Degree students in Manipur likely to be deprived of HRD/UGC scholarship benefits
Source: Hueiyen News Service / K Naresh Sharma

Imphal, April 17 2015 : Over 3000 degree students selected from Manipur are likely to be deprived of scholarship benefits under the ISHAN UDAY scheme of Human Resource Development (HRD)/University Grants Commission (UGC).

These students have to travel to Guwahati to submit documents for availing the scholarship, perhaps spending more money than the sum promised.

3348 students from Manipur were selected under ISHAN UDAY scheme of HRD/UGC 2014-2015 for general degree and technical & professional courses including medical and para-medical whose results were declared on April 9 .

The scheme is a special initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the University Grants Commission to promote higher education in the Northeastern region with special focus on encouraging students belonging to economically weaker section whose annual family income is below Rs 4.5 lakhs.

Students pursuing general courses are supposed to get Rs 3500 per month while those pursuing technical & professional courses including Medical & Para medical are supposed to get Rs 5000 per month under the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme (DBTS) .

The scholarship scheme is aimed at providing equal opportunities in education and has been primarily focused on professional education in the Northeasters regions.

It also is aimed at Optimum utilization of Northeast Budgetary Allocation.

According to UGC, the awardees are required to approach the designated branch of Canara Bank along with a Copy of the Award Letter and Joining Report with photograph, address and contact no.in the prescribed proforma on or before April 30 .

However, the list of designated Canara Banks authorized by UGC to distribute the scholarship does not mention any Canara Bank Branch located in Manipur even though a Canara Bank branch is in the heart of Imphal.

This in effect means that the awardees have to travel to Guwahati for onward process of availing the benefits of the scheme spending more money than the scholarship amount.

In such a situation, students of Manipur who are from poor economic background are left with no other option but to travel to Guwahati, Itanagar, Aizwal or Silchar for availing the scholarship causing further financial burden to the already deprived students.

In such a scenario, the student awardees are in a fix, whether or not, to go to the nearest designated Carana Banks outside the State.

So far, there has been complete silence on the part of Government of Manipur on rectifying the approved circle wise list of designated bank branches or devise a mechanism to lessen the burden on the aggrieved students.

Comment