Increase income limit for scholarships: CM Stalin

In his letter on Tuesday, Stalin said, “It is pertinent to mention that the Government of India has revised the income ceiling for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) to Rs 8 lakhs and has also raised the income ceiling for schemes like the National Overseas Scholarships and Top Level Education Scheme of Rs 8 Lakhs for SC/ST Students.

The new fixing of income eligibility limit in those schemes had benefited many students from disadvantaged backgrounds, he said, adding that raising the income limit for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships would go a long way in increasing enrollment of students from those sections. disadvantaged in higher education.

‘According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report, the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of students from Scheduled Castes/Tribes and certain Backward Communities remains significantly lower than that of other students. There is a marked difference in the MR of students from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, compared to the general population. Therefore, it is imperative to facilitate their enrollment in greater numbers in higher education institutions,” he stated.

Increasing the annual income limit for Post-Matric and Pre-Matric scholarships from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh at par with that of the economically weaker sections was not only essential but also fully justified and justified, he added.