Maharashtra Pre-Matric Scholarship – Eligibility Criteria Eased, Check Details

Seeing a poor response in the number of scholarship applications for Classes 1 to 10, the State Directorate of Minority & Adult Education has relaxed the eligibility criteria of 50% to only pass marks. As per the reports of the Adult and Minorities Education Department, nearly 81,695 beneficiaries have not opted for the scholarship this year.

To tackle this issue, the department has decided to slash down the eligibility criteria. Interested students can apply for this scholarship and take advantage of this relaxation.

Maharashtra Pre-Matric Scholarship – Other Applicable Eligibility Criteria and Points

Apart from reducing the eligibility criterion to pass marks, a few other criteria that have to be abided by are:

1. The schools/institutes will be responsible for certifying that students residing in the hostels who are claiming to be candidates from outstation are true. The scrutiny should be based on the student’s permanent address and their parent’s address. Local residents shall not be allocated hostel rooms. This scrutiny is a must as maintenance allowance will be provided to both day scholars and hostellers (according to designation slab).
2. If a student violates school discipline or any other terms and conditions of the scholarship, the financial aid shall be cancelled or suspended.
3. The State Government/ Union Territory administration can also directly cancel the scholarship award if they find the reasons for student(s) violating the regulations governing the scheme valid.
4. In case a student is found to have obtained a scholarship by false statement, his or her scholarship will be cancelled. Furthermore, the amount of the scholarship paid to that student will be recovered by the concerned state or UT government.
5. The course fee and maintenance allowance will be credited to the bank account of the student directly under the Direct Benefit Transfer mode.
6. The students obtaining benefits under the Pre-Matric Maharashtra Scholarship Scheme shall not be allowed to avail of benefits under any other scheme.

Maharashtra Pre-Matric Scholarship – Important Updates

1. After applying for the scholarship online, the applications will be scrutinised at the school, district and state level. Once the scholarship is approved, the students will have to apply for the renewal of the pre-matric scholarship every year through their schools.
2. The government has set aside 30% scholarships for girls of each minority community. If there is a non-availability of female students, the seats will be transferred to male students of that community.
3. In case a particular minority community (SC/ST/OBC) cannot utilise the amount for the students of Maharashtra, the scholarship amount will be distributed to the students among the same minority community in other states. This distribution will be based on merit.
4. The scholarship will not be given to more than two students from a single family.

As for recent reports, students of Maharashtra missed the opportunity to apply for nearly 81,000 scholarships this year. However, the Department of Minority and Adult Education is optimistic that with this decision, more students will now apply for the pre-matric scholarship. Once the student registers for the scholarship and is found eligible for it, an amount of nearly INR 500 will be transferred directly to the bank account of the beneficiary.