Scholarship scheme : Aimed for EWS: 30% beneficiaries are children of govt officials

As per the information accessed from the state’s education department, till December last year, 245 students have been selected under the scholarship scheme. Of them, 73 are children of government servants, including 14 IAS and IPS officers

Around 30% of the beneficiaries under the Rajasthan government’s scholarship scheme for meritorious students to study abroad are wards of government servants, including Indian Administrative (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, according to official data.

The Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship for Academic Excellence was introduced by the Congress-led state government on August 20, 2021, the birth anniversary of the former prime minister.

At the time of the launch of the scheme, chief minister Ashok Gehlot had said it was aimed at providing access to 50 top global institutions such as Oxford, Harvard and Cambridge to students from economically weaker sections.

Initially, the eligibility criteria to apply for the scholarship was annual family income of below ₹8 lakh and admission in a reputed foreign institute. Under the scheme, the state government bears the education and boarding expenses of selected students. In the first year, 100 students were selected.

Rajasthan higher education minister Rajendra Yadav said as very few students applied for the scholarship, the ambit of the scheme was widened. Two new income brackets were introduced in early 2022 — ₹8 lakh to ₹25 lakh, wherein government paid tuition fee and 50% of other expenses; and more than ₹25 lakh, in which the government paid 50% of the tuition fee. These changes, however, were not made public.

As per the information accessed from the state’s education department, till December last year, 245 students have been selected under the scholarship scheme. Of them, 73 are children of government servants, including 14 IAS and IPS officers. Officials, however, said that most of the beneficiaries were in the two new categories introduced.

An IAS officer, requesting anonymity, said, “The scholarship has been availed as per the rules. There is no violation.”

Acknowledging that wards of several IAS and IPS officers have benefitted from the scheme, Yadav said under the scheme the selection is on the first come, first serve basis. “Our criteria in selection is to give priority to children who are needy and come from poor backgrounds,” he added.

State’s transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said the aim of the scheme was to provide world-class education to students from poorer sections and ensure they are mainstreamed.

“I believe that IAS, IPS, officials and businessmen don’t need this scheme. They should come forward and leave the scheme, even today they should respect the government and return the money as they are financially sound,” he said.

The minister added that he will urge the chief minister to conduct a probe as to how the rules were changed. “The benefit of the scheme should be for weaker section only,” he added.

BJP legislator Narpat Singh Rajvi said that by changing the income slab, the officials created space for themselves. “But this scheme was meant for economically weaker section, now it’s not the poor but the rich who getting the benefit,” the leader from the opposition party said. “The benefit of government welfare schemes should first be given to the needy children. The government should probe the selection of over 70 children of officers for studying abroad.”