A total of 50,000 post-matric students belonging to backward classes who have failed to get admission to hostels run by the Social Welfare Department in 2014-15 will be given Vidyasri scholarship of Rs. 1,500 a month for accommodation purposes.
The amount would be released directly to students’ bank account every month. The estimated expenditure to the State exchequer is Rs. 75 crore.
Minister for Social Welfare H. Anjaneya told presspersons here on Tuesday that the amount would be given to students studying in government and aided colleges, universities and other institutions. Those who have failed to get accommodation in hostels would be given the scholarship for 10 months.
In 2013-14, the scholarship was given to 32,017 students (Rs. 34 crore was the expenditure to the State exchequer).
In view of shortage of hostels, the department had decided to grant the amount to students to enable them to continue their studies by residing in rented houses. The department would receive applications online, he said.
Currently, the intake in hostels is 1.25 lakh. The government had not been able to construct hostels because of shortage of funds, and many hostels were functioning from rented building. The family income limit for category I (OBC) students for admission to hostel had been fixed at Rs. 3.5 lakh a year and for students of other categories it was Rs. 1 lakh. Income certificates submitted by students would be valid for five years.
The Social Welfare Department runs 316 post-matric boys’ and 319 girls’ hostels. Of the 635 hostels, 238 had own buildings while the rest were in rented buildings.
