GO.36 Pre-Matric Scholarships to ST Students and Guidelines

GO.36 Pre-Matric Scholarships to ST Students of AP & Telangana and Guidelines Tribal Welfare Department – Pre-Matric Scholarships (New Scheme)-Guidelines for sanction of Pre-Matric Scholarships to ST Students studying from classes V – VIII from the year 2013-2014 under TSP – Orders – Issued.

TRIBAL WELFARE (EDN.1) DEPARTMENT
G.O. Ms No. 36 Dated:25-02-2014.

Read the following:

1. CTW, Hyd. Lr. Rc.No. Lr.Rc.No.J2/9776/13, dt.20.12.13.
2. Minutes of the meeting of 4th Nodal Agency for Tribal Sub Plan(TSP) dated .20-12-2013.
3. Note C.No 272/PlgXXII/2014 Planning (XXII) Department Dt .11-02-2014.
4. G.O MS No 10Planning (XXII) Department dated: 23-02-2013.

ORDER: Government of Andhra Pradesh have decided to sanction of Pre-matric Scholarship to curb the high dropout rate of 53.64% as per census 2011 of Department of School Education among S.T, students and encourage education at the secondary level there is need to give incentive in the form of scholarship in Andhra Pradesh by providing a modest incentive to school going ST children from classes V to VIII.

The scheme was reviewed and approved by the Nodal Agency in its meeting held by 2-12-2013 vide reference 2nd read above for inclusion under Tribes Sub-Plan 2013-14 and the State Council for development of SCs &STs has also ratified the recommendation of Nodal Agency for Tribal Sub Plan in the reference 3rd read above.

The following guidelines are issued for operation of the scheme. These guidelines will come into effect from the academic year 2013-14.

Objective: To curb the high dropout rate of 53.64% as per census 2011 of Department of School Education among S.T. students and encourage education at the secondary level there is need to give incentive in the form of scholarship in Andhra Pradesh by providing a modest incentive to school going ST children from classes V to VIII.

Pre-metric Scholarship shall be granted to all eligible ST students in classes V to VIII subject to the following conditions

Eligibility: For being eligible under this scheme, the student should:
Belongs to Scheduled Tribe and her/his Parent/Guardian’s Annual Income should not exceed Rs. 2.00 Lakhs.
He/She should be a regular, full-time student studying in a Government School or in a School run by Local Bodies such as Mandal Praja Parishad, Zilla Praja Parishad, Municipalities / Municipal Corporations or any school aided by the Government.
Scholarship for studying in any class will be available for only one year. If a student has to repeat a class, she/he would not get a scholarship for that class for a second (or subsequent) year.

Scholarship Value:
1) Rs.100/- Per Month for Boy (Day Scholars) for 10 months.
2) Rs.150/- Per Month for Girls (Day Scholars) for 10 months.

Procedure: The same procedure being adopted for “Pre-Matric Scholarships Scheme for IX to X classes may be adopted for this scheme also.

OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES:

Bank Account:
1. Each student shall have a bank account in his/her name from any of the Nationalized Banks. Students who are minors shall have a joint account in the name of the student and mother/father/guardian as the case may be.
2. The bank account shall be linked to the Aadhar number of the student to enable scholarship transfer. Linkage of the Aadhar Number with the Bank Account will be done by the Manager of the Bank concerned on the production of Aadhar Number by the Student / Parent.

Duration and Renewal of Awards: The scholarship will be payable for 10 months in an academic year.

Renewal Scholarship: The award once made will continue subject to good conduct and regularity in attendance. It will be renewed for subsequent after the student passes in the previous class.

Applications for Scholarships to be Online:
On the similar lines of Social Welfare, applications may be applied through online and instructions & necessary guidelines for this will be communicated separately.
A student desirous of availing Pre-Matric Scholarships under the Scheme shall apply online at http://epass.cgg.gov.in and click on the Pre-Matric Scholarships for registration form and submit the following details:
Student details with Name and Address of the School.
Parental details with Address.
Aadhar linked Bank Account Number with IFSC Code, Bank Name and Bank Branch.
Scan and upload Caste, Income Certificate as issued by the Mee-Seva Kendra (certificate other than those issued by Mee-Seva shall not be accepted).
Scan and upload Aadhar Card No. & the Aadhar document.
Aadhar linked Bank Account, passbook to be Scanned and Uploaded (only first stage). The Bank Account shall be in the Name of the Student along with the Mother/Father/Guardian in case the student is a minor.
Scan and Upload a Photograph.

The duly filled in application shall be downloaded and copies of all documents as given in e-pass shall be attached to the Application and submitted to the School Head Master.

Each student must give a declaration that he is not in receipt of any stipend/ scholarship from the State Government or Central Government.

The Head Master of the School shall verify all the details of the application and countersign the application. He shall also certify that the student is not receiving any other Scholarship from the State or the Central Government.

All the applications of the Students shall be forwarded to the local Hostel Warden of the Tribal Welfare Department.

The Hostel Welfare Officer in whose jurisdiction the school is located shall be the verification officer for all students applications received from the school under the Scheme.

Verification of the Students by the Hostel Welfare Officer shall be done by authenticating the fingerprint of the Student with the UIDA online. For this purpose, the Hostel Welfare Officer shall first assess the “Best Finger Detection” (BFD) for online authentication and use such finger with the BFD for online authentication with the Aadhar network (UIDA).

Scholarship applications of only such students who have been authenticated online shall be processed for a scholarship. Therefore Hostel Welfare Officer’s and Head Masters are requested to ensure that the Aadhar number is entered correctly.

The Deputy Director (TW)/District Tribal Welfare Officers of the District shall process only the Online Authenticated applications for payment of Pre-Matric Scholarships.

The Commissioner, Tribal Welfare shall ensure that adequate steps are initiated to:
Map all authorized schools / Hostels to Hostel Welfare Officers.
Impart training to Headmasters/Hostel Welfare Officers and Assistant Tribal Welfare Officers on the online system.
Ensure that all the Hostel Welfare Officers undertake Physical verification by the process of Online Authentication with UIDA
Ensure that all District Officers proactively co-ordinate with the concerned Departments for verification and sanction of pre-Matric Scholarships.
Ensure that the online system is put in place by the Centre for Good Governance and has a full-fledged helpline for assistance to users.

The Administration of the scheme shall be fully online and managed and operated by the Centre for Good Governance.

All payments under this scheme as far as possible shall be through the Aadhar authentication framework.

A student can withdraw the amount through the Micro ATM by online fingerprint authentication with the UIDA. They can also the amount through their ATM Cards where available.

The expenditure on this scheme shall be debited to the following Head of Account:
2225-Welfare of SCs, STs, OBCs
02- Welfare of Scheduled Tribes
MH277-Education
GH(11)-Normal State Plan
SH(11) -Pre-Matric Scholarships for Day Scholars (to be opened)
340- Scholarships and Stipends

Since the scheme has been approved by the State Council for development of SCs&STs vide reference 3rd read above and as per the GO Ms, No 10 Planning (XXII) Department dated. 23-02-2013, this order does not require the concurrence of the Finance Department.

Pre-Matric Scholarships to ST Students