Will Over 5 Lakh Students Receive Scholarships Before Diwali?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- More than 5 lakh students will receive scholarships before Diwali.
- Scholarships are facilitated through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
- The scholarship budget has significantly increased since 2017.
- The government is committed to educational reforms and inclusivity.
- Responsibility will be assigned for past lapses to prevent future errors.
New Delhi, Sep 26 (NationPress) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared on Friday that over 5 lakh students from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe backgrounds, who missed out on scholarships owing to institutions not uploading their data, will receive their pending financial aid before Diwali.
During a scholarship distribution event at the IGP, the Chief Minister confirmed that funds have been allocated, and all eligible students will receive the assistance directly in their accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
He emphasized, “The responsibility will also be fixed for those who caused this lapse, ensuring such mistakes do not occur again.”
At the event, CM Yogi distributed scholarships to more than 4 lakh students and noted that the state’s scholarship expenditures have nearly doubled since 2017.
“In the year 2017-18, the government allocated Rs 1,648 crore, which surged to Rs 3,124 crore in 2025-26,” he remarked, adding that timely and transparent payments are now guaranteed through technology and AI-based verification.
The Chief Minister recalled that prior to 2017, scholarships frequently reached students late and with bias.
“In 2016, SC/ST scholarships were not disbursed at all. Upon our government’s arrival, we resolved pending dues for 2016-17 and 2017-18 for every eligible child,” he asserted.
Official statistics reveal that from 2017-18 to 2024-25, over 1.23 crore SC/ST students received Rs 9,150 crore in scholarships, while nearly 59 lakh general-category students obtained Rs 5,945 crore.
In addition, more than 2 crore OBC students benefited from Rs 13,535 crore in the same timeframe.
Highlighting governmental education reforms, Yogi mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “One Nation, One Scholarship” initiative, which guarantees inclusion for every student until graduation.
He added that the state is expanding residential schools like Kasturba Gandhi and Atal Awasiya Vidyalayas, while also providing free uniforms, shoes, and sweaters to children in basic education council schools.
Urging students to concentrate on education and unity, CM Yogi warned against “divisive forces.”
“Certain elements once divided the nation and enslaved us. Today, under the Prime Minister’s leadership, a new India is being constructed. Our focus must be on unity and ensuring every child attends school,” he concluded.
Present at the event were ministers Narendra Kashyap, Aseem Arun, Danish Azad Ansari, Sanjeev Gaur, SC/ST Commission Chairman Baijnath Rawat, Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, MP Brijlal, and other dignitaries.