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TN CM seeks 60:40 sharing formula for Post Matric scholarship scheme funding

UNI, Chennai | Published : 17th June 2018

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider funding under 60:40 sharing formula between the Centre and State for the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme, as in the case of other central schemes.

In his address at the Niti Aayog meeting in New Delhi, he also sought the personal intervention of Mr Modi on the reimbursement of dues over the years under this Scheme, pending from the Centre to Tamil Nadu which had exceeded Rs.1,804 crore as of March this year. He said though education was not covered in the agenda, he drew the Prime Minister's attention to the revisions made by the Union Government to the guidelines of the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme. ''The changes, inter-alia, entail to stop reimbursement of fees claimed against management quota/spot admission seats in any institution/university with effect from April 2018'', he pointed out. Mr Palaniswami said the new guidelines also change the basis of committed liability over and above which 100 per cent was borne by the centre.

Observing that this would end up in a situation where Central Sector Scheme would have to be fully funded by State Government, the Chief Minister said the revision has effectively blunted Tamil Nadu's ability to improve the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education any further.

He said in Tamil Nadu, a large number of students from poor scheduled castes and scheduled tribes households' avail benefits under Post-Matric scholarship scheme through management quota seats in self-financing colleges. It has been of immense help to students, several of whom are first generation graduates, in joining higher educational institutions, Mr Palaniswami said and added that Tamil Nadu prides itself in having achieved GER of more than 45 per cent. ''Apart from blocking our efforts to improve the GER, the revision has fast become cause for social resentment and unrest, as it went against social justice'', he said. Pointing out that the reimbursement of dues over the years under this scheme, pending from the Union Government to Tamil Nadu exceed Rs.1,804 crore as of March 2018, Mr Palaniswami sought the personal intervention of Mr Modi in resolving this impasse. He also suggested that this Scheme might be funded under a 60:40 sharing formula between Centre and the States, as in the case of other Central Schemes.

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