HRD Minister raps State on scholarship slack

HRD Minister raps State on scholarship slack
The Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Dec 19: Expressing serious concern over the failure of the State Education Board to submit the meritwise list of eligible students under the Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships for College and University Students, Union Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal has sought the personal intervention of the Chief Minister for issuing suitable directives to the Education Board.
According to an official source, the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India initiated a scholarship scheme titled 'Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships for College and University Students' from the year 2008-09 for the benefit of students of class XII in pursuing higher studies.
The source explained that under this scheme, 82,000 fresh scholarships (4100 for girls and 4100 for boys) would be awarded each year to meritorious students from poor families for pursuing higher studies. The eligible students are to be selected from among the students of class XII who secure 80 percent and above marks and they would be entitled to get Rs 10,000 per annum for graduation level studies and Rs 20,000 per annum at the post-graduation level. The list of the eligible students is to be furnished to the Ministry by the State Education Board concerned.
However, in case of Manipur which is supposed to select 181 meritorious students, the Ministry has not yet re- ceived the meritwise list of the eligible students from the State Education Board, the source disclosed.
Consequently, the Union Minister for Human Resource Development has written to the Chief Minister directing the latter for personal intervention in the matter and issue suitable instructions to the State Education Board so that the meritorious Manipuri students are not deprived of this scholarship.

In his letter, the Union Minister has also pointed out that the funds not utilised in the current financial year would lapse and cannot be carried over to the next year. Besides this, students who are not awarded scholarship in the first year would find it extremely difficult to claim in the subsequent years and this would be a great loss to the meritorious students of Manipur who would lose out on this valuable scholarship, for no fault of theirs, the source further said.

Kiran Jagat attends school function in Churachandpur
S Singlianmang Guite
Lamka, Dec 19: The first lady of the State, Kiran Jagat, wife of Governor Gurbachan Jagat today attended the annual prize distribution day of Lalpuithluaii Foundation School here and handed over prizes to meritorious students of the school.
Praising the efforts of Vunglallian and Shanti in their endeavour of guiding the students in the right path, Kiran Jagat lauded for the achievements, the school has earned in the past 25 years of its existence.
Besides annual prizes, the Lady Governor feted former students of the school who have excelled in different professions like journalism, Air Force, medical, business, technology etc in the function.(TSE)