Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to urgently intervene and raise the ceiling on annual family income from the present Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh for students from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes applying for post-matric and pre-matric scholarships.
In his letter on Tuesday, Stalin said: ‘It is pertinent to mention that the Government of India have revised the income ceiling for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) to Rs.8 Lakhs and has also raised the income ceiling for schemes such as National Overseas Scholarship and Top-Class Education Scheme to Rs 8 Lakhs for SC / ST students.’
The re-fixing of the eligibility income ceiling in those schemes had benefitted many students form disadvantaged backgrounds, he said, adding that raising the income limit for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships would go a long way in increasing the enrolment of students from those disadvantaged sections in higher education.
‘According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) Report, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe students and certain Backward Communities remains significantly lower than other students. There is a stark difference in the GER of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students, as compared to the general population. Therefore, it is imperative to facilitate their enrolment in larger numbers in higher education institutions,’ he said.
Increasing the annual income ceiling for Post-Matric and Pre-Matric scholarships from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh on par with that of the economically weaker sections was not only essential but also fully justified and warranted, he added.
