What happened (MoTA Rajya Sabha statement on ST scholarships)

On 6 August 2026, the Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Shri Durgadas Uikey, informed the Rajya Sabha about implementation of scholarship schemes for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students and the reasons for pendency (pending dues) in scholarship releases.

Which ST scholarship schemes MoTA is implementing and how disbursal works

MoTA stated that it is implementing: Post Matric Scholarship for ST students (Class XI and above), National Scholarship for Higher Education for ST students (Top Class), National Fellowship for ST students (NFST), and National Overseas Scholarship for ST students (NOS). MoTA also explained that Post Matric Scholarship is executed through States/UTs, while Top Class is a Central Sector Scheme implemented directly by MoTA. For Post Matric Scholarship, States/UTs process applications, verify details, select candidates, and disburse benefits via DBT; MoTA releases the central share after examining proposals and compliance.

Top Class scholarship: eligibility and the two-component payment structure

MoTA stated that the Top Class scholarship covers graduate and postgraduate studies in 265 notified top-class government and non-government institutes across fields including management, medicine, engineering, IT, and law. MoTA stated eligibility requires the student to be ST and have parental income up to Rs. 6.0 lakh, studying in notified institutes. MoTA described Top Class scholarship release as two components: Component-I (living/miscellaneous allowances) paid directly to students via DBT, and Component-II (tuition and admission fees) paid to institutions through PFMS, with actuals-based release for government institutes and a ceiling of Rs. 2.5 lakh per annum for private institutions.

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