In a significant move to safeguard the educational and career opportunities of Scheduled Caste (SC) students, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has directed government colleges and state universities to submit an undertaking confirming that they have not withheld detailed mark sheets (DMCs) or degrees for students enrolled under the SC Post Matric Scholarship scheme.
This directive addresses a longstanding issue where many SC students have faced challenges in securing further education or employment because their institutions did not pay examination fees, leading to the retention of their academic credentials.
Widespread Impact of Withheld Credentials
The Vice-Chancellors of major universities, including Punjab University in Chandigarh, Punjab University in Patiala, and Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar, have been instructed to provide a comprehensive list of students whose DMCs and degrees have been withheld since the 2017-18 academic session. While an official compilation of affected students is still underway, preliminary sources suggest that nearly 80,000 students may be impacted. This issue is tied to an estimated scholarship amount of around Rs 250 crore.
Mechanism of the Scholarship Scheme
Under the SC Post Matric Scholarship scheme, scholarship funds are transferred directly to the bank accounts of eligible students by the central government. Students are then responsible for paying their tuition fees to their respective institutions. However, discrepancies arise, particularly in private institutions, when students reimburse these fees to their schools, leading to a practice of withholding degrees until all financial obligations are met.
Regulatory Oversight and Next Steps
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has extended its request for data collection to include institutions overseen by various educational departments, such as Animal Husbandry, Technical Education, Higher Education, and Medical Education and Research. This measure aims to create accountability and streamline the process, ensuring that students’ academic and professional pathways are not hindered by financial or administrative barriers.
The initiative underlines the government’s commitment to addressing the educational inequities faced by SC students and ensuring that all relevant stakeholders comply with scholarship provisions. By ensuring the release of degrees and DMCs, the department aims to foster better access to education and employment opportunities, facilitating the socio-economic advancement of marginalized communities.
