Pre-Matric Scholarships to the Children of those engaged in occupations involving cleaning and prone to health hazards

Objective

The object of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to children whose parents/guardian belongs to one of the following categories, to pursue Pre-matric education:

• Persons who are either presently engaged in manual scavenging or were so engaged upto or after 1.1.97 or the date on which the "The Employment of manual scavengers and construction of Dry latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993" came into force in their State/UT, whichever is earlier.
• Tanners and
• Flayers
• Waste pickers

Coverage, Value of Scholarship and Ad-Hoc Grant

Hostellers - The students as hostellers will be covered from class III to X. The rates of scholarships for Class III to X  is  Rs.700/- per month for 10 months

Day Scholars - The students as day scholars will be covered from Class I to Class X.  The rates of scholarships are  Rs. 110/- per month for 10 months

Ad-Hoc Grant - An adhoc grant of Rs. 750/- per student per annum to all day scholars and Rs. 1000/- per student per annum to hostellers would be admissible.

The scholarship amount  will be payable from the date of joining to the date of leaving the school, excluding the period of vacation, which will be about 10 months in a year except in the cases where the students enters or leaves early in the midst of academic year.

Duration and Course

The scholarships may be given to students enrolled in class I or any subsequent class or pre-matric stage in the case of day scholars, and class III or any subsequent class of pre-matric stage in case of hostellers. The scholarship will terminate at the end of class X. The duration of scholarship in an academic year is ten months.

The scholarship will be tenable only in such institutions and for such pre matriculations courses, which have been duly recognised by the concerned State Government and Union Territory Administrations.

Mode of Selection

• The Parental occupation of the applicant is the important criteria for selection of the candidate eligibility.
• The concerned State Governments and Union Territory Administrations will lay down the detailed procedure for selection of students.

Eligibility

Scholarship will be admissible to the children/wards of Indian Nationals who, irrespective of their religion are:

• Either presently engaged in manual scavenging or were so engaged upto or after 1.1.97 or the date on which the "The Employment of manual scavengers and construction of Dry latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993" came into force in their State/UT, whichever is earlier.
• Presently engaged in Tanning and/or Flaying /waste picking.
• Children who are born to parents who are not engaged in such occupations, but have been adopted by such person (as mentioned above) will be eligible for scholarship only after a lapse of three years from the date of such adoption provided that they have been living with the adopted parents since the date of such adoption. Such children will be eligible only if their parents furnish such certificates (such as of proof of their occupation, date of adoption etc.) as may be required by the concerned State Government/Union Territory administration.
• A certificate should be obtained from the eligible candidates as follows:
• From Children/wards mentioned in first point : only once, at the time of their first application/renewal, as the case may be, of Pre-matric Scholarship, after the coming into force of this revision (of 2011), to the effect that at least one parent belongs to the relevant categories.
• From Children/wards mentioned in second point : every year, to the effect that at least one parent is currently engaged in tanning and/or flaying.

Conditions for Award

• The students may not be allowed to take up employment or render help to parents in their work during the course of studies.
• The award will be discontinued if a student fails to secure annual promotion except in case of unavoidable reasons to be certified by the competent authority of the scheme.
• Coaching facilities, especially to weak students may be provided.
• If a student violates school discipline or any other terms and conditions of the scholarship, scholarship may be suspended or even cancelled, subject to the satisfaction of the competent school authority. The State Government/Union Territory Administrations can also directly cancel the award if duly satisfied of the reasons of violation of these regulations governing the Scheme.
• Migration of students from one institution to another would not normally be allowed during the course of the academic year except under exceptional circumstances and in the interest of student's academic career.
• The scholar obtaining benefits under this scheme is not allowed to avail of benefits under any other pre-matric scholarship scheme.
• The students should be regular in attendance for which the yardstick is to be decided by the competent authority of the school.

Renewal of scholarship

The scholarship, once awarded, may be renewed during next academic year also by the concerned State Government/Union Territory Administration unless the competent authority of the school recommends to the State Government/Union Territory Administration, to discontinue the award with reference to relevant clause of these regulations governing the scheme.

Announcement of the Scheme

The scheme will be announced by the concerned State Government/Union Territory Administration well in time, by giving advertisements in the leading language newspapers local dailies and by using other suitable publicity media.

Application Procedure

The concerned Department of the State Government/Union Territory Administration will supply the application forms, which should be received back by that Department along with prescribed certificate, by the last date.

Source: For complete information on Pre-Matric Scholarships to the Children of those engaged in occupations involving cleaning and prone to health hazards of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Click here