Post Matric Scholarship will be one-time payment from 2024-25

June 28, 2024 54 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Kohima | June 28

With the receipt of the first instalment of the Post Matric Scholarship for ST students of Nagaland amounting to Rs, 1781.89 lakh, disbursement of scholarship is being processed to 42,817 students for the year 2023-24.

Informing this during a press conference at his official residence, Minister for Tourism & Higher Education, Temjen Imna Along said there has been a little delay in disbursement of scholarship owing to the model conduct of conduct across the country due to the Lok Sabha election.

While acknowledging the grievances and needs of the students, he informed that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI under whom the scholarship is given, gives in two instalments, and hence, the state government with its share of 10% cannot give it in one whole instalment. He also said that the state government never delays in giving its share for the same.

The Minister also claimed that the scholarship distributed by the Department of Higher Education is done ‘in a very clear and transparent’ manner since 2018 onwards, and that there has been no case of any discrepancies in the distribution of scholarship.

The students’ community was also requested to be patient and persevere by the Minister stating that the department and the government of the day is committed to making sure that ‘our’ students receive the best benefits in time.

Meanwhile, officials from the Department of H&TE have informed that from the academic year 2024-25 onwards, the Post Matric Scholarship for ST students will be a one-time payment, unlike the present system of two instalment payments.

Also, from the academic session 2024-25, Post Matric ST Scholarship will be onboarding the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).

CSS Post Matric Scholarship status

A total amount of Rs. 5311 lakh (Fifty-three crore eleven lakhs) is required for the scholarship, wherein Rs. 1603.7 lakh has been received as the first instalment received from the central with the state share of 10% amounting to Rs. 178.19 lakh.

The sanction for the second instalment of Rs. 3136.99 lakh of central share and Rs. 392.12 of state share totalling to Rs. 3529.11 lakh is being awaited.

While disbursement for 40528 has been successfully paid, the department has informed that payment for 1586 students has been processed while 21 were found with invalid account, 55 payment bounced, 38 were withheld subject to confirmation of documents from the institutions and 589 account validation failed.

Status report of state merit & research scholarship

Minister Along said scholarship for merit and research students is completely a state subject matter wherein the state government gives Rs. 6-7 crore every year. He thanked the government for this initiative and hope that it will be taken in a more positive way in the days to come.

Meanwhile, an amount of Rs. 500 cr has been received from the state budget allocation for the merit and research scholarhip. With a total amount of Rs.656.38 lakh required for payment, an additional amount of Rs, 156.38 lakh was sought where sanction is awaited.

According to the department, there are 4330 beneficiaries under the state merit scholarship amounting to Rs. 630 lakh, and Rs. 26.38 lakh for 94 research scholarship.