Ranchi: There is no uniformity in the amount of scholarship given to students studying in government schools of the state. Scholarships are given by the government to all categories of students studying in schools. Scholarship amount is given to general category students by the School Education and Literacy Department and to other category students by the Welfare Department. Earlier there was no provision to give scholarship to general category students in the state. Chief Minister Special Scholarship Scheme was started by the state government. Under this, scholarship is given to all those students who do not get scholarship under any other scheme.
When the said scheme was started, under it, scholarship was given to the children of general category as per the amount fixed by the Welfare Department. Last year, the scholarship amount was increased by the Welfare Department, but till now the amount has not been increased by the Education Department. For this reason, since last year, children of general category studying in government schools get less scholarship as compared to other categories.
Three times difference in scholarship amount: There is three times difference in the amount received by children of general category and other categories studying in government schools of the state. The welfare department has made changes in the class wise scholarship slab. The Education Department gives a scholarship of Rs 500 every year to the children of class one to four and the Welfare Department gives Rs 1500 per year to the children of class one to five. Up to class 10th, a maximum scholarship of Rs 1500 is given by the Education Department and Rs 4500 is given by the Welfare Department. There is dissatisfaction among the general category children due to less amount of scholarship.
Scholarship given by Education Department
class amount
one to four 500
five and six 1000
7th to 10th 1500
Scholarship given by Welfare Department
class amount
one to five 1500
six and eight 2500
9th to 10th 4500
Scholarship to one lakh children of general category
About one lakh children of general category studying in government schools are given scholarship by the government. This year’s scholarship amount is being transferred to the bank account of the children.
More than 40 lakh children enrolled in schools
More than 40 lakh children are enrolled in government schools of the state. In these, scholarship is given by the Welfare Department to children of other categories except general category.
Education department could not complete the process in one year
The decision to increase the scholarship amount was taken last year by the Welfare Department. A letter in this regard was also issued by the department on August 29 last year. Education Department also generally gives scholarship according to the amount determined by the Welfare Department. The process regarding increase in funds could not be completed by the Education Department in the last one year.