The Chief Minister's Office of Bihar announced on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 that the state government has benefited approximately 1 lakh 4 thousand Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students under the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme, of whom 4,155 belong to Scheduled Tribe communities.

Context

The official post, shared from the Chief Minister's Office account, quoted a statement underscoring the scheme's outreach: 'राज्य सरकार द्वारा पोस्ट मैट्रिक छात्रवृत्ति योजना के तहत लगभग 1 लाख 4 हजार अनुसूचित जाति एवं अनुसूचित जनजाति के छात्र-छात्राओं को लाभान्वित किया गया है' ('approximately 1 lakh 4 thousand SC and ST students have been benefited under the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme by the state government'). The announcement highlights Bihar's continuing effort to report welfare coverage figures for marginalised communities in higher education.

Policy Backdrop

The Post Matric Scholarship Scheme is a centrally sponsored programme administered by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, with funding shared between the central and state governments. Its roots go back to the 1940s, making it one of India's longest-running affirmative education finance programmes. Over the decades, the scheme has undergone periodic revisions to maintenance allowances and income eligibility ceilings to keep pace with the cost of higher education. Bihar, as a state with a significant SC and ST population, is among the larger implementing states and periodically publishes beneficiary figures as part of its social welfare reporting cycle.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries are Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students pursuing post-matriculation studies — a cohort that has historically faced financial barriers to higher education. Of the total figure cited, 4,155 Scheduled Tribe students are specifically identified, reflecting the scheme's targeted reach within a sub-group that is numerically smaller but often more economically vulnerable. Such disaggregated reporting is significant because it allows policymakers and civil society to track whether tribal students — who face distinct geographic and socio-economic barriers — are being adequately covered alongside the broader SC population. For families dependent on state support, scholarship disbursements directly influence enrolment and retention rates at the post-matric level.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to Bihar's social welfare department reports and state budget documents for updated disbursement figures, any revisions to income eligibility thresholds, and confirmation of actual fund transfers to beneficiary accounts. Advocates for SC and ST education access are likely to scrutinise whether the coverage numbers translate into timely, full disbursements — a challenge that has historically affected scholarship schemes across multiple states. The figures announced by the Chief Minister's Office set a baseline against which future welfare audits and legislative reviews can be measured.