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Central Sector Scheme of Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC Students

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Eligibility

Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) students

Region

India

Award

Free coaching for competitive government examinations

Deadline

Always Open

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About The Program

The Central Sector Scheme for Free Coaching for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) students aims to empower these communities by providing free coaching for competitive examinations. This initiative equips SC and OBC students to compete effectively for government jobs, including the Civil Services Examination (CSE), Indian Engineering Services (IES), Indian Forest Service (IFS), and other central and state government exams.

Implementation and Empanelment of the Scheme:

The Dr. Ambedkar Foundation (DAF) will implement this scheme through Central Universities empanelled under its program. Central Universities interested in participating can submit applications online or offline to DAF. After reviewing applications, DAF will select suitable universities based on their ability to provide quality coaching.

Existing DACE Centers:

Central Universities already empanelled under the Dr. Ambedkar Centre of Excellence (DACE) Scheme, which offered coaching in 2022-23, will not need to reapply. Their existing MoUs will be renewed with necessary amendments to align with the updated scheme.

Coaching Centres:

The coaching centres established by the empanelled Central Universities will be known as Dr. Ambedkar Centres of Excellence (DACE). These centres will provide free coaching to SC and OBC students, helping them achieve their career goals.

Source: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India

EligibilityDeadline Date: Always Open

To be eligible, an applicant must:-

  • belong to Schedule Caste (SC) and Other Backward Caste (OBC)
  • be taking coaching for competitive exams such as the Civil Services Examination (CSE), Indian Engineering Services (IES), Indian Forest Service (IFS), and other central and state government exams
  • have a valid Aadhar number and a bank account linked to it
  • have a total family income of ₹8,00,000 or less per annum from all sources

The courses for which coaching will be imparted shall be as follows:

  • Group A and B examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), and the various Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs);
  • Officers’ Grade examinations conducted by Banks, Insurance Companies, and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs);
  • Premier Entrance Examinations for admission in
    • Engineering (e.g., IIT-JEE),
    • Medical (e.g., NEET),
    • Professional courses like Management (e.g., CAT) and Law (e.g., CLAT),
    • Any other such disciplines as the Ministry may decide from time to time;
  • Eligibility tests/examinations like SAT, GRE, GMAT, IELTS, and TOEFL; e. Entrance examination tests for CPL courses/National Defense Academy and Combined Defence Services

Note:-

  • Scheduled Caste (SC)/Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates belonging to a minority community may apply under similar schemes offered by the Ministry of Minority Affairs or the State Governments, as applicable.
  • The student must have a valid Aadhar number and a bank account linked to it. If the student does not have an Aadhar number at the time of application, they can submit their EID number. However, the payment will be released only after obtaining the Aadhar number and will be disbursed to the Aadhar-linked bank account of the student.
  • Only students/candidates who have completed or are in their final year of the relevant Undergraduate course at the time of receiving benefits under the scheme are eligible.
  • Students must declare their Class 12 marks on the application form.
  • Those with less than 50% marks in their Class 12 exam will not be considered.
  • A particular student can avail benefits under the Scheme a maximum of twice, regardless of the number of attempts they make in a specific competitive examination or the number of stages involved.
  • Students must declare that they have not received benefits more than twice under this Scheme or any similar coaching scheme run by the Central or State Government.
  • The candidate shall be precluded from availing benefits under any other coaching scheme of the Central or State Government and will be required to provide a declaration to this effect. A list of beneficiaries availing the scheme will also be uploaded on the
  •  Ministry's website and shared with Central Universities/Central Institutes to prevent the possibility of the candidate availing benefits of similar coaching schemes simultaneously or more than twice.   
Benefits

The Central University shall issue suitable advertisements inviting willing and eligible students to apply for the coaching. 

Admissible Payments:

  • Course Fee: A maximum of ₹75,000 per student will be covered.
  • Stipend: Students will receive a monthly stipend of ₹4,000 for the duration of the course, which cannot exceed 12 months.
  • Incentive: Successful students who clear the mains stage of Central or State Civil Services Exams for Class 1 or 2 posts will be eligible for a ₹15,000 incentive to assist with interview preparation.

2% of the funds available under the scheme will be allocated for administrative expenses. These funds will be used for creating the learning management system, conducting publicity and awareness campaigns, or any other activities necessary for the efficient operation of the scheme.

Maximum Fee and Minimum Duration under the Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC Students:-

Course Maximum Total Course Fees in (in ₹) Minimum and *Maximum Duration of Course in Months
Civil Services Exam by UPSC/SPSCs 75,000 12 months
SSC/RRB 40,000 6-9 months
Banking/Insurance/Public Sector Undertaking (PSU)/Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 50,000 6-9 months
Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)/National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) 75,000  9-12 months
Indian Economic Service (IES) 75,000 9-12 months
CAT/CMAT 50,000 6-9 months
GRE/GMAT/SAT/ IELTS/TOFEL 35,000   
CA-CPT/GATE 75,000 9-12 months
CPL Courses 30,000 6-9 months
NDA/CDS 20,000 3-4 months

*A minimum of 16 hours of physical coaching per week will be mandatory for all the above courses. Additionally, the stipend will be paid for the actual months of coaching or the maximum prescribed duration, whichever is shorter. This applies even if the Central University has provided coaching for a period exceeding the maximum prescribed duration.

