The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment has criticised the Ministry of Minority Affairs for prolonged delays in vital scholarship schemes meant for economically disadvantaged minority students.
The Eleventh Report, tabled in Parliament on Monday, reveals that the Pre-Matric, Post-Matric, and Merit-cum-Means scholarships have been suspended since 2022–23, leaving thousands of students without essential financial support.
The committee expressed deep concern over the ministry’s failure to align its schemes with similar programs run by other departments, such as the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, which have continued uninterrupted. It emphasised that minority students should not suffer due to bureaucratic inertia and called for urgent, time-bound approvals.
Additionally, the panel flagged delays in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram, citing underutilised budgets and administrative bottlenecks. The report urged the ministry to ensure parity in educational benefits across marginalised communities and to fully utilise allocated funds before the current Finance Commission cycle ends in 2026.
The findings have reignited concerns over equitable access to education and the need for transparent, accountable governance in welfare delivery.
