ED attaches ₹13.83 crore assets in Uttarakhand SC/ST scholarship scam
Synopsis
Nearly half of all scholarship claims processed for SC/ST students across three Uttarakhand institutions were fraudulent, the ED has found — with ₹13.83 crore in assets now attached under PMLA. The scam, spanning 2011-12 to 2016-17, saw ₹27.98 crore disbursed against ghost and ineligible students, exposing systemic failures in welfare fund oversight.
Key Takeaways
The ED attached assets worth ₹13.83 crore under PMLA, 2002 on 15 June in the Uttarakhand SC/ST Scholarship Scam .
Of 6,208 scholarship claims processed, 2,895 were found to be fraudulent — nearly 47% of all claims.
A total of approximately ₹27.98 crore was disbursed: ₹19.74 crore to institutions and ₹8.24 crore to student accounts.
Institutions named include Motherhood Institute of Management and Technology, Roorkee ; RIMS, Haridwar ; and Mahaveer Institute of Technology, Meerut .
The fraud involved submitting claims for students who were unenrolled, absent, academically ineligible, or untraceable in university records.
The scam covered the period 2011-12 to 2016-17 , with the investigation initiated by the ED's Dehradun Sub Zonal Office .
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has attached movable and immovable properties worth ₹13.83 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with its ongoing investigation into the SC/ST Post-Matric Scholarship Scam in Uttarakhand. The action, announced on Monday, 15 June, targets private educational institutions and their management who allegedly siphoned funds meant for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students between 2011-12 and 2016-17.
Background and Trigger
The ED's Dehradun Sub Zonal Office launched its investigation on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Uttarakhand Police, which alleged fraudulent availing and siphoning of post-matric scholarship funds released by the Social Welfare Department, Government of Uttarakhand. The case centres on claims processed by the District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO), Haridwar, covering a total of 6,208 scholarship applications across the institutions named in the FIR.
Scale of the Fraud
Of the 6,208 scholarship claims processed, the ED found that 2,895 — nearly half — were fraudulent. A total of approximately ₹27.98 crore was disbursed during the period under investigation: ₹19.74 crore was credited directly into the bank accounts of the institutions, while approximately ₹8.24 crore was routed into accounts maintained in the names of students.
Modus Operandi
According to the ED, the accused institutions submitted scholarship claims in the names of students who were either not genuinely enrolled, not attending classes, academically ineligible, or otherwise not entitled to benefits. Verification by universities and educational authorities revealed significant discrepancies in admission, enrolment, and examination records. Many purported beneficiaries had reportedly failed examinations, remained absent, were untraceable in university records, or continued receiving scholarships despite not meeting prescribed eligibility criteria.
Institutions Named
Among the institutions identified in the FIR are Motherhood Institute of Management and Technology, Roorkee; Roorkee Institute of Management Sciences/Medical Sciences (RIMS), Haridwar; and Mahaveer Institute of Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. The ED said the fraudulent activity resulted in wrongful loss to the public exchequer and corresponding unlawful gain to the accused persons and associated entities.
What Comes Next
The attachment of assets worth ₹13.83 crore marks a significant escalation in the PMLA proceedings. Further action against the implicated institutions, their management, and associated societies or trusts is expected as the investigation progresses. This case is part of a broader pattern of ED scrutiny into welfare scheme fraud across Indian states, where scholarship funds meant for marginalised communities have been systematically misappropriated.
Point of View
Yet the fraud ran undetected for six years across multiple districts and institutions. The ED's asset attachment is a necessary enforcement step, but the deeper question is why the Social Welfare Department's internal controls — and university verification mechanisms — did not catch discrepancies in enrolment and examination records far earlier. Scholarship fraud of this kind disproportionately harms the SC/ST communities these schemes are designed to protect, and accountability must extend beyond the institutions to the officials who approved disbursements without adequate due diligence.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Uttarakhand SC/ST scholarship scam?
The Uttarakhand SC/ST scholarship scam involves the fraudulent availing and siphoning of Post-Matric Scholarship funds meant for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students between 2011-12 and 2016-17. Private educational institutions allegedly submitted claims for ineligible, unenrolled, or fictitious students to obtain funds from the Social Welfare Department, Government of Uttarakhand.
How much has the ED attached in the Uttarakhand scholarship scam?
The ED has attached movable and immovable properties worth ₹13.83 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. This follows the discovery that approximately ₹27.98 crore was fraudulently disbursed across 2,895 bogus scholarship claims.
Which institutions are named in the Uttarakhand scholarship scam FIR?
Three institutions are named: Motherhood Institute of Management and Technology in Roorkee, Roorkee Institute of Management Sciences/Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Haridwar, and Mahaveer Institute of Technology in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Their management and associated societies or trusts are also under investigation.
How were the fraudulent scholarship claims identified?
Universities and educational authorities conducted verification that revealed significant discrepancies in admission, enrolment, and examination records. Many claimed beneficiaries had failed examinations, were absent, were untraceable in university records, or had continued receiving scholarships despite not meeting eligibility criteria.
What happens next in the ED investigation?
The attachment of ₹13.83 crore in assets marks an escalation in PMLA proceedings. Further action against the implicated institutions, their management, and associated entities is expected as the investigation continues under the Directorate of Enforcement's Dehradun Sub Zonal Office.
