Stating that RTE covers compulsory education up to Class 8 for all students, the government has now limited its pre-matric scholarship scheme meant for backward and minority communities to students of classes 9th and 10th.
Earlier, the pre-matric scholarship used to cover education for Classes 1 to 8 also belonging to SC, ST, OBC and minority communities.
The government, in a notice, justified its decision by underlining that the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 makes it obligatory for the government to provide free and compulsory elementary education (classes I to VIII) to each and every child.
"Accordingly, only students studying in classes IX and X are covered under the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Likewise from 2022-23, the coverage under the pre-matric scholarship scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs shall also be for classes IX and X only," the notice said.
The Institute Nodal Officer (INO)/District Nodal Officer (DNO)/State Nodal Officer (SNO) have been asked to verify the applications only for classes IX and X under the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
The decision has drawn a sharp reaction from several officials. MP Randeep Singh Surjewala said, for decades, children from SC/ST backgrounds have been getting scholarships from classes 1 to 8 but the government from 2022-23 has stopped the scholarship which is a "conspiracy" against the poor. We will run a movement against it. Immediately take back this decision," he said.