In a significant effort to empower economically disadvantaged Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), the Government’s umbrella scheme, “SHREYAS,” comprising four central sector sub-schemes, has been making a substantial impact over the past nine years, from 2014-15 to 2022-23. These sub-schemes, which include “Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs,” “Top Class Education for SCs,” “National Overseas Scheme for SCs,” and “National Fellowship for SC Students,” have been instrumental in providing educational opportunities and financial support to underprivileged students.
Under the “Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs,” a total of 109.77 crore rupees have been released to benefit 19,995 beneficiaries during this period. This scheme aims to offer high-quality coaching to SCs and OBCs for competitive and entrance examinations, as well as admission to prestigious technical and professional institutions. Notably, 30% of slots are reserved for females, and a minimum of 50% are allocated to SC students.
The “Top Class Education for SCs” scheme, which covers SC students pursuing studies beyond 12th class in renowned institutes, has disbursed 398.43 crore rupees benefiting 21,988 students. This initiative provides full financial support, including tuition fees, academic allowances, and living expenses.
Under the “National Overseas Scheme for SCs,” 197.14 crore rupees have been released to aid 950 beneficiaries in pursuing masters and Ph.D. level courses abroad. This scheme supports students with a family income of less than Rs. 8 lakhs per annum, who secure admission in top 500 QS ranking foreign institutes/universities.
Lastly, the “National Fellowship for SC Students” has allocated 2000 new slots annually for students pursuing M.Phil/Ph.D. degrees in Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences in Indian Universities/Institutions/Colleges recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC). This fellowship scheme assists students who have qualified the National Eligibility Test-Junior Research Fellowship (NET-JRF) of UGC and UGC-CSIR Joint Test.
In summary, the SHREYAS scheme has played a pivotal role in bridging educational disparities by providing financial support, coaching, and overseas opportunities to SCs and OBCs, ensuring a brighter future for thousands of deserving students.