The Parliamentary Consultative Meeting of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment held here today.Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment chaired the meeting.The Ministers of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Vijay Sampla and RamdasAthawale were also present. The subject of the meeting was “National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Castes and Divyangjan”Shri Krishan Pal Gurjarin his address informed the members that the Central Sector Scheme of National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) is to facilitate thestudentsfrom low income families belonging to the Scheduled Castes, De-notified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Laborers and Traditional Artisans category to obtain higher education viz., Master Degree or Ph. D. by studying abroad, thereby improving their Economic and Social status.He said that the Scholarship scheme for Scheduled castes is in existence since the year 1954-55. It provides financial assistance to the selected candidates of the target population for pursuing higher studies for pursuing Masterslevel courses and Ph.D. in the field of Engineering and Management Pure Science & Applies Science, Agricultural Science and Medicine, International Commerce, Accounting & Finance and Humanities and Social Science.
ShriGurjar said that the Overseas Scholarship scheme for Divyangjan was started in the year 2014-15. From 1st April, 2018, the overseas scholarship is being given to Divyangjan on the basis of their streams viz humanities, science or commerce and not on the basis of their subjects so that more students can be given overseas scholarship.He said that the advertisements inviting applications from target groups are published every year in leading national dailies and in Employment Newsfor selection of candidates. Detailed Advertisement along with a copy of the scheme guidelines/instructions are uploaded in the website of the Ministry for wider publicity. The awareness of the scheme is also generated through the FM Radio programme “SawarantiJaayenJeevan Ki Raahen” run by the Department.The Members gave their valuable suggestions for the betterment as well as for broadening the coverage of the scholarship scheme. The detailed Power point presentations highlighting the salient features of the Overseas scholarship scheme for Scheduled castes and for Divyangjans were made on the occasion.The Members of Parliament who participated in the Consultative Committee Meeting include: Shri K.H. Muniyappa, Shri NageshGodam, Shri VirenderKashyap (all Lok Sabha) and Shri K. Somaprasad, Dr. L. Hanumanthaiah and MahantShambhuprasadjiTundiya (all Rajya Sabha).Smt. Neelam Sawhney,Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Smt. Shakuntala D. Gamlin,Secretary, DEPwD, and senior officers of the Ministry also attended the meeting.