Merit-cum-Means Scholarship, along with the Pre and Post-Matric scholarship schemes, is the flagship program of the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MOMA). More often than not, a lot of meritorious and academically brilliant students miss out on education due to financial constraints. This further leads to unequal employment opportunities for these students.
Merit-cum-Means scholarship is one such scheme that ensures every brilliant student can pursue higher secondary school. The Ministry of Minority Affairs announced Merit-cum-Means based scholarship scheme from the academic year of 2006-2007.
It is a Central Sector Scheme and is 100% funded by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The objective of the Merit-cum-Means Scholarship scheme for Minorities is to provide support to children belonging to minority communities and families.
The Merit-cum-Means Scholarship scheme provides financial assistance to meritorious and poor students belonging to minority communities for studying professional and technical courses at the graduate or postgraduate level. By providing financial assistance to children belonging to minority communities to continue their studies, a bright future is secured for them.
Eligibility Criteria for the Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme
1. Students belonging to families of Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and Jains, notified as minority communities are eligible for this scheme.
2. The scholarships are awarded to the students who have secured more than 50% marks or equivalent grades in the previous final examination.
3. The annual income of the guardians or parents of the students from all sources should not exceed Rs.2.50 lakh.
4. The students must be pursuing studies in India in a recognised private or government university, college, institute or school.
5. The pursuing course must be of a minimum one-year duration.
Benefits of Merit-cum-Means scholarship
1. Rate of scholarship course fee – Rs.20,000 per annum subject to actuals, whichever is less.
2. Maintenance allowance – Rs.1,000 per month for the hosteller and Rs.500 per month for day scholar for ten months in an academic year.
3. Scholarship for listed Reputed Premier Institutes – Reimbursement of the full course fee for 85 Reputed Premier Institutes.
|
Type of financial Assistance |
Hostellers |
Day Scholars |
|
Maintenance Allowance (for 10 months only) |
Rs.
10,000/- p.a |
Rs.
5,000/- p.a |
|
Course Fee |
Rs. 20,000/- p.a or Actual whichever is less |
Rs. 20,000/- p.a or Actual whichever is less |
Document Required for the Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme
1. Verification form provided by the respective Institution.
2. Income Certificate issued by the Competent Authority.
3. A self-certified community certificate from the student/applicant if he/she has attained 18 years of age.
4. A community certificate certified by the parent or guardian if the student is below 18 years.
5. Mark sheet of the last qualifying exam at higher secondary or graduation level.
6. Fee Receipt of the current course year.
7. Students’ Bank account number with the IFSC Code of the bank branch.
8. Residential or Domicile Certificate.
9. Aadhaar number of the student.
