The Government is implementing following schemes to address the educational disparities faced by Scheduled Caste students to ensure their equitable access to quality education:

1. Post Matric Scholarships to the students belonging to Scheduled Caste (PMS-SC)

2. Pre Matric Scholarship scheme for SCs and others

3. Scholarship for Higher Education for Young Achievers (SHREYAS) for Scheduled

Castes (SCs) , which includes

i. Top Class Education for SC students (TCS);

ii. Free Coaching scheme for SCs , OBCs and beneficiaries of PM Cares Children (FCS);

iii. National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) scheme for SC etc. Candidates; and

iv.  National Fellowship for SC students (NFSC)

4. The scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA).

5. Hostel component under Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyudyay Yojana (PM- AJAY).

6. Education Loan Scheme of National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC)

7. Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students implemented by D/o Higher Education.

8. National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) implemented by D/o School Education and Literacy

Besides above, Central Educational Institutions (CEI) (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 provides reservation for students belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Central Educational Institutions (CEIs) established, maintained or aided by the Central Government.

Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) is implementing Samagra Shiksha since 2018-19, with aim to ensure that all children have access to quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom environment across the country including Scheduled Caste regions. This initiative also supports interventions of residential schools/hostels like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Awasiya Vidyalaya (NSCBAVs), Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBVs), Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PMJANMAN), Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA). Bridging gender and social category gaps at all levels of school education is one of the major objectives of Samagra Shiksha. The scheme reaches out to girls, and children belonging to Sociology- Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs). Free uniform are provided to all girls and children belonging to SC/ST/BPL families up to Class 8 and free text books are provided at elementary level to all children including SC. Further, during the year 2025-26, DoSEL has launched special drives to saturate Information and Communication Technology (ICT), smart classes  and laboratories in all secondary and senior secondary schools under Samagra Shiksha. The above schemes are being monitored and evaluated.

For monitoring, regular capacity building and Hand-holding/cluster/regional meetings and/or workshops for all States/UTs and stakeholders are conducted to review the progress of the States as well as to resolve any pending issues. Further, various agencies/partners are channelized,  services from National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), National Scholarship Portal (NSP) are being taken to ensure Aadhaar seeding of bank accounts of beneficiaries. Also Public Financial Management System (PFMS) has started a daily “Open

house” for the states and Union Territories (UTs)  to resolve their technical issues. The applicants can also raise their grievances on the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CP-GRAMS) portal where issues are addressed by the Government.

The Evaluation Study and impact study reports reveal that many SC students who have been provided support and financial assistance under the above schemes have achieved  success.

These schemes collectively promote educational empowerment of students from SC Community.

This information was provided by the MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT, SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

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