CENTRAL SECTOR SCHEME OF TOP CLASS EDUCATION IN COLLEGE FOR OBC, EBC AND DNT STUDENTS
(As amended from 2023-2024)
1. OBJECTIVE-
 
The objective of the scheme is to recognize and promote quality education amongst Students belonging to OBC, EBC and DNT categories by providing full financial support. The Scheme will cover OBC/EBC/DNT students for pursuing studies beyond class XIIth.
 
2. SCOPE AND COVERAGE
 
(i) The Scheme will operate in all the institutions notified by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for every financial year 2021-22 onwards.
 
(ii) The scholarship, once awarded, will continue till the completion of the course, subject to satisfactory performance of the student. The students are required to apply for scholarship every year even in case of renewal also.
 
3. ELIGIBILITY
 
(i) Those OBC/EBC/DNT students having total annual family income from all sources up to Rs. 2.50 lakh and having secured admission in a full-time prescribed course in any of the notified institutions according to the general selection criteria prescribed by the concerned institution, will be eligible for scholarship under the Scheme to the extent of the number of scholarships (slots) allocated to the institution for the course.
 
(ii) In case the number of eligible students admitted exceeds the number of slots allotted to the institution, the scholarship will be restricted to the top students in the inter-se merit list based on the admission criteria for the course as mentioned in Annexure-II. However, if there is more than one student with equal marks for the last available slot in an institution, preference should be given to the student with the lower family income. The remaining students from OBC/EBC/DNT category admitted in the institution shall be eligible for the Post-Matric Scholarship (PMS) administered by this Ministry through State Governments/UT Administrations, provided such students are otherwise eligible under the said scheme.
 
(iii) In case the institution finds that the number of eligible candidates in the 1st year are less than the number of slots allotted to it, the balance slots may be offered to eligible students studying in 2nd, 3rd and 4th year, etc. on the basis of inter-se merit of previous year’s result giving priority to those with higher number of years left to complete their respective course i.e. 2nd year students are to get priority over the 3 rd year students and soon.
 
(iv) Thirty percent (30%) of slots allotted to the Institution shall be reserved for eligible girl students as per their inter-se merit. In the absence of sufficient number of girl students, the slots may be transferred to eligible boy students as per their interse-merit.
 
(v) However, the 30% slots as mentioned above will not include those girl students who are selected on the basis of their performance in the overall merit list of OBC/EBC/DNT students, as applicable, of the Institution.
 
(vi) The benefit of the Scheme will not be provided to more than 2 siblings in a family. The students will submit an affidavit in the Institution to certify that he/she is not the third sibling of the family who is availing benefit under the scheme.
 
(vii) The scholarship will be terminated if the student fails to get promoted to the next semester/class.
 
(viii) As the fund is majorly earmarked for OBC, preference would be given to the OBC students while considering under the scheme.
 
4. ‘TOP CLASS’ INSTITUTIONS AND NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIP SLOTS
 
(i) All the IIMs / IITs/ IIITs / AIIMSs/ NITs/NIFTs/ NIDs/ Indian Institutes of Hotel Management, National Law Universities and other Central Government Institutions will be eligible to be included in the Scheme, subject to their applying for being included in the Scheme and recommendation by the Selection Committee under the scheme, or if the Selection Committee itself recommends the name of the institute for inclusion in the list of empanelled institutes of the scheme. If an institution is not in any of the above categories, it has to be included in the current list ofi). National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) A++ and A+ Accredited Institutions or ii) Top 100 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Institutions or iii).Institutions of National Importance as per lists issued by Ministry of Education (GoI) from time to time.
 
(ii) For Commercial Pilot Training Course and Type Rating Courses all Government institutes approved by Director General of Civil Aviation shall be eligible for empanelment under the scheme
 
(iii) The overall number of fresh scholarships would be capped as per budget earmarked of that financial year. The number of slots shall be distributed among types of institutions as per recommendation of the committee.
 
(iv) The list of the ‘Top Class’ Institutions to be covered under the Scheme along with number of scholarship slots will be notified by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. Any addition or deletion to the list shall be notified by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, as and when required, based on the recommendations of the Steering Committee set up under the scheme.
 
(v) Any institution not applying under the Scheme continuously for three years shall be removed from the list of notified institutions under the Scheme.
 
5. FUNDING PATTERN & MODE OF PAYMENT
 
(i) The OBC/EBC/DNT students, who secure admission in the notified institutions, will be awarded scholarship to meet the requirements for (a) full tuition fee and non-refundable charges (there will be a ceiling of Rs. 2.00 lakh per annum per student for private sector institutions and Rs. 3.72 lakhs per annum per student for the private sector flying clubs for Commercial Pilot Training and Type Rating Courses) (b) living expenses to the beneficiary @Rs.3000/-per month per student (c) books and stationery @ Rs. 5000/- per annum per student and (iv) a latest computer/laptop of reputed brand with accessories like UPS and printer limited to Rs.45000/- per student as one time assistance during the course.
 
(ii) The Scheme will be funded by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 100% basis.
 
(iii) The scholarship will become payable immediately after a student has secured admission and has started attending the classes.
 
