LOK SABHA
FREE COACHING SCHEME FOR SC/OBC STUDENTS
474. SHRIMATI KAVITHA MALOTHU
SHRI PASUNOORI DAYAKAR
Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether any assessment has been made regarding functioning of Free Coaching Scheme for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) Students, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of institutes identified to provide coaching to SC and OBC students for various competitive examinatons in Telangana;
(c) the details of SC and OBC students benefitted from the above scheme in the country during each of the last two years and the current year in Telangana and Tamil Nadu, district-wise;
(d) the number of students who have achieved success by getting seats in professional courses for which they have taken coaching under the above scheme;
(e) the mode of implementation being followed for this scheme currently and since when this mode is being followed; and
(f) the list of coaching institutes currently empanelled under the scheme in Tamil Nadu along with date of empanelment and grant-in-aid received by them under the scheme, district-wise?
(DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)
(a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement referred to in reply to Part (a) to (t) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 474 for 05.04.2022 regarding ‘Free Coaching Scheme for SC/OBC Students’
(a): The Free Coaching Scheme for SC/OBC Students is reviewed/assessed from time to time to evaluate the efficiency and efficacy of its implementation. In the year 2020, an third-party evaluation study of the scheme was got conducted . Further, in the year 2020-21, feedback was obtained from the beneficiary students through online survey/telephonic interaction to ascertain that the students were coached as per provisions of the scheme and the beneficiary students were not subjected to any irregularity or harassment. Based on the outcome of these assessments, punitive actions have been taken against some institutes, including financial penalties and/or de empanelment. Further, in the year 2020-21, a new mode of implementation of the scheme (namely Mode 2) was introduced wherein students are selected based on merit, directly by the Department and they have the liberty to select any coaching institute of their choice. From the year 2022-23, it has been decided to operate the scheme in this new mode of implementation only.
(b): No institute from Telangana has been empanelled under the scheme.
(c): Being a Central Sector Scheme, it is implemented by the department and grant-in-aid is released directly to the coaching institutes/students. Therefore, State/District wise data of beneficiary students is not maintained. During 2019-20, 4346 slots were allotted to the 47 empaneled institutes in the country. Of these, I 00 slots were allotted to Shankar IAS Academy, Shanthi Colony, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the only empanelled institute under the scheme in the State of Tamil Nadu. During 2020-21, no coaching under the scheme could be held due to enforcement of covid related restrictions on educational activities in the country.
(d): As reported by the empanelled coaching institutes, total 1520 students have succeeded in getting admission/employment for which he/ she has obtained coaching under the scheme during the period of 2016-17 to 2019-20. No coaching was undertaken during 2020-21 due to covid related restrictions.
(e): The scheme was being implemented in one mode till 2019-20 wherein financial assistance was provided to students studying in institutes empaneled under the scheme. As mentioned in reply to point (a) above, during 2020-21, a new mode i.e. Mode 2 was introduced. It has been decided that from 2022-23, the scheme will be implemented through Mode 2 only.
(f): One coaching institute i.e. Shankar IAS Academy, Shanthi Colony, Chennai, Tamil Nadu was empanelled under the scheme in 2016-17 and has continued to be empaneled since then. However, as per the decision taken, it has been decided that the scheme shall operate in Mode 2 only from 2022-23. A total of Rs. 1,67,64,700/- has been released to Shankar IAS Academy under the scheme till date.