After seven years of gap, the State government on Monday hiked pre-matric scholarships for the students belonging to Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Scheduled Caste (SC) communities. The last revision in the rate was last done in 2015.
The pre-matric scholarship is earmarked for the borders of schools under the ST & SC Development Department and School & Mass Education Department.
The pre-matriculation scholarship for boy students has been increased to Rs 950 from Rs 750. Similarly, the girl boarders will now be entitled to get Rs 1,000 from Rs 800, an official statement said.
Further, millet (mandia) based food items would be introduced in the hostel’s menu to address the nutritional security of the borders. The scheme would benefit more than five lakh ST and SC boarders. An expenditure amounting to Rs 490.00 crores would be incurred annually towards pre-matric scholarship. The monthly rate of PMS of ST and SC hostel students was last enhanced in the year 2015.