Punjab Guv seeks report on scholarship for SC students; writes to CM Bhagwant Mann
Mohali, July 21: Taking cognizance of reports about more than two lakh SC students being forced to drop out of colleges due to the non-payment of scholarships by the Punjab Government to colleges, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit has written a letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann seeking a comprehensive report on this matter at the earliest.
The letter states: “If it is correct, it would be a most reprehensible violation of constitutional rights of SC students and grave injustice to them”.
The National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) had earlier said around two lakh students from the SC category dropped out of college due to non-payment of dues under a scholarship scheme worth around Rs 2,000 crore by the Punjab Government. NCSC chairperson Vijay Sampla said the commission had sought an explanation from the Punjab Government on why the money had not been paid to colleges despite the payment of dues by the Centre.
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“We have taken suo motu cognisance in the matter. There have been many complaints from SC students that they are not being allowed in colleges as the government has not paid their fees. There were around three lakh SC students who benefited from the scheme in 2017 and the number dropped to 1-1.25 lakh in 2020. When we asked the state government, they said these children dropped out,” Sampla was earlier reported as saying.
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