Pre-matric scholarships to over 55 lakh minority students

During the last one year, the government awarded scholarships to over 55 lakh students from minority communities.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs has distributed over 55.28 lakh pre-matric scholarships during 2011-12, crossing the half crore mark in a single year.

"The Ministry of Minority Affairs has achieved a big success in the implementation of its Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme for students belonging to minority communities from class I to class X," a release stated.

The Ministry distributed a total of 55,28,557 scholarships during the last FY 2011-12 that ended on March 31, 2012 - as against a target of 34 lakh scholarships.

For distributing these scholarships, the Ministry released an amount of Rs. 615.47 crore during 2011-12.

"Another milestone in the implementation of this Scheme was that 51.01 % scholarships went to girl students – which means more girl students benefitted from this scheme than the boys," stated the release.

Pre-matric Scholarship Scheme was started in 2008-09 and a cumulative total of over 1.22 crore scholarships have been awarded till March 31, 2012.

It is one of the three scholarship schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs included under the Prime Minister's New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities.

The Prime Minister's 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities provides for earmarking of 15% of the financial outlays for minorities in various national flagship schemes.

The Programme is for enhancing opportunities for education, ensuring an equitable share for minorities in economic activities and employment, enhancing credit support for self employment and recruitment to state and central government jobs.

Listing the status of the achievements, an official release earlier this week said the Priority Sector Lending to minorities by banks has gradually increased from 10.60% in 2007-08 to 14.83% in 2011-12.

Further, recruitment of minorities in central government jobs has gone up from 6.93% in 2006-07 to 11.99% in 2010-11, and under the Indira Awas Yojana, 18,49,946 houses were constructed for minorities at a total cost of Rs 5603.93 crore.