Scholarship eludes SC/ST students of Sundargarh

Around 80,000 day scholars of 2,600 schools are yet to receive the money
Scholarship eludes SC/ST students of Sundargarh

ROURKELA: Thousands of SC/ST students from Classes VI to X in Sundargarh district have not received their Pre-Matric Scholarship (PMS) from April 2017 even as they have gone home after completion of examinations. Efficient and faster disbursement of PMS or stipend money to the poor students still remains a distant dream.

Sources said nearly 80,000 day scholars belonging to SC and ST communities and studying in Classes VI to X at about 2,600 Government-run elementary and high schools run by School and Mass Education (SME) and ST/SC Development departments in the district are yet to receive their PMS amount for 2017-18.

Notably, after completion of the 2017-18 academic year, the day scholars no more come to schools. With stipend money getting gradually released now for Classes IX and X, school authorities are extra burdened to inform students to check their accounts.

Annually, SC/ST boys of Classes VI and VII are entitled for Rs 180 and SC/ST girls of the same classes get Rs 240. SC/ST boys of Class VIII get Rs 240 and girls get Rs 300. Similarly, ST boys of Classes IX and X receive Rs 1,500, while ST girls are given Rs 2,450 and SC boys and girls are entitled to get Rs 2,250. While the stipend amounts are directly transferred to the bank accounts of the day scholars of Classes IX and X, students from Classes VI to VIII receive stipend amounts from their headmasters /mistresses (HMs) upon receiving school accounts.

School sources, citing past experiences, claimed that the purpose of PMS to help poor students meet their small expenses and also curb drop-out rate gets defeated due to delayed payment. A Class X student, Amit Beck of Birmitrapur, said stipend money meant them a lot, but it is paid very late.

An official WhatsApp group message sent to HMs on Thursday evening informed that PMS amounts for 2017-18 were deposited in accounts of 9,790 students of  around 33,300 ST/SC students of Classes IX and X. The HMs were urged to inform the students to check their accounts.

Some HMs, requesting anonymity, said they are under pressure to complete evaluation of examination papers and declare results for Classes I to IX by March 31 and start academic activities for new academic year from April 2. They said it is an extra burden on them.

Sundargarh District Welfare Officer (DWO) Sunil Tandi said the PMS amounts are directly released by the ST/SC Development department and they have no role in it. Meanwhile, the DWO on March 17 had issued a letter to all HMs of the district over preparedness for PMS for 2018-19.

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