The MANF and the Padho Pardesh were stopped due to overlap with similar programmes from other ministries. The ministry has assured that current beneficiaries will continue to receive support.

In a report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday last, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment noted that no alternative programmes have been introduced while raising concerns about the loss of opportunities for students who would have relied on them.

The panel noted the allocation for the pre-matric scheme has been reduced to ₹326.16 crore for 2024-25 compared to ₹1,378 crore in 2021-22. The ministry explained the reduction saying the scheme will only cover students of classes 9 and 10. It added students of classes 1-8 were covered under the Right to Education Act. “Hence, the tentative allocation for 2024-25 has been reduced to ₹326.16 crore and seems sufficient to meet the expenditure for the year,” the ministry told the panel.

The pre-matric scheme aimed to benefit 3 million students in 2021-22 but benefitted only around 2.89 million. The target for the 2023-24 post-matric scheme was nearly 500,000 students, but only 491,000 students were covered. The expenditure for the post-matric scholarship scheme was only ₹1145.38 crore despite an allocation of ₹1,065 crore for 2023-24.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker PC Mohan-led panel said the funds for the pre-matric scheme might not be enough to support all eligible students and urged the ministry to reconsider the allocation.

The committee expressed concern over the running of the schemes without formal approval since 2021-22 and urged the ministry to speed up the process to ensure there is no disruption in the scholarship distribution. It added education of students belonging to minority communities should suffer from administrative delays.

The ministry launched a verification drive including biometric authentication of 2.6 million beneficiaries following allegations of fraud in the scholarship system. In 2020, complaints about embezzlement prompted a preliminary Central Bureau of Investigation probe. The ministry acknowledged that the process took time but assured it was now complete.

The committee urged the ministry to adopt stronger measures for monitoring and ensuring the integrity of the scholarship schemes. It praised the higher-than-expected benefits for girls in the scholarship schemes. The ministry has reserved 30% of the scholarships for them but girls availed over 50% of the scholarships.

The panel pointed out the lack of broader educational schemes for poor students and recommended implementing free coaching, residential education, and scholarships for higher education abroad. It said these initiatives would help ensure that minority students have access to high-quality education to contribute to national growth.

The ministry acknowledged the need for further support and said the process of harmonising schemes across ministries was going on to improve their effectiveness. The committee said that the process be completed quickly to avoid further delays.

The panel asked the ministry to address issues such as funding allocation, delays in approval, and the management of fraudulent activities. It underlined the need for addressing bureaucratic inefficiencies while asking the ministry to act swiftly to ensure that these schemes continue to serve those who need them the most.