Enhance family income ceiling for availing scholarship by tribal students, Kerala Minister urges Centre
The Kerala government has demanded that the Centre enhance the family income ceiling from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹4.5–5 lakh for availing post-metric scholarships by tribal
The Kerala government has demanded that the Centre enhance the family income ceiling from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹4.5–5 lakh for availing post-metric scholarships by tribal students. In a memorandum submitted to Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, Kerala Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backwards Classes K.A. Thulasi said the change in the ceiling was necessary, given the rising living costs.
Thulasi also demanded monthly disbursement of hostel fees and PhD contingency funds based on monthly attendance, rather than a single annual disbursement. The State also suggested bifurcation of the direct benefit transfer structure so that institutional fees (tuition, examination, special fees) were credited directly to the institution’s verified bank account while the maintenance allowance went to the student, to avoid disputes over non-payment of fees.
She also demanded timely release of the first instalment of the Central share at the start of the academic year. The State said in the memorandum that the Centre might consider revising the implementation guidelines for the Grants-in-Aid under Article 275(1) of the Constitution to provide flexibility in the prescribed project period, particularly for infrastructure works executed in remote and inaccessible tribal areas.
The State also wanted the Centre to enhance the aid for the establishment of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in plain and hilly areas. Noting that Kerala presently provided ₹75,000 to inter-caste couples involving a Scheduled Tribe partner from State resources alone, Ms. Thulasi urged the Union government to formulate a Centrally ‘Inter-Caste Marriage Assistance Scheme’ for Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries.
The BriefWire