Bhubaneswar: The State Government has initiated steps to implement the new scheme Mukhyamantri Medhabi Chatra Protsahan Yojana (MMSPY) very soon.
Bishnupada Sethi, Principal Secretary Higher Education has taken initiative in this regard, said sources in Department of Higher Education.
Existing three types of scholarships given to the students for pursuing higher studies, e-Medhabruti, Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan Medha Bhasabruti and Gopabandhu Sikhya Sahayata Yojana, will be brought under umbrella scheme Under the Mukhyamantri Medhabi Chatra Protsahan Yojana.
Under the e-Medhabruti component, the Higher Education Department is going to enhance the number of students to be covered under the scholarship and the amount also, official sources said here on Monday.
According to the sources, the scholarship amount for meritorious UG students under e-Medhabruti will be enhanced from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per year. In total, now, a selected student will get Rs 30,000 while earlier they were receiving Rs 15,000. Similarly, the number of beneficiaries will also be doubled from existing 5,000 students.
For two-year PG students, the scholarship amount will be enhanced from existing Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per year. The number of beneficiaries will also be increased from 3,500 to 5,000 each year.
The scholarship money for technical and professional students have also been proposed to be doubled from existing Rs 10,000 per year. The students will get the scholarship each year till completion of duration of his/her course.
As per existing norms, the e-Medhabruti scholarship is being provided to 3500 such students for UG courses and 2500 students for PG courses. It was proposed to extend the scholarship coverage to 10,000 UG & PG students, who are doing technical and professional courses, the sources said.
However, there will be no change in the modality set for Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan Medha Bhasabruti and Gopabandhu Sikhya Sahayata Yojana. The Government is distributing one-time Rs 20,000 to 1200 UG students and 300 PG students as Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan Medha Bhasabruti. Similarly, the beneficiaries of Gopabandhu Sikhya Sahayata Yojana are also receiving Rs 20,000 each year till completion of the course.
Moreover, to include more eligible students under the scholarship scheme, the Government has also decided to enhance the income of parents of the students from 6 lakh to 8 lakh per annum.
Unlike before, from the coming Academic Session i.e. 2023-24, the scholarships will be sanctioned disbursed annually. In every academic session, the scholarships shall be renewed at the institute and Department level.
One of the most pressing needs in higher education today is finance. Due to the manifold hike in the cost of higher education, adequate financial incentives could not allow the deserving students to attain their educational goals, meet their professional objectives. The aim of the Government to encourage all the students to pursue higher education from the Block level to the State Level, gets obstructed as many of the parents are facing financial hardship to give support to their wards to achieve their educational goals, officials said.
In addition to this the Pandemic during the last two years has aggravated the financial situation of almost every below poverty household. The education system of the whole country has been badly hit. In a scenario like this, financial aid to the meritorious students of different institutes in the State would be a boon.
As per the database of SAMS, during the academic year 2022-23, it is found that 1,99,344 students have taken admission in Under Graduate courses in Odisha through SAMS, out of which 1,02,405 nos. of students have secured 60% or more marks in the qualifying examinations.
Similarly, in PG category 14,468 students have taken admission in different PG courses in Odisha through SAMS, out of which 13,608 students have secured 60% or more marks in the qualifying examination.
Aims and Objectives: Government have been pleased to extend financial support to more students and to further reduce the financial stress of the parents facing hardship in paying the course fee towards their children’s higher education,
Earlier, there were 14,500 numbers of scholarships under e-Medhabruti which has now been increased to 25,000.
Eligible students including outside students (residents of Odisha but studying outside Odisha) are required to apply online for scholarship by visiting the portal https://scholarship.odisha.gov.in/.
The Finance Minister has made an outlay of Rs. 811 crore under the scheme for disbursement of scholarship to more than 23 lakhs students of which 60% are girls.
