Historic Disbursement of Rs. 242 Crore Under SC Scholarship by Punjab Government — Lauded by Government of India
Historic Disbursement of Rs. 242 Crore Under SC Scholarship by Punjab Government — Lauded by Government of India
Dr. Baljit Kaur Announces Major Relief for Students — Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal Reopened Till May 15
Chandigarh, May 1:
In a landmark achievement towards ensuring timely financial assistance for Scheduled Caste (SC) students, the Punjab Government under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann has successfully disbursed Rs. 242.01 crore as the state’s share for 2,22,764 students before March 31, 2025. This announcement was made by Punjab Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur.
Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that for the first time in the state’s history, the state’s share under the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme has been distributed within the academic year itself. In recognition of this proactive and student-centric initiative, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, has also appreciated the Punjab Government for implementing the scheme in an efficient, transparent, and effective manner.
She further added that guided by the Aam Aadmi Party government’s commitment to social equality and education for all, the Punjab Government is fully dedicated to the welfare and educational empowerment of Scheduled Caste students. In line with this vision, the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme is being implemented in a transparent, efficient, and student-friendly manner to enable students to pursue higher education without financial constraints.
The Minister informed that for the financial year 2024-25, the state had set a target to cover 2,60,000 students under this flagship scheme. Notably, a total of 2,59,685 applications were received through the Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal, out of which 2,36,575 applications have been successfully verified — the highest number of verifications achieved by the Punjab Government in the last five years.
Dr. Baljit Kaur also mentioned that the remaining verified applications numbering 13,814 will soon receive the state’s share of scholarship funds.
Additionally, the Cabinet Minister revealed that it came to the department’s notice that some eligible students could not avail the scholarship for the year 2024-25 as they or their institutions failed to lock their applications. In the interest of student welfare, the Punjab Government has decided to reopen the Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal till May 15, 2025, providing a final opportunity for such students to complete the application process.
Reaffirming the Punjab Government’s firm resolve, Dr. Baljit Kaur urged all eligible students and institutions to take full advantage of this extended opportunity and ensure that no deserving student is deprived of this crucial academic assistance.