No accountability for agencies recruiting J&K students for PM’s scholarship Scheme

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 7: Just second year into its implementation the much hyped Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme announced by Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) for Jammu and Kashmir students to provide higher education for 25,000 students in five years is already having its share of controversies.
Various agencies and NGOs have been claiming that they have been entrusted with the job of enrolling J&K students in various institutes has put parents in spot of worry, for they aren’t sure who to believe while availing the benefits of the scheme.
“The much hyped Prime Minister’s special scholarship scheme for Jammu and Kashmir students seems to have attracted more NGOs and civil society firms than its real beneficiaries (students), since the day first it was announced for deserving students of the state,” a group of parents of aspiring students told Excelsior.
The chaos was witnessed outside AIEEE centers in Srinagar today, where different NGOs and some ‘civil society members’ were trying to attract every student and their parents outside exam enters and blaming others as fake people for the scheme.
“Even though the academic session is yet to start in outside States and some top priority exams have not been conducted yet except AIEEE, and even its result is yet to be announced many self styled civil society groups and some NGOs are working overtime to attract potential candidates and enroll them in their priority list,” said Farooq Ahmad Lone, who was accompanying his daughter to the exam center.
“I am totally confused, why these people are campaigning differently and pulling the legs of their own people, who are associated with this special scholarship scheme; and why everyone is at his own more interested to send more students on scholarship,” said Abdul Hamid, father of an aspiring scholarship student.
Malik Imtiyaz Chairman People Forum, one of the recruiting agencies entrusted with the job of selecting “right candidates” says some vested interested persons are charging money from students for enrolling for the scholarship.
Similarly, one more organization under the banner of Rehabilitation Council and AICURD (J&K) also claimed that they are the only real people responsible to send students outside for scholarship. The organization has also in a press note mentioned that parents should check credentials of firm/person before sending students on PM’s Scholarship scheme.
Rabia Baji, Nodal Officer Rehabilitation Council and Incharge AICURD (J&K), said that there so many unauthorized firms and persons nowadays busy with luring parents and students for scholarship, which can be dangerous for the safety and career of the students.
Baji said that parents must contact registered persons like her to send their wards outside State under such scheme.
Meanwhile, an Engineering College in Haryana has asked students, who were enrolled under Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme in August 2012 and were flagged off by Minister of Education in Srinagar to pay the first year fee or evacuate the institution.

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