The number of beneficiaries of a national scholarship scheme meant to promote higher studies among Scheduled Castes (SCs) has seen a sharp drop in 2025-26 over the past two years, with Bengal, Kerala and Odisha emerging as the top laggards.

In 2024-25, over 48 lakh SC students had joined the scheme from all states and UTs except Telangana. The number declined to around 36 lakh in 2025-26 against the government-set target of 76 lakh students.

The parliamentary standing committee on social justice, headed by BJP MP P.C. Mohan, has expressed concern over the significant dip in beneficiaries under the Post Matric Scholarship (PMS) in 2025-26. (See chart)

The ministry of social justice and empowerment (MoSJE) has attributed the slide to poor awareness about the scheme, said the committee report on demands for grants for 2026-27 pertaining to the MoSJE.

In a separate written reply in the Lok Sabha on March 24, minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale shared data on state-wise beneficiaries as of March 19. The figures showed that 1,745 students in Odisha benefited from the scheme in 2025-26 compared with 1.92 lakh in 2024-25. The number plummeted to 28,666 in Bengal from 1.08 lakh and to 17,133 in Kerala from 1.47 lakh during the same period.

The PMS is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented by the department of social justice and empowerment through state governments and Union Territory administrations. The scholarship is awarded to students whose parental income is less than ₹2.5 lakh per annum. The scheme aims to increase the gross enrollment ratio of SC students in higher education with a focus on those from the poorest households.

The states and UTs invite online applications and verify the credentials. The central share of the scholarship is released after the states pay their share.

On the parliamentary panel’s questions about hurdles to the scheme, a senior MoSJE official said the income criteria and awareness about the scheme were low. The official informed the panel about a proposal to enhance the income criteria to ₹4.5 lakh per annum from 2026-27. Also, the government plans to earmark 1 per cent of the budget to create awareness about the scheme.

“The committee is not able to understand how the department is going to enhance the gross enrolment ratio of SC students in higher education when the actual expenditure and the number of beneficiaries have actually decreased in 2025-26,” the panel said.

Ashok Bharti, chairman of the National Confederation of Dalit Organisations, attributed the problem to the online application system and the condition that the states pay their share first. “It is quite possible that the Centre may have delayed the release of funds because states are yet to pay their share. The PMS should be fully funded by the Centre. Moreover, many students don’t have access to computers to apply online,” Bharti said.