Shillong, November 4: Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) Member Bernard N. Marak has sought the intervention of the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs to address difficulties faced by Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in Meghalaya in accessing benefits under the Umbrella Scholarship Scheme for ST Students.
In a letter addressed to the Union Minister on Wednesday, Marak highlighted several shortcomings in the implementation of the scheme, alleging that many eligible students were either rejected or left unverified at institutional and state levels, depriving them of timely financial assistance. He pointed out that scholarship amounts were frequently released in instalments, while students pursuing the same course in the same institution often received different amounts without any clear explanation, creating confusion and financial hardship among beneficiaries.
Marak expressed particular concern over the financial burden imposed on students while obtaining the documents required for scholarship applications, especially income certificates, which remain valid only for a limited period. He claimed that many tribal students were forced to spend more than Rs 5,000 on documentation, certification, travel and cyber service charges even before submitting their scholarship applications.
To address the issue, Marak suggested that income certificates for ST students should be issued by Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) or certified by Members of District Councils (MDCs). He argued that since the scholarship scheme is specifically intended for Scheduled Tribe students, ADCs and MDCs, as institutions and representatives functioning under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, should be entrusted with certifying the eligibility-related documentation of tribal beneficiaries.
The GHADC member also highlighted the difficulties faced by students pursuing education outside Meghalaya, including delays in institutional verification, non-verification of applications and discrepancies in scholarship disbursement. He said inadequate awareness regarding application procedures, submission deadlines, correction mechanisms and payment status had further complicated the process for students, particularly those from rural and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Marak identified several administrative and technical issues affecting the implementation of the scheme, including payment failures linked to the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), banking-related problems and Aadhaar and Know Your Customer (KYC) mismatches resulting in unsuccessful Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT). He also cited delays under the Single Nodal Agency (SNA) system, rejection of applications over minor documentation defects, and the failure of institutions to complete verification and update scholarship portals on time.
In view of these concerns, Marak urged the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs to simplify documentation requirements and consider authorising ADCs and MDCs to issue or certify income certificates for ST students. He also called for timely verification of scholarship applications at institutional and state levels, along with the establishment of an effective grievance redressal mechanism to address complaints relating to rejection, delayed processing and payment failures.
Further, he sought greater transparency and uniformity in scholarship disbursement to ensure that students pursuing the same courses under similar circumstances receive benefits in accordance with the prescribed guidelines.
Marak also recommended awareness campaigns in tribal and rural areas to educate students about eligibility requirements, application procedures, deadlines and methods of tracking scholarship payments. He urged the Ministry to strengthen monitoring of educational institutions and authorities responsible for processing applications and disbursing scholarship funds to prevent unnecessary delays.
Emphasising the importance of the Umbrella Scholarship Scheme in promoting higher education among tribal communities, Marak said administrative and procedural shortcomings should not prevent deserving students from receiving financial assistance. He appealed to the Union Ministry to take necessary corrective measures to ensure that eligible ST students in Meghalaya receive their scholarship benefits in a timely, transparent and equitable manner.
