The Centre has disbursed a cumulative ₹1,178.20 crore to Scheduled Caste (SC) students in Karnataka under the Centrally Sponsored Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme over the last three financial years, according to data tabled in Parliament. The figures were disclosed by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on 9 August.

Year-wise Disbursement Breakdown

The Central share released to Karnataka beneficiaries stood at ₹421.08 crore in 2023-24, ₹422.90 crore in 2024-25, and ₹334.22 crore in 2025-26, totalling ₹1,178.20 crore across the three-year period. The dip in the most recent year — from roughly ₹422 crore to ₹334 crore — is notable, though the government has not offered a specific explanation for the decline in the parliamentary response.

How the Scheme Works

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment implements the Post-Matric Scholarship for SC students as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, routed through state governments and Union Territory administrations. Since 2021-22, all disbursements have been made exclusively through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode, transferring funds directly into beneficiaries' accounts to reduce leakage.

Crucially, the release of the Central share is contingent on state governments submitting finally verified payment data on the National Scholarship Portal. The scheme is described as open-ended and demand-driven, covering all eligible SC students enrolled in recognised institutions across India.

DAPSC Framework and Budget Allocation

On the broader Development Action Plan for Scheduled Castes (DAPSC), the government noted that NITI Aayog issued guidelines in 2017 directing each obligated Ministry or Department to earmark funds for the socio-economic development of Scheduled Castes through their respective schemes. Allocation to individual states, including Karnataka, is undertaken by the relevant ministries in line with their scheme guidelines, with figures reflected in Statement 10A of the Union Budget's Expenditure Profile.

Why This Matters

Karnataka has one of the largest SC populations among Indian states, making the scholarship pipeline a critical lifeline for students pursuing higher education beyond Class 10. The shift to DBT since 2021-22 was intended to eliminate middlemen and ensure timely credit, though implementation quality depends heavily on state-level data submission to the National Scholarship Portal. This comes amid ongoing national debate on the pace and adequacy of welfare transfers to marginalised communities. Notably, the year-on-year variation in disbursements underscores how the demand-driven structure can produce uneven flows if state verification processes lag.