The Centre is actively considering raising the income limit to avail two most popular scholarship schemes — pre-matric and post-matric — for Scheduled Caste (SC) students from Rs 2.50 lakh to Rs 4.50 lakh, The Indian Express has learnt.

Sources in the government said that a note is being prepared and it will soon be forwarded to various stakeholders for their feedback. Once the comments from various stakeholders, such as NITI Aayog, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, are in, the process to draft a Cabinet note will start, which will then go to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

Currently, the pre-matric and post-matric scholarships can be availed by those whose parents’ annual income from all sources is not more than Rs 2.50 lakh. “(Post Matric) Scholarship will be paid to the students whose parents’/guardians’ income from all sources does not exceed Rs 2,50,000 during the last financial year,” states the website of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on the eligibility of SC students.

Components of the scholarship include compulsory non-refundable fee, including tuition fee, and an academic allowance between Rs 4,000 and Rs 13,500 per annum for hostellers, and between Rs 2,500 and Rs 7,000 per annum for day-scholars, depending on courses. The allowance is higher for professional courses as compared to traditional ones. Disability allowance is also given, if applicable.

In operation since 1944, post-matric scholarship was a 100 per cent centrally sponsored scheme for several decades. However, the current funding pattern is 60:40 between the Centre and states, except for Northeastern states where the ratio is 90:10. The funding pattern is the same for pre-matric scholarships as well.

The last hike in the income limit to avail these scholarships came into effect on April 1, 2013, when it was enhanced from Rs 2 lakh per annum to Rs 2.5 lakh. In 2013-14, 51.72 lakh SC

students benefited from the post-matric scholarship, documents available on ministry’s website show.

A senior official said, “With increased income limit, more families will come under its ambit.”

According to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s annual report for 2024-25 (as on December 31, 2024), 19.13 lakh students benefited from the post-matric scholarship scheme. The number of beneficiaries in the previous year (2023-24), however, was much higher (47.38 lakh).

On the other hand, the pre-matric scholarship scheme for SCs was started in 1977-78, initially only for hostellers and day scholars were brought under its ambit in 1991. The scheme has the same Rs 2.50-lakh income criteria but for the children of parents/guardians engaged in unclean and hazardous occupations, there is no income limit. Under the scheme, Rs 3,500 per annum is given to day scholars and Rs 7,000 to hostellers. For the hosteller-children of parents/guardians engaged in unclean and hazardous occupations, Rs 8,000 per annum are paid. In 2024-25 (till December 31, 2024), 7.54 lakh students benefited from the scheme.

Sources said there is no discussion on increasing income limit for OBC students under a similar scheme available for them. The scholarship schemes for the ST students are managed by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.