The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has unveiled a revised set of guidelines for the Top Class Scholarship Scheme designed for Scheduled Caste students, applicable for the 2024-25 academic year. This overhaul aims to enhance financial support while introducing stricter accountability measures for participating educational institutions.
Enhanced Financial Support and Direct Transfers
Under the new framework, the central government will now cover the complete tuition fee and all non-refundable charges for eligible students. This financial aid will be transferred directly to beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. For scholars enrolled in private institutions, this support is now capped at ₹2 lakh per academic year.
Beyond tuition, students will receive a substantial academic allowance. This is set at ₹86,000 for the first year to help with initial setup costs like a laptop and books. In subsequent years, this allowance will be ₹41,000 annually to cover ongoing living expenses and study materials. It is important to note that students who are already beneficiaries of any other similar central or state government scholarship will not be eligible for this scheme.
Stricter Eligibility and Institutional Accountability
The scheme continues to target Scheduled Caste students with an annual family income below ₹8 lakh. Eligibility is restricted to those gaining admission to a notified premier institution, which includes colleges like the IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, NITs, National Law Universities, NIFT, NID, and other accredited universities.
Fresh scholarships are reserved exclusively for first-year students, with renewals being contingent on satisfactory academic performance each year. A significant rule states that a student who changes their institution after selection will forfeit their scholarship.
The ministry has also imposed rigorous obligations on participating colleges. They are now mandated to verify caste and income certificates, publicize the scholarship scheme prominently, and monitor the academic progress of recipients. Institutions are expected to provide additional support, such as bridge courses or mentoring, for students who are struggling academically.
Allocation Caps and Enhanced Monitoring
For the 2024-25 cycle, the ministry has allocated 4,400 new scholarship slots. These are part of the total 21,500 slots sanctioned for the five-year period from 2021-22 to 2025-26. To promote gender equality, 30% of the annual slots are reserved for SC girl students. Institutions are permitted to reallocate unfilled girls' slots to male candidates if there is a shortage of female applicants.
To ensure benefits are distributed widely, the scheme will not support more than two siblings from the same family.
The revised guidelines empower the ministry with stronger oversight tools, including social audits and periodic reviews. A steering committee has been given more authority to assess institutional compliance. Colleges that violate the rules risk being de-listed from the scheme, though current students there will continue to receive funding until they complete their course. Institutions without a valid AISHE code or those that fail to apply for the scholarship for three consecutive years may also face removal.
By combining direct financial assistance with robust institutional accountability, the updated Top Class Scholarship Scheme is poised to significantly lower economic barriers and empower more SC students to access India's premier educational institutions.
