The Maharastra government has relaxed a key condition for scheduled caste (SC) students receiving the Maharaja Rajrashi Shahu Scholarship for Foreign Education. Previously, students had to pass every exam of their course and submit mark sheets and progress reports every semester. However, the government will no longer withhold scholarship aid from students who fail a semester.
Instead, if students continue to perform poorly in subsequent exams, they will have to repay the scholarship money with a 16% interest. Students must give an undertaking that they will clear future tests.
What is Maharaj Rajrashi Shahu Scholarship?
The government gives this scholarship to 75 SC students studying post-graduate courses or PhDs at the top 300 overseas universities. The state funds most expenses, including tuition fees, accommodation, travel and other academic needs. However, the previous passing criteria led to students who failed even one subject in a semester examination being denied the next instalment of scholarship money.
One beneficiary, who recently completed his master’s in engineering from Imperial College London shared his experience. He said, “We face a lot of challenges when we go abroad to study starting with opening a bank account. When the academic year starts in October, the weather turns extremely cold. Within months we take our first exam in the month of January. It becomes very difficult to manage if the money is withheld.”
Pravin Nikam, Founder of Samata Centre which helps marginalised students apply to prestigious institutes, welcomed the decision. He suggested that the government should assess students at the end of each academic year. He says, “If a student fails a subject they can take a retest at the end of the year.”
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