(iv) The payment of tuition fee, other non-refundable charges, academic allowance, living expenses, books & stationery and computer/laptop with accessories will be made directly to the students by the Central Government through Direct Benefit Transfer mode/DBT Mission guidelines. The students shall deposit the fee to the institute immediately and in any case, within a month of receipt of such payment.
 
(v) The institute will ensure that the students have remitted the fee, etc payable to the Institute within a period of one month of the release of Scholarship to the student. Institutes are free to take appropriate remedial action against defaulters for recovery of dues to the College from the Scholarship awarded to the Student
 
6. OTHER PROVISIONS
 
(i) With a view to ensure access of the provisions of this Scheme to all eligible students, the institution will incorporate the salient features of the scheme in their prospectus, in addition to putting the same on the website of the institution.
 
(ii) The students will submit their application on National Scholarship Portal (NSP). The institutes will verify the applications on NSP for submission to the Ministry. The institution will follow the limit of the slots assigned to it and will verify only as many applications as number of slots provided to it. The last date of verification of applications of the students by the institutions on NSP shall be 31st October every year or the date decided by DBT Mission in consultation with stakeholder Ministries.
 
(iii) In the case of new entrants i.e. to the first year of the course, the institution will select eligible OBC/EBC/DNT students on the basis of merit as per the entrance examination merit list. The entrance exam of each course will be considered as per the list given at Annexure-I. The students are required to apply under the Scheme on National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and upload their income certificate and caste certificate on the Portal along with details of their bank account, Admission Rank and Fee details to claim the scholarship. The institution shall verify all the details before forwarding the applications to the Ministry. The decision of the institute about eligibility of student on account of caste, annual family income including the student, educational qualification and rank shall be held as final by the Ministry as institute is in the best position to take a call on such issues and therefore no further scrutiny of these documents shall be undertaken by the Ministry. However, Ministry may undertake a random check of the income certificate. Subsequently, at any point of time if it is noticed that student was ineligible on these accounts, the institute shall be responsible and accountable for any loss to the Government and may be asked to refund the same.
 
(iv) In the case of application for renewal of scholarships by students joining second or subsequent years of the course, verification of an application by the institution would mean that the institution has promoted the student to the next class and the student has taken admission therein.
 
(v) The performance of the students covered under the Scheme shall be monitored regularly by the Head of the respective institution and the same shall be reported to the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment at the end of each academicyear.
 
(vi) Any institution violating the provisions of the Scheme and/or instructions issued by the Government of India will be de-notified.
 
(vii) In the event of de-notification/deletion of any institution, the scholarship will continue to be available to the students already admitted under the Scheme, if otherwise eligible, till the completion of the course. However, no fresh seats will be allotted and funds released to such de-notified institutions.
 
7. REVIEW AND MONITORING
 
(i) The progress of implementation of the Scheme will be reviewed by a Steering Committee consisting of the following–
 
a. Secretary (SJ&E) -Chairperson

b. Joint Secretary & Financial Adviser (SJ&E) -Member

c. Joint Secretary, BC Division, M/o SJ&E - Member

d. Joint Secretary (TA), M/o Tribal Affairs - Member

e. Joint Secretary, Deptt .of Higher Education -Member

f. Joint Secretary, Deptt. of Medical Education, M/o H&FW –Member

g. Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation –Member
 
h. Joint Secretary, Deptt. For EPWD, M/o SJE –Member

i. A representative of the UGC –Member

j. A representative of the NITI Aayog -Member

k. Director/Dy. Secretary, BC Division, M/o SJ&E –Convener
 
The Committee may co-opt an expert as a special invitee, as and when it deems necessary.
 
(ii) The Committee may recommend to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment about addition or deletion of any institution based on their performance. For the purpose, the Committee may take into account the recommendations of the concerned bodies conducting the entrance examinations for admissions into such courses or having the administrative control over such institutions.
 
(iii) The Committee would equitably distribute the slots under the Scheme amongst the notified institutions.
 
(iv)The Committee may periodically review the performance of the selected institutions on the basis of the academic results and also recommend appropriate modifications in the Scheme, as and when considered necessary.
 
8. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
 
(i) As the magnitude of data to be managed and processed would be very large, there would be a need to engage qualified skilled personnel – on contract or out- sourcing basis - right from the beginning to design, develop and operate the IT based systems as well as enter, process, analyses, monitor, retrieve and transfer data.
 
(ii) A provision not exceeding 1% if the total budget will be made to meet the administrative and allied costs of the Ministry for office equipment including computers and accessories, furniture, development of appropriate software, advertisements, engagement of personnel, etc.
 
(iii) The above provision will also be used for publicity, awareness generation, evaluation and monitoring of the Scheme, through outside institutions/agencies engaged by the Ministry of SJ&E, Government ofIndia.
 
9. The modifications as considered appropriate in the provisions of the Scheme, from time to time, would be approved by the Administrative Minister, on the recommendations of the Committee as given in para7 above
 
https://scholarships.gov.in/public/schemeGuidelines/ApprovedmodifieddraftofTopClassCollege.pdf