships for SC / ST / OBC students from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh at the earliest."

Reasoning that there was a stark difference in the GER of SC and ST, as compared to the general population, the CM argued, "Therefore, it is imperative to facilitate their enrolment in larger numbers in higher education institutions. Providing Post and Pre-Matric Scholarships will go a long way in increasing their enrolment in higher education. In our view, increasing the annual income ceiling for Post-Matric and Pre-Matric from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh on par with that of the EWS is not only essential but also fully justified and warranted."