Odisha Cong Slams Govt For Slashing Post-Matric Scholarship For SC/ST Students

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Pradesh Youth Congress on Saturday criticised the state government for slashing the course fee for sanction of the post-Matric scholarship for ST and ST students.

Briefing the media, Youth Congress President Smruti Ranjan Lenka said the SC and ST students who have taken admission in the first year, cannot complete their studies as the state government has drastically reduced the course fee amount under the post-Matric scholarship.

Showing a copy of the government notification, Lenka said the state government has slashed the course fee for the B.Tech Engineering from Rs 60,000 to Rs 25,000, M.Tech Engineering from Rs 66,000 to Rs 25,000, Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) from Rs 40,000 to Rs 8200, Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) from Rs 40,000 to Rs 7200 and B.Pharma from Rs 45,000 to Rs 25,000.

Citing an instance, he claimed if a poor SC or ST student has taken admission in a technical institution in the first year B.Tech Engineering course as per the earlier course fee of Rs 60,000 under the post-Matric scholarship, he/she will not be able to pursue his/her study.

“Where from he/she will arrange the remaining Rs 35,000 to complete the course? While the Congress-led UPA government during 2013-14 had fixed the course fee amount under the post-Matric scholarship scheme to enable them to pursue their higher studies, the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and the BJD government in Odisha have shown no mercy for these backward community students which clearly reflects their anti-Dalit and anti-adivasi attitude,” Lenka said.

He also sought clarification as to why the state government hurriedly came up with a notification to this effect soon after the conclusion of the bypolls to Balasore and Tirtol constituencies on November 3.