Parliament Question: Irregularities in Scholarship Schemes and Monitoring Mechanisms

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1445 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2026 IRREGULARITIES IN SCHOLARSHIP SCHEMES AND MONITORING MECHANISMS +1445. MS IQRA CHOUDHARY: SHRI BABU SINGH KUSHWAHA: SHRI HARENDRA SINGH MALIK: SHRI NEERAJ MAURYA: SHRI LALJI VERMA: SHRI DEVESH SHAKYA: Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has received the complaints in regard to irregularities and corruption in the Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship schemes implemented for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students in Uttar Pradesh, including Jaunpur and Etah Lok Sabha constituency Uttarakhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and the other States; (b) if so, the State-wise details of the complaints received, inquiries conducted, complaints proved true and punitive action taken during the last five years; State-wise; (c) whether the Government proposes to ensure the participation of public representatives, particularly the Members of Parliament in the district or State-level monitoring mechanism to ensure transparency and accountability in the scholarship schemes, if so, the details thereof; and (d) whether the details of the financial loss incurred due to these irregularities, recovery made from the guilty persons, and the measures adopted for the prevention of such irregularities in the future and if so, the details thereof, State-wise ? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE) (a) to (d): Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) implements the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Post-Matric Scholarships for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Pre-Matric Scholarships for Scheduled Castes (SCs) & Others through State Government/Administration of Union Territory on Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode w.e.f 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively. Central share is released directly into the Aadhaar seeded bank account of the eligible applicants. The aforementioned Schemes are open-ended and demand driven for the eligible students of all the recognised institutions across India. Release of central share is contingent upon States/UTs transmitting their State/UT share paid data on to the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).Any such complaints regarding irregularities in implementation of above schemes are immediately forwarded to the State Governments/Administrations Union Territory being the implementing agencies for taking remedial action. States/UTs follow their due procedure and take appropriate administrative actions on such complaints/representations. To eliminate the irregularities and misuse of funds, Government of India introduced Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through which the benefits are released directly to their Aadhaar seeded bank accounts. The schemes have undergone reforms for timely delivery, comprehensive accountability, continuous monitoring and transparency to bring transformative impact. Through web-based system, monitoring and disbursement of scholarships at the Centre/State level is done to the Aadhaar seeded bank accounts of the beneficiaries directly through DBT to ensure that misuse of funds is eliminated. Periodic reviews of the aforementioned schemes are conducted through meetings at the National, Regional, and State levels, as well as through field visits. Additionally, various National conferences/Chintan Shivirs are organised to assess the performance of these schemes, which are attended by Union and State Ministers, senior officers, and other officials from both the Centre and the States. — Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements (MoTA) Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Schemes for Scheduled Tribes (STs) through States/UTs. To ensure transparency, efficiency, and accountability in fund flow, the Ministry has adopted the SNA SPARSH Model for release of central share under Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for ST students. This serves as a Just-in-Time Disbursement Framework under which the Central Share funds are released in "Just-in-time" as and when the bills are raised by respective State Government for payment of scholarship. Once the bills for scholarship payment are approved, both Central Share as well as State Share fund is directly transferred from RBI account to Student beneficiary account through DBT. Under the Post Matric Scholarship scheme for ST students being implemented in the State Government of Tripura, an FIR is registered in the district of Faridabad, Haryana regarding fake beneficiaries receiving scholarships in institutes located in Faridabad. In the subject matter, Action Taken Report (ATR) from State Government of Tripura has been sought by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Any such complaints regarding irregularities in implementation of above schemes are forwarded to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations being the implementing agencies for taking remedial action. 2 2K ok ok ok —An-