SHREYAS Scheme:

Context: The SHREYAS scheme has provided financial support of over 2300 crore rupees for the education of SC and OBC students since 2014, benefiting thousands of individuals.

About:

The SHREYAS scheme, which was started in 2014, consists of four sub-schemes that focus on providing educational opportunities to Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes students in order to empower them.

The four sub-scheme include

• Sub-Scheme 1: Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs
• Sub-Scheme 2: Top Class Education for SCs
• Sub-Scheme 3: National Overseas Scheme for SCs
• Sub-Scheme 4: National Fellowship for SC Students

Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs

Purpose:

• Provide excellent coaching services to individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories.
• Get them ready for competitive exams and entrance tests for both public and private sector employment.
• Help students gain admission to top technical and professional higher education institutions.

Key features:

• The maximum limit for the total yearly income of a family is 8 lakhs.
• There are 3500 slots available each year.
• The ratio of SC to OBC students is respectively 70 to 30.
• 30% of the seats are reserved for women.
• The flexibility in ratios is meant to ensure that at least 50% of the students are from a specific group (SC students).
• A total of 770 million rupees were released for funding allocation from 2014-15 to 2022-23.
• There are a total of 19,995 individuals who will receive benefits.

Top Class Education for SCs

Purpose:

• Encourage high-quality education for students from Scheduled Castes.
• Provide complete financial assistance for education beyond the 12th grade.
• Scholarships will continue as long as the recipient maintain
• The addition of esteemed establishments.

Key features:

• The maximum annual income for a family is 8 lakhs.
• There will be a total of 21,500 scholarships allocated from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• Financial support refers to the provision of funds for various purposes such as covering tuition fees, providing academic allowance, and supporting living expenses.
• A total of 43 crore rupees has been released for funding allocation between 2014-15 and 2022-23.
• There are a total of 21,988 people who will benefit from this.

National Overseas Scheme for SCs

Purpose

• Provide financial support for individuals pursuing master’s and Ph.D. programs overseas.
• This is inclusive of Scheduled Castes, De-notified Tribes, Nomadic Tribes, Semi-Nomadic Tribes, and other communities.
• Enrollment in prestigious international universities listed in the top 500 QS rankings.
• This covers the costs of tuition, living expenses, visa fees, and travel expenses.

Key features:

• The maximum limit for the total income of a family is less than Rs. 8 lakhs per year.
• Eligible criteria, one must have achieved a score of over 60% in the qualifying examination and be younger than 35 years old.
• A sum of 140 million rupees was released for funding between 2014-15 and 2022-23.
• There are 950 individuals who will receive benefits.

National Fellowship for SC Students

Purpose:

• Provide assistance to SC students who wish to pursue higher education and obtain doctoral degrees in philosophy.
• It is offered in various fields including Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
• The information is derived from qualifying exams such as NET-JRF and UGC-CSIR Joint Test.
• There are high fellowship rates available and no limit to the financial support provided.

Key features

• This is about the rates of fellowships for Junior Research Fellows (JRF) and Senior Research Fellows (SRF).
• The contingency allowances for Humanities & Social Sciences and Sciences, Engineering & Technology are provided.
• A total of 89 crore rupees was released for funding from 2014-15 to 2022-23.
• There are 21,326 people who will receive benefits.

Conclusion:

The SHREYAS Scheme is a source of hope for SC and OBC students in India, offering them educational opportunities and financial assistance. It consists of four sub-schemes that promote empowerment, inclusivity, and advancement in the education sector of the country.

Source: pib

Practice question:

1. What is a key feature of the Shreyas Scheme?
   1. The maximum yearly income limit for a family is 10 lakhs
   2. There are 5000 slots available each year
   3. The ratio of SC to OBC students is 60 to 40
   4. 20% of the seats are reserved for women

Download as PDF