Historic Disbursement of Rs. 242 Crore Under SC Scholarship by Punjab Government — Lauded by Government of India
Dr. Baljit Kaur Announces Major Relief for Students — Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal Reopened Till May 15
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, May 1, 2025 – In a significant achievement aimed at ensuring timely financial support for Scheduled Caste (SC) students, the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has successfully disbursed Rs. 242.01 crore as the state’s share for 2,22,764 students before March 31, 2025. This announcement was made by Punjab Social Justice, Empowerment, and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur.
Dr. Kaur highlighted that this is the first time in the state's history that the state's share under the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme has been distributed within the academic year itself. In recognition of this initiative, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, has lauded the Punjab Government for implementing the scheme in a transparent, efficient, and effective manner.
She emphasized that the Punjab Government, guided by the Aam Aadmi Party's commitment to social equality and education for all, remains fully dedicated to the welfare and educational empowerment of SC students. The Post Matric Scholarship Scheme is being executed in a transparent and student-friendly way, ensuring students can pursue higher education without financial constraints.
The Minister further shared that for the financial year 2024-25, the state aimed to cover 2,60,000 students under this flagship scheme. A total of 2,59,685 applications were received through the Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal, out of which 2,36,575 applications were successfully verified — the highest number of verifications achieved by the Punjab Government in the last five years.
Dr. Kaur also mentioned that the remaining 13,814 verified applications will soon receive the state’s share of scholarship funds.
Additionally, the Minister informed that some eligible students could not avail the scholarship for the year 2024-25 because they or their institutions failed to lock their applications. To ensure no student is left behind, the Punjab Government has decided to reopen the Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal until May 15, 2025, providing a final opportunity for these students to complete their application process.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment, Dr. Kaur urged all eligible students and institutions to take full advantage of this extended opportunity, ensuring that no deserving student is deprived of this essential academic assistance.