The Bengal government has relaxed the academic eligibility for the Swami Vivekannanda merit-cum-means scholarship so more students can apply for it amid the pandemic.
Students who have passed the last qualifying examination (higher secondary or equivalent) with 60 per cent marks — the previous criterion was 75 per cent — can now apply for the scholarship, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Thursday.
The scholarship, launched in 2016, is awarded to students in the general category whose family income is not more than Rs 2,50,000 a year.
“The Swami Vivekananda scholarship is awarded to help students pursue higher education. Earlier, a student had to secure 75 per cent (in HS or equivalent) to qualify for the scholarship. This year we have brought it (the eligibility criteria) down to 60 per cent. So many more students will benefit,” Mamata said at Nabanna.
She was speaking at a virtual programme to felicitate 1,700 students who have performed well in the Madhyamik, higher secondary, state joint entrance and madrasa exams.
The chief minister announced that her government would give financial assistance to Class XII students for buying smartphones or tablets, enabling them to attend online classes.
“Those who have been promoted to Class XII will be given Rs 10,000 so they can buy tabs or smartphones. This will come to their aid,” she said.
The district magistrates brought some of the students to their centres for the virtual interaction.
A student qualifying for the Swami Vivekananda scholarship gets Rs 1,000 a month to study BA or BCom. The amount is Rs 1,500 for those who pursue BSc.
Undergraduate medical and BTech students get Rs 5,000 a month.
Close to a lakh students received the scholarship last year. Around 9.5 lakh students who were promoted to Class XII last year received the assistance to buy tablets or smartphones.
An official of the education department said the academic eligibility for the scholarship had been modified so more students from underprivileged families could get the benefit at a time Covid-19 had unleashed immense economic hardship.
“The move to offer help to buy tabs or smartphones is aimed at enabling more students to come within the ambit of digital learning,” an official said.