Govt to shortly simplify procedure for availing benefits of scholarship schemes

Some documents likely to be waived off
Focus on achieving 100% enrolment under GoI schemes
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 15: In order to avoid unnecessary hassle being faced by the students and to ensure their 100% enrolment, the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is shortly going to simplify the procedure for availing the benefits of various scholarship schemes. Under the new mechanism, the number of documents required to be produced at the time of submission of the application forms will be reduced.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that during the past quite long time the Government was receiving inputs from various quarters that students were facing undue harassment and difficulties in obtaining benefits of various scholarship schemes due to the complex procedure in vogue during the past many decades.
Moreover, there were complaints that there was no need of seeking some documents as mentioned in the checklist and this aspect was creating more problems for the students desirous to avail the benefits of such schemes. It was due to complicated procedure that 100% enrolment under the scholarship schemes could not be ensured by the successive Governments in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.
Keeping all these aspects in mind, the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir vide Order No.141-GAD of 2019 dated December 4, 2019 constituted a committee to suggest measures for effective implementation of scholarship schemes across Jammu and Kashmir.
The committee headed by Commissioner Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department and comprising of Commissioner Secretaries of School Education, Higher Education, Revenue and Tribal Affairs Departments besides Director General Social Welfare Kashmir/Jammu and other officers was also asked to monitor the progress in the implementation of scholarship schemes on weekly basis.
“The committee has started analyzing the difficulties being faced by the students particularly with regard to obtaining of various documents—income certificate, reservation certificate etc for availing benefits under various scholarship schemes” , sources said, adding “the committee is in the process of making recommendations to the Government for simplification of procedure for application/ grant of scholarships”.
They further said, “the committee has decided to make uniform guidelines for all the scholarship schemes so as to avoid confusion, which is prevailing at present. Moreover, the committee has made up its mind to recommend to the Government waiving off some documents required to be produced by the students at the time of submission of scholarship forms so as to streamline the procedure”.
The committee is also examining the amount of scholarship being provided under different scholarship schemes and will accordingly suggest measures to bring them at a uniform pedestal so that benefits can be availed under all the schemes, sources further said, adding “the committee has planned various measures to ensure 100% enrolment of eligible students from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Classes and General Category at pre-matric and matric levels.
“Moreover, efforts are being made to check the duplication of scholarship schemes and make the procedure for applying for different schemes through single web portal”, sources further said.
The committee also has the mandate to liaise with the Deputy Commissioners for ensuring 100% enrolment of eligible SC/ST/OBC and General Category students.
“No doubt, roping in of Deputy Commissioners will yield the desirable results but the Social Welfare Department is also required to gear up its field level officials so that required level of awareness is generated among the students about the scholarship schemes and they are provided financial help for pursing their education”, sources stressed.
“As large number of students could not obtain the benefits of these scholarship schemes because of procedural complications, the Chief Secretary wants this committee to make recommendations as early as possible so that necessary orders are issued by the Government”, sources said while disclosing that Chief Secretary is personally reviewing the progress being made by the committee on its terms of reference periodically.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here