National Fellowship Scheme: SC sees 61% decline in beneficiaries in 3 years
Formfees
17/01/2025
Table of Contents
Under the National Fellowship Scheme for Scheduled Caste (SC) students, there were 1,872 fellowships given in 2022–23 as opposed to 4,841 in 2020–21, a 61% drop. Over the same time period, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s funding for this central sector programme has similarly decreased by 3.9%. A Narayanswami, a minister of state for social justice and empowerment, stated the Lok Sabha in answer to inquiries about the funding and number of beneficiaries of the programme that “National Fellowship Scheme for SC students is a demand-driven scheme and funds are released as per demand and there has been no shortage of funds.”
National Fellowship Programme for SC: Costs and Recipients
A total of 2,000 new fellowships are awarded to SC students each year under the National Fellowship Scheme for SC Students for their advanced coursework and research leading to MPhil or PhD degrees. If there are 25% or more open slots in a given academic year, the open slots for the following year are examined, and open backlog positions are filled as needed. According to Narayanswami, 4,841 slots—including backlog slots—were filled during the fiscal year 2020–21. According to the data, the ministry’s funds released decreased by 3.9%, from Rs 118.99 crore in 2020–21 to Rs 114.25 crore in 2022–23.
Budget and slots for national fellowships (in Rs crore)
| Year | Budget | Funds released | % difference | Fellowships awarded | % decrease |
| 2020-21 | 300 | 119 | 60 | 4,841 | – |
| 2021-22 | 300 | 122.39 | 59.2 | 1,932 | 60 |
| 2022-23 | 173 | 114.25 | 61.9 | 1,872 | 61 |
No lack of funds
Without the involvement of the state governments, the ministry of social justice and empowerment directly implements the central sector initiative. Currently, students are chosen based on their merit as decided by the National Eligibility Test (NET) exam administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the University Grant Commission (UGC).
He added that the cabinet approved the expenditure finance committee’s review of the scheme’s provisions in 2021–2022 and that the programme will be continued for the following five years with a total outlay of Rs 882 core under the programme, adding that “there is no shortage of funds under the programme.
” According to a review of the government budget for 2023, the Pre-Matric Scholarship for OBCs, EBCs, and DNTs—other backward classes, extremely backward classes, and denotified tribes—has witnessed a 41% reduction in funding, going from Rs 478 crore BE in 2022 to Rs 281 crore.
For the most recent information about colleges and universities, entrance, programs, tests, schools, research, NEP, and other educational policies, follow us. Write to us at news@formfees.com if you want to get in touch.
