BU trips on scholarship for BPL students

In the absence of statute, the scheme was discontinued

Students who took admissions to postgraduate (PG) courses in the academic year 2013-14 in Bangalore University (BU) have been deprived of availing themselves a scholarship. BU, which boasts of catering mainly to economically and socially disadvantaged students, has not implemented a scholarship scheme meant for BPL students this academic year.

The scholarship was introduced during the tenure of Bangalore University’s former Vice-Chancellor (VC) N. Prabhu Dev. Eligible students were given a monthly stipend of Rs. 500 for 10 months under the scheme. The funds for the scheme came from the university’s coffers.

Nandini N., the former Director of the Department of Student Welfare, Bangalore University, said at least 1,000 students from three batches had benefitted from the scheme. “It was the Vice-Chancellor’s scholarship and even physically and visually challenged students had availed themselves of the scheme,” she said.

The Department of Student Welfare is entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the scholarship scheme.

However, a procedural glitch appears to have derailed the scholarship scheme. Vice-Chancellor B. Thimme Gowda said the scheme had been introduced without a statute being framed for it. “It was introduced almost like an ad-hoc scheme. No statute was framed. When such schemes are introduced, a statute should be framed and the government’s approval should be sought,” he explained.

New format

Even as he admitted to the varsity being in a “dilemma” on how to go about it, Prof. Gowda maintained that the scheme was not being “discontinued”. Rather, Bangalore University is planning to reintroduce it in a different format.

V-C’s assurance

“We are in a dilemma as to what to do. But deserving students will be given the benefits. For instance, students belonging to Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) have been given accommodation in the SC/ST hostel. But for students belonging to the low income groups, who have not availed themselves of the hostel facility and other benefits whose fee is not reimbursed by the government, something will be done,” Prof. Thimme Gowda said.