Over one lakh scholarships awarded by ministry of minority affairs

Updated on: Tuesday, January 18, 2011

An official statement from the Ministry of Minority Affairs has revealed that more than 1,16,000 scholarships have been awarded under the merit-cum-means scholarship scheme that had been launched in the year 2007.

The merit-cum-means scholarship scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme and is being implemented by the ministry of minority affairs through state governments and union territory administrations.

The merit-cum-means scholarships scheme is one of the three schemes that had been introduced by the ministry of minority affairs under the Prime Minister's New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities.

The entire expenditure for the scholarship scheme is being borne by the central government. The scholarships under the scheme are available for pursuing professional and technical courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels at institutions that are recognized by the proper authority under the scheme.

Around 30% of the total scholarships that are awarded are earmarked for girl students that can be utilized by boys if an adequate number of eligible girls do not avail.

A total outlay of Rs.600 crore has been provided for the scheme during the eleventh five year plan from 2007-2012. An amount of Rs.135 crore has been allotted for the scheme during the current financial year of 2010-2011 and the target of the scheme is distribution of 55,000 scholarships.

Till December 21, 2010, the number of scholarships that had been awarded for the current financial year was 36,932. This makes the total number of scholarships that had been awarded under the scheme till last month 1,16,367.

Over one lakh scholarships awarded by ministry of minority affairs

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