The Defence Ministry has removed the cap imposed on educational concession to children of members of the armed forces killed or disabled in the line of duty.
“Educational concession will continue without the cap of ₹10,000 per month,” a government order dated March 21, 2018 said.
The cap was imposed in July last year as per the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. However, following widespread criticism, the Ministry assured to take another look at the proposal.
The educational concession will be admissible only for undertaking studies in government/government-aided schools/educational institutions, military/Sainik schools, and other schools and colleges recognised by Central or State Government including the autonomous organisations financed entirely by the central/state governments, the order further stated.
About 250 students were expected to be effected due to the fee cap in the current financial year. Early this year, the Government had informed Parliament that keeping in view that both the number of students and the tuition/hostel fee are open-ended, “no fixed/uniform amount of savings can be indicated.”
In 2017-18, out of the total 2,679 students availing concession, 193 students have been reported to be drawing more than the capped amount of tuition/hostel fee and savings due to the capping have been approximately ₹3.20 crore, according to a written reply in the Parliament by Subhash Bhamre, Minister of State for Defence.
