Shillong, August 27 : Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday released the first instalment of the Umbrella Post-Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Tribe students for the 2025-26 academic year, benefiting 96,812 students across the State.
The scholarship was released at a programme organised by the Education Department at Shillong College.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, Chief Secretary Dr Shakil P. Ahammed, Education Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar Mantri, Director of Higher and Technical Education H.D.B. Sangma, senior officials, faculty members and students from different colleges attended the programme.
Addressing the gathering, Sangma said the State government has begun taking meaningful and decisive steps to address long-standing foundational challenges in Meghalaya’s education system.
He said sustained efforts over the past eight years have helped establish a foundation for further improvements in areas such as the Performance Grading Index, teacher-student ratios, science streams and higher education over the next five to 10 years.
On scholarship disbursement, the Chief Minister highlighted the introduction of the Single Nodal Agency (SPARSH) real-time mechanism, which provides a direct funding route from the Reserve Bank of India to students’ bank accounts and enables faster release of scholarship funds.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said the State’s scholarship ecosystem includes Post-Matric, Border Area and Chief Minister’s Scholarships. He encouraged students to aim beyond basic financial assistance and compete for merit-based opportunities while contributing responsibly to society.
“Be a responsible youth; view that Meghalaya is for you, Meghalaya depends on you,” Rymbui said.
Chief Secretary Dr Shakil P. Ahammed also highlighted the improved scholarship delivery system and encouraged students to overcome personal challenges through ambition and hard work. He urged teachers to serve as mentors and guide students through the rapidly evolving technological environment.
Meanwhile, Education Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar Mantri said scholarship applications in Meghalaya have increased from around 76,000 last year to about 96,000 this year.
He attributed the increase to awareness campaigns, the addition of more than 10,000 students in Class 11 and the Chief Minister’s Scholarship Scheme, which processed more than one lakh applications and disbursed assistance to over 98,600 students.
The State’s total scholarship financial outlay has also increased by nearly 30 per cent to around ₹200 crore.
Mantri further said 19 new colleges — six government and 13 private institutions — have been established in Meghalaya over the last three years, adding around 10,000 higher education seats and increasing the State’s capacity by about 30 per cent.
The Education Department said the release of the scholarship instalment forms part of the government’s efforts to ensure timely financial assistance, expand access to higher education and build a more responsive and future-ready education system in Meghalaya.
