Facing flak, Kerala restores full funding for minority scholarships
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The LDF government in Kerala decided on Friday to restore full funding of nine minority scholarships that had been slashed by 50% last month, triggering allegations about students from marginalised communities being forced to bear a disproportionate share of cuts purportedly meant to reduce the exchequer’s burden.
The policy reversal order states that the original allocation of Rs 13.6 crore for these nine scholarships had been restored. The Pinarayi Vijayan govt also announced an additional allocation of Rs 11 crore for the Margadeepam scholarship, raising the total plan size to Rs 20 crore. Although this scholarship was not among the nine affected by the cuts reported by TOI on Jan 31, the increase in its allocation reflects a renewed effort to support students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, sources said.
The rollback came amid criticism from opposition parties, academicians and community leaders, who flagged the cuts as being a potential trigger for higher dropouts.
The Prof Joseph Mundassery Scholarship, which supports economically disadvantaged high achievers from the minority community, had taken the biggest cut. The scholarship pays Rs 10,000 each to SSLC students securing A+ in all subjects and Rs 15,000 to those excelling in higher secondary exam and vocational courses.
The Mother Teresa Scholarship, which supports students from Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi communities pursuing diploma courses in nursing and paramedical institutions, was among those hit by now-revoked cuts. Funding for civil services exam coaching for minority candidates, UGC coaching reimbursement and scholarships for students studying abroad have also been fully restored.