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The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment reported central assistance of Rs 4,893.03 crore under Pre-Matric Scholarships and Rs 46,581.54 crore under Post-Matric Scholarships for Scheduled Caste students from FY 2014-15 to FY 2025-26.
In FY 2025-26 alone, Rs 562.36 crore reached 26.79 lakh pre-matric students and Rs 6,186.95 crore reached 47.53 lakh post-matric students.
The Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme moved to a DBT-enabled framework from FY 2021-22, paying into Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts.
De-duplication, biometric and e-KYC verification, One-Time Registration and integration with DigiLocker, API SETU, AISHE, UDISE, NCVT and SCVT databases have been introduced to weed out fake and duplicate beneficiaries.
Central sector fellowship for SC students pursuing M.Phil and Ph.D in sciences, humanities and social sciences.
Key: Introduced in 2005-06; 2,000 fresh slots a year (500 science, 1,500 humanities and social sciences) for NET-JRF qualified candidates, over and above normal reservation in UGC fellowships. Implemented by NSFDC since 1 October 2022, having earlier been run by the UGC.
Single-window platform for application, verification, sanction and disbursal of central and state scholarships.
Key: Launched in 2015 under Digital India and the National e-Governance Plan; built and run by the National Informatics Centre, and now carrying well over a hundred central and state schemes.
Support for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic communities through free competitive-exam coaching, health insurance, livelihood support and housing assistance.
Key: Launched on 16 February 2022 with an outlay of about Rs 200 crore for 2021-22 to 2025-26; implemented by the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC).
Umbrella Centrally Sponsored Scheme for SC socio-economic development, including the residential infrastructure the Department referred to.
Key: Running since 2021-22 after merging Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana and Special Central Assistance to the SC Sub-Plan; components: Adarsh Gram, Grants-in-aid for district and state projects, and Hostel.
DBT credits a benefit straight into a beneficiary's bank account, preferably Aadhaar-seeded, rather than through intermediaries. Launched 1 January 2013, it is steered by the DBT Mission, in the Cabinet Secretariat since September 2015, with PFMS as the routing platform.
Simple Analogy: Money posted to the address instead of handed down a queue.
A Directive Principle in Part IV: the State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections, particularly the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation. Not enforceable in court, but the stated basis of such scholarship schemes.
GS Paper 2 > Social Justice > Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections
Static GK > Government Schemes and Constitutional Provisions
A scheme funded jointly by the Centre and the States in a fixed ratio and implemented by the States — unlike a central sector scheme, which the Centre funds fully.
Linking a beneficiary's Aadhaar number to their bank account so benefits route accurately and duplicates are detected.
A single registration identity letting a student be tracked across schemes and academic years, blocking duplicate claims.