3.2 lakh ST scholarships pending in Rajasthan

Jaipur: There are 3.2 lakh pending applications for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in Rajasthan over four years (2021-22 to 2024-25), according to a reply given by the ministry of social justice and empowerment in Lok Sabha recently.

The Union govt could not release funds for the pre-matric scholarship for ST students in 2023-24 as an unspent amount was available in the nodal account and the utilisation certificate (UC) was not submitted by Rajasthan govt, it was mentioned in the reply of Union MoS for social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale to an unstarred question raised by Bhajan Lal Jatav, an MP from Rajasthan, on March 11.

Under the Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students, Rs 35.30 crore was the central share released by the ministry of tribal affairs in 2022-23 and Rs 22.36 crore (as of March 5, 2025) in 2024-25. On the other hand, under the Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students, Rs 188.10 crore was the central share released by the ministry of tribal affairs in 2022-23; Rs 220 crore in 2023-24; and Rs 350 crore (as of March 5, 2025) in 2024-25.

For the Pre-Matric Scholarship for SCs and others, the central share released in 2022-23 was Rs 207.9 crore; Rs 446.6 crore in 2023-24; and Rs 296.5 crore in 2024-25 (as of March 7, 2025). Under the Post-Matric Scholarship for SC students, the central share released in 2022-23 was Rs 4,392.5 crore; Rs 5,475.4 crore in 2023-24; and Rs 4,433.8 crore in 2024-25 (as of March 7, 2025).

High pendency

Name of scheme

Pending applications

Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students

57,037 for AY 2024- 25

Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students

14,773 for AY 2021-22

38,571 for AY 2022-23

1,07,156 for AY 2023-24

1,04,061 for AY 2024-25

(Total 2,64,561 pending)