SCHEME OF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Education plays a pivotal role in socio-economic empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. Recognizing its crucial role, the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Constitution of India and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 have underlined the role of the State in realization of the Right to Education for Persons with Disabilities. Article 41 of Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy) of the Constitution provides that the State shall make effective provisions for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, and in other cases of undeserved want.

1.2 Article 46 of Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy) of the Constitution enjoins upon the State to promote the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people. Article 38(2) of the same Part also enjoins upon the State to minimize inequalities in income and to endeavor to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities, not only amongst individuals but also amongst groups of people residing in different areas or engaged in different vocations.

1.3. Section 31 (I) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPWD) states that "Notwithstanding anything contained in the Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, every child with benchmark disability between the age of six to eighteen years shall have the right to free education in a neighborhood school, or in a special school, of his choice".

1.4. Further, Section 17 (h) of the RPwD Act- 2016 mandates the provision of scholarships in appropriate cases to students with benchmark disabilities.

1.5. To fulfill these mandates, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of India is implementing "Scheme of Scholarships for Students with Disabilities" with following six components:

i. Pre-matric Scholarship (For Classes IX and X)
ii. Post-matric Scholarship (For Class XI to Post-Graduate Degree/Diploma).


iii. Top Class Education (For Graduate and Post-Graduate Degree/Diploma in notified institutes of excellence in education)
iv. National Overseas Scholarship (For Master’s Degree/Ph.D. in Institutions/Colleges/Universities abroad).


v. National Fellowship (For *M. Phil and Ph.D. in Indian Universities)


vi. Free Coaching (For recruitment examinations for Group A, B and C posts and entrance examinations for admission to various technical and professional courses).

* Note: M.Phil courses under this scheme will be restricted to those allowed by UGC from time to time. Though UGC discontinued M.Phil programme as per NEP, 2020, it has conveyed through public notice dated 30th January, 2024, that students can be admitted to an M.Phil in Clinical Psychology and M.Phil in Psychiatric Social Work Programmes by HEIs till 2025-26 academic session only and the decision regarding M.Phil courses by the UGC will be applicable to NFPwD.

2. GENERAL CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY


i. The scholarships are open only to Indian nationals.


ii. All the components of scholarships are open to students with benchmark disability i.e. 40% or more disability as defined in ‘Rights of
Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 Further, the applicants should have/possess:


a. A valid certificate of disability issued by the competent authority.


b. Aadhaar based biometric authentication.


iii. UDID / UDID enrollment


iv. Not more than two children with disabilities of the same parents will be entitled to receive benefits of the scheme. In case the second child is a
twin, the scholarship under the schemes will be admissible to the twin.


v. Scholarship for studying in any class will be available for only one year. If a student has to repeat a class, she/he would not get scholarship for
that class for a second (or a subsequent) year.
vi. A scholarship holder under this scheme will not avail any other scholarship/stipend. No scholarship will be paid to the students under
this scheme from the date he/she accepts any other scholarship/stipend