This is a scheme of Government of India.
Scope
The SC/ST students, because of their educational deficiencies, are unable to take advantage of the various avenues which have become available through reservation of seats. Consequently, the quota reservation of seats. Consequently, the qpta reserved for them in technical and professional courses like engineering and Medical, remain under utilized. Some students whom are able to get admission in these courses with relaxed eligibility conditions, other find it difficult to either Complete the course or take more them the specified time for completion of the instructional, programme. Their inadequate educational preparation also prevents their employment in occupations where entry is on the bails of competitive examinations.
Description of the Scheme and its objectives
The Scheme of Up gradation of Merit of SC/ST students provides for 100% Central Assistance to States/Urban arranging remedial and special coaching for Scheduled castes and Scheduled tribes students studying in class IX to XII. While remedial coaching aims at removing deficiencies in school subjects. Special coaching in provided with a view to prepare students for commutative examinations for entry into professional courses like Engineering and Medical. The main objective of the scheme is to upgrade the merit of scheduled caste/Scheduled medical. The main objective of the scheme is to upgrade the merit of Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe students by providing them with facilities for all round development through education in residential schools. This is proposed to be done by: Removing their educational deficiencies,Facilitating their entry into professional, courses be upgrading their merit so that they can compete with other students for admission to higher education courses and for senior administrative and technical occupations generating self-confidence and self reliance in them.
Selection of schools
Each State may use their own discretion in deciding numbers and location of schools in different districts/towns on the basis of their illiterate population of SCs/STs. The schools selected under the scheme should have the facilities necessary for all round development of the child, enough hostel facilities and should have shown good academic results in the past few years consistently. Good schools particularly in rural areas may be chosen. Kendriya vidhlayas which have hostel facilities may also be chosen for placement of SC/ST students. Only those schools should be selected by the State Government where students belonging to SC/ST communities will feel at home. The selected schools should also be those that are interested and feel involves in improving the capabilities of the students belonging to SCs/DTs to enable them to compete more effectively for admission to professional colleges/institutions or to overcome educational deficiencies. While the State Governments are free to choose any number of schools for implementation of the schemes, the total hombre of awards allotted to each State per annum should not be exceeded. The schools selected will be intimated to this Ministry by the state Governments.
Coverage
To begin with 1045 students will be covered under the scheme. The coaching should start at class IX level and continue till student has completed class XII. This is proposed with a view to making sufficient time till able for coaching as well as meaningful interaction between these children and others. Thus a period of four years would be available for intensive training and coaching to a student to make up for his/her educational efficiencies and to enable him/her to compete for entry into collegiate level courses, particularly. In professional disciplines and ultimately for senior and remunerative politicians on their own merit. Although entry point under the Scheme would be class IX, a student may be enrolled in class X/XI if he/she has shown excellent performance in the precious examination and if he/she had missed entry at class IX level for any reason. Thus each State Government will have number of awards fixed as given in Annexure. While one batch of student enter class IX, the earlier batch in class XII will be going out, thus keeping the total awards at the same level. For example. If a State has 5 awards, it will work out as under :
| Class IX | 5 |
|---|---|
| Class X | 5 |
| Class XI | 5 |
| Class XII | 5 |
| Total | 20 |
The State Government may use their discretion to decide the allotments of seats among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on the basis of illiterate population of the SC/ST communities and keeping in view the overall parameters of the scheme. While the revised scheme takes effect from 1998 –99 the State Governments should ensure that student already getting coaching under the scheme are not disturbed and continue to get their coaching.
Nature of Coaching
Coaching will be both remedial, with a view to removing deficiencies in school subjects and special for preparing student for competitive examinations required for entry into professional courses like Engineering and Medicine. The emphasis of remedial coaching would be to remove educational deficiencies from which these students suller and to promote study habits. It is found that educational deficiencies generally result from inadequate linguistic skills and lack of understanding of basic concepts in Mathematics and science. It is therefore, proposed to provide coaching in linguistic skills, science and mathematics, coaching for competitive examinations i.e. special coaching will be more specific and organized in relation to the competencies required by professional institutions for passing their entry examination. Syllabi for special coaching will need to be prepared with the help of Experts. While remedial coaching will continue throughout the stay of students in the selected schools (Class IX-XII). Intensive coaching for competitive examinations will be provided to them on Sundays, holidays and during summer/winter vacation. Special coaching should be arranged at some centrally placed schools where students of class XI and XII of the nearby schools participating in the programme can gather on specified days. Coaching will be done after schools hours. Teacher providing coaching to students will be paid remuneration. The principals of the schools would also need to be involved in the programme and take responsibility for ensuring satisfactory implementation. Some honorarium will be provided to them. The State Governments/UTs should furnish a report on the performance of these students while seeking fresh grants.
Selection of Teachers
For remedial coaching, faculty of the schools selected under the scheme would be given preference. Where it is not possible to find suitable teachers for a specific course of study, service of teachers form neighboring schools will be requisitioned. It should be ensured that not less than 10-12 hours a week are devoted by a teacher to the coaching of the students. For special coaching, a part form school teachers wherever possible and available faculty of professional institutions would be invited. For this purpose professional institutions which may be located near the school where coach is provided will be preferred, so as to economics on expenditure on traveling.
Preference to Girls students and Handicapped students
While selecting the students, the State Government/UTs should have a target to include at least 30% firl SC/ST students, wherever possible. Target should also be fixed to include at least 3% disabled SC/ST students wherever possible. Besides the amount of scholarship, students with disabilities would also be eligible for the following assistance:
- Reader allowances of Rs.100 per month for blind students in classes IX to XII.
- Transport allowances of Rs. 50/- per month for the disabled student if such a student does not reside in the hostel, which is within the premises of educational institution. The disability as per the said Act is declined as blindness, low-vision, leprosy-cured, bearing impairment, locomotors disability, mental retardation and mental illness.
- Special pay of Rs. 100 per month be admissible to any employee of the hostel willing to extend help to a severely orthopedically handicapped student residing in a hostel managed by the educational or by the State Government/ Union Territory Admn. Who may bed the assistance of a helper.
- Escort allowance of Rs. 50 per month for severely handicapped day scholar students with lower extremity disability.
- Allowance of Rs. 100 per month towards extra coaching to a mentally retarded and mentally ill students in classes IX to XII. The provision proposed in (a) to (e) above, also apply to such leprosy cured students.
Financial Implications
The scheme provides for 100% central assistance to the States and UnionTerritories for implementation of the scheme. A Package grant of Rs. 15,000 per student per year will be given with the following break-up:
- Rs.8000/- per student per year as under; Boarding & lodging charges Rs.5,000/- @ Rs.500 per month for 10 months.
- Pocket Money @ Rs.100 for 10 months Rs.1,000 Books and stationery Rs.2,000
- Rs.7,000 per year per student for honorarium to principal, experts and other incidental charges.
Besides the above, students with disabilities will be eligible for additional grants as provided for in the scheme. In case a State does not send any proposal, funds earmarked for that State are likely to be lapsed. In order to obviate this, the Ministry of Welfare will have discretion to use a cushion of at least 10% of budget allocation for diverting the funds from one state to another to meet the unforeseen increased demand, out of internal resources of the Ministry of welfare by way of re-appropriation within the Ministry of Welfare.