Note:- All admissible payments will be released to students through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. The fee and stipend will be disbursed in two equal installments of 50%. The first installment will be released upon course commencement, and the second installment will be released after completing more than 75% of the course duration. Students are required to promptly remit their portion of the institutional fee, within 15 days or less, to the Central University where they are receiving coaching.

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Important Dates

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Selection Criteria

The proposal for empanelment of new Central Universities will be considered by a selection committee that shall recommend these institutes for selection based on the availability of physical and academic infrastructure and other requirements relevant to the implementation of the scheme. The Central Universities willing to provide coaching will be finally selected by the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation based on the recommendations of the selection committee. The composition of the selection committee will be as follows:

  • Joint Secretary, SCD-B, MSJE - Chairperson
  • Financial Advisor, MSJE - Member
  • Joint Secretary, DoHE - Member
  • Director, DAF - Member
  • Director/DS (SCD-1), MSJE - Convener

The empanelled Central Universities shall shortlist the students to be imparted coaching in the course(s) allocated to the Central Universities fulfilling the eligibility and also falling in the merit list prepared by the Central University after following a procedure established by the concerned institution itself for screening the eligible candidates. Such a procedure shall be pre-informed to the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation.

Important documents
Scheme Detail Document
Terms and Conditions
  • No offline applications will be accepted by the Central University from students.
  • Only online applications that are complete in all respects will be considered for assistance. All incomplete applications will be summarily rejected. However, rejected candidates may reapply in subsequent selection years.   
  • 3500 students will be selected annually under this scheme. The percentage of SC students shall not be less than 70%. In case of insufficient candidates in the SC category, the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation can relax this ratio. However, a minimum of 50% SC students shall be permitted.
  • Additionally, 30% of the slots in each category shall be reserved for female candidates. If there are insufficient female candidates in a category, male candidates from the same category may be considered by the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation.
  • A maximum of 100 seats per Central University shall be allocated to such empanelled entities. For the purpose of viability, one Central University/Institution shall not have fewer than a total of 50 students.
  • The Central Universities shall ensure the recording of Aadhaar-based biometric attendance of the students and shall share the same with DAF on a monthly basis with specific mention of the students absenting themselves for more than four days in a month. If any student is absenting himself/herself without acceptable reason, such as medical or household emergency, his/her candidature for the scholarship shall be canceled.
  • The Central Universities shall commence coaching for the indicated courses on the date specified in the MoU signed with the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation. Eligible students will be allowed to join the coaching regardless of whether they have received the first installment from the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation.
  • Central Universities have the discretion to enroll students for coaching beyond their allocated slots. These students may belong to any category, including SC, OBC, General, and others. The Central Universities can determine their own fees for these additional students and do not require prior permission from the Ministry. However, they are encouraged to inform DAF about the enrollment of such students for record-keeping purposes. Dr. Ambedkar Foundation will not provide funding for any additional students enrolled by Central Universities.
  • If the number of students enrolled in a particular empanelled Central University falls below 50 at the preliminary examination stage or becomes unsustainable at the mains stage, students from that institution may be transferred to other entities with the consent of both institutions and the affected student, subject to the approval of the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation.
  • After shortlisting candidates, Central Universities must submit a list of all shortlisted students to the Ministry through DAF. This list should include details of their education, caste, income, merit, and bank credentials.
  • Once 75% of the prescribed course duration is completed, Central Universities/Central Institutions must forward details of students who have been attending classes regularly to DAF. This includes monthly attendance sheets and a proposal for releasing the second installment of funds.
  • The Ministry will review these proposals and approve the release of funds to DAF's CNA bank account.
  • DAF will then release the funds to eligible students through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
  • The release of the second and third-year installments will depend on the Central University's successful fulfillment of performance criteria.
  • When forwarding proposals for the release of funds for the first and second installments, Central Universities must verify the educational, caste, and income credentials of the students they coach using original documents. They must certify that these students are genuine and eligible. If it is discovered at any stage that a student was ineligible due to their education, caste, or annual family income, the Central University coaching that student will be solely responsible.
  • No fees or stipends will be released for such students. If any payments have already been released to ineligible students, the institution concerned will be held liable for repayment, with potential penalties determined by the Ministry or Dr. Ambedkar Foundation.
  • When seeking the release of the second installment in the second year, Central Universities must submit a report on the performance of the students they coached during the previous year, clearly indicating whether the institution has met the performance criteria specified.
  • The signed MoU will be valid for a period of three years from the date of its signing. The empanelment may be renewed for an additional period, subject to the fulfillment of performance criteria, the Central University's willingness, and other relevant factors at the time of renewal.
  • The Ministry will monitor the scheme's implementation in collaboration with DAF by conducting regular checks and obtaining periodic reports from Central Universities. Annually, a physical verification of at least 25% of the students and Central Universities, selected randomly through an algorithm, will be conducted by the Ministry in conjunction with DAF. DAF will develop an Online Learning Management System for monitoring and coordinating the scheme.
  • If any institution or candidate is found to have provided false information or documents that significantly impact the release of funds under the scheme, they will be subject to administrative and/or criminal proceedings. Additionally, the released amount will be recovered with a 15% compound interest penalty.
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