Minister for Higher Education Mohammad Akbar Lone today said that Union Ministry of Human Resources has announced a Special Scholarship Scheme (SSS) for the 12th class or equivalent passing-out students belonging to J&K State.The information was given by the Minister during the question hour while replying to a clubbed question raised by Sheikh Ghulam Rasool and Ravinder Kumar Sharma.The question was initially replied by Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar.Mr. Lone said that the scheme launched in 2011-12 provides 5000 fresh scholarships per annum (4500 for General Degree Courses, 250 for Medical and 250 for Engineering) to the students of J&K. He said an amount of Rs. 3 lakh tuition fee and Rs. I lakh hostel charges for Medical, Rs. 1.25 lakh tuition fee and Rs. 1 lakh as hostel charges for Engineering and Rs. 30,000 tuition fee and Rs. 1 lakh hostel charges were been paid to the students got admission under the scheme, adding that as per the latest information provided by the Union Government an amount of Rs. 31.9 crore has been released for grant of 2858 scholarships.
The Minister stated that the J&K State has no role in the implementation of the scheme and acts only as the facilitator. He said the scheme has been started by MHRD and is being implemented through AICTE.The Minister said that the Education department has time and again notified that no NGO or any other organization has been authorized for sponsoring the scheme. The matter of certain NGOs misleading the students has been viewed seriously and taken up with the CID for investigation to inquire into the role of NGOs who presented themselves as the sponsors of the schemes to mislead the students.The Minister further informed the House that after receiving representation made by various students stating that they have got admission outside the State with the hope that they will get benefit of scholarship but have not yet receive scholarships so far, he took the matter with the Union Minister of HRD to redress the grievances of such students. Moreover, the Chief Minister has already taken up the matter with the Prime Minister, he added.