By Isaac Harold Gomes –
Howrah: Education is the foundation of empowerment, particularly for those who belong to the economically weaker section (EWS) of our country.
With this end in view, the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities was launched in June, 2006. It provides for Pre-Matric, Post-Matric Scholarship schemes for meritorious students from minority communities (Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jain and Zoroastrians (Parsis) have been notified as minority communities under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992). Later Merit-cum-Means Scholarship scheme was included in this programme to counter unequal employment opportunities and uplift students from these communities,
However, it has been noticed that students from the Christian community in West Bengal, have little awareness of various scholarship schemes of the Central and State Governments. As a result, they are missing out on various educational scholarships and career opportunities to come up in life.
It is in this context, Fr Sunil Kujur – Parish Priest of Our Lady of Happy Voyage, Howrah, organized an awareness programme for youths of the parish and neighbouring areas. His prime concern has always been the spiritual, educational and economic (quality of life) development of the youth of his parish, and of the Christian youth at large. The programme was held at the Church premises by Minority Affairs & Madrasah Education Department, Minority Bhaban, 12, Nityadhan Mukherjee Road, Howrah-711101.
.
The programme began at 4 pm. At the outset, Fr Sunil Kujur thanked the Howrah Minority Cell team members for their generosity to come to his parish to conduct the Minority Scholarship Programme. After this, the officers of the Cell took over and explained (through PowerPoint presentation) the various Minority Scholarship Schemes of West Bengal Government. These are given below:
Pre-Matric Scholarship
The scholarship at pre-matric level will encourage parents from minority communities to send their school going children to school, lighten their financial burden on school education and sustain their efforts to support their children to complete school education. This scheme forms the foundation for their educational attainment. The main objective of this scheme is empowerment through education, and uplift of the socio economic conditions of the minority communities.
This Scholarship will be awarded to the students who have secured not less than 50% marks or equivalent grade in the previous final examination (students of class-I are exempted from 50% cut-off marks). Students whose parents’/guardians’ annual income from all sources does not exceed Rs.2.00 lakh are eligible to apply online for this scholarship.
Post-Matric Scholarship
The objective of the scheme is to award scholarships to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections of minority communities so as to provide them better opportunities for higher education and enhance their employability.
This scholarship is awarded for studies in India in a government or private higher secondary school/college/university, including residential institutes of the Government and eligible private institutes selected and notified in a transparent manner by the State Government/Union Territory Administration concerned. It also covers technical and vocational courses in Industrial Training Institutes/ Industrial Training Centres affiliated with the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) of classes XI and XII level including Polytechnics and other courses.
This Scholarship will be awarded to the students who have secured not less than 50% marks or equivalent grade in the previous final examination Students whose parents’/guardians’ annual income from all sources does not exceed Rs.2.00 lakh are eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Online applications for both Pre and Post-Matric Scholarships are received usually from August to October every year. The applicant is required to take a printout of the application (after online submission) and submit the same to respective institution with a copy of his or her Bank Pass Book.
Merit-cum-Means Scholarship
Merit-cum-Means Scholarship is awarded to the minority students for pursuing professional /technical courses at graduation and post-graduation levels in institutes located in WB and affiliated to any board/university under the Government of West Bengal.
1) Applicant must be a domicile of West Bengal.
2) The students must have got admission in a technical/ professional course.
3) Must have secured at least 50% marks in the last Higher Secondary/Graduation Examination.
4) Annual Family Income up to Rs.2.5 Lakh.
5) Students residing in West Bengal but pursuing studies in the institutes outside West Bengal are not eligible (Except listed institutes).
The applicant is required to take a printout of the application (after online submission) and submit the same to respective institution with a copy of the Bank Pass Book.
30% of all the above-mentioned scholarships is earmarked for girls students of each minority community in a State/UT which is transferable to male students of that community in case of non-availability of female students in that community in the concerned State/UT. 30% is the floor and not the ceiling for eligible girl students.
Details of above scholarship schemes are available in the website: https://www.wbmdfc.org/
Students can also find all scholarship details in https://wbmdfcscholarship.in/
All the scholarships are renewable every year subject to fulfillment of the eligibility criteria.
Funds are released through West Bengal Minorities’ Development and Finance Corporation (WBMDFC). There are other schemes too namely Education Loan, Micro Finance, Training and Coaching. Online application portal for various types of Training & Coaching link is: https://wbmdfconline.in/minor_apps/
The officers from the Minority Cell looked very enthusiastic and patiently answered all the questions of the 45 participants (which included a couple of nuns). They urged the youths to take up government-sponsored training for professional courses namely IAS, WBCS, etc. They also left their contact numbers (to send queries) with Christine Cramer who will be constantly coordinating with them in this matter.
More programmes are on the anvil at the Deanery levels so that many more students can avail of the Minority Scholarship benefits and other government schemes.
To sum up, the programme was very enlightening thanks to Fr Sunil Kujur and his team.
It’s a very welcome initiative/collaboration between Fr Sunil Kujur and the Minority Affairs & Madrasa Education Department (Howrah District). West Bengal Minorities Development & Finance Corporation links given in the report will be very helpful to those who seek scholarship. A very enlightening coverage by Mr Isaac Gomes.
The officers of Minority Affairs & Madrasah Education Department from Howrah District were absolutely right in emphasizing that to come up in life, our students should concentrate on professional courses and avail of various government-approved coaching centres to upgrade their skill (Merit-cum-Means Scholarship). Ultimately quality and not quantity will stand out.
Fr Sunil Kujur and his team’s initiative to disseminate information on Minority Scholarship schemes of both the Central and State governments needs to be replicated by all parishes of Bengal. To truly empower themselves the Christian community of Bengal needs to come out of its laid back attitude. For this each parish needs to be very proactive like Fr Sunil Kujur.
For more details, readers are encouraged to take a look at the website: https://howrah.gov.in/minority-affairs-madrasah-education/
of Minority Affairs & Madrasah Education Department, Howrah District.