Gandhinagar, May 19: The Gujarat government has approved an ₹18 crore scholarship scheme aimed at benefiting male students from Scheduled Caste (SC) backgrounds who come from middle-income families. This initiative will provide ‘Post Matric Scholarship’ support to eligible students.
Eligibility criteria have been broadened, allowing approximately 3,000 additional students to receive financial assistance in the academic year 2026-27. A similar scheme for Scheduled Caste female students already exists.
According to a statement from the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, this approval was granted under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. Pradyuman Vaja.
The revised provisions have increased the annual family income limit from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹6 lakh. This change enables students from this income bracket to access state-supported educational assistance for the first time.
Previously, only SC students whose families earned up to ₹2.5 lakh annually were eligible under the centrally sponsored ‘Post Matric Scholarship Scheme.’ Under the new arrangement, students from families earning between ₹2.5 lakh and ₹6 lakh will now receive state funding, addressing the coverage gap for lower-middle-income families.
The scheme will also provide an educational stipend and reimbursement for approved non-repayable fees. To ensure transparency and reduce payment delays, all financial assistance will be transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
According to eligibility criteria, students enrolling in diploma courses after completing Class 10 or Class 12 must have scored at least 50% in their qualifying exams. For undergraduate courses, a minimum of 50% in Class 12 is required.
Students pursuing higher education must maintain a consistent academic performance with at least 50% marks at the degree or diploma level. The implementation will follow the guidelines of the centrally sponsored ‘Post Matric Scholarship Scheme.’
The entire application and approval process will be conducted online. Progress monitoring and compliance will be ensured through the DBT portal and the Chief Minister’s dashboard.
Any necessary equipment or kits will be procured, where applicable, specifically through the Government e-Marketplace. This scheme will operate within the approved budget allocation, with a cap on the number of beneficiaries set at 3,000. Oversight will be managed by the Scheduled Caste Welfare Director.
To ensure accountability, the department has also included provisions for periodic social audits and third-party verification, with reports submitted to the state government for review.
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