The scholarship for seven notified minority communities, including Muslims, Christians, Jain, Zoroastrians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jews has been doubled by the Maharastra government. Higher education students from these communities are now eligible for an annual scholarship of Rs 50,000, up from Rs 25,000. The updated scholarship amount is now available to minority students enrolled in full-time diploma programmes in the arts.
The updated scholarship amount was mentioned in a state government resolution that was published on October 4. However, the Rs. 8 lakh annual income cap that must be met in order to qualify for the scholarship remains the same. Students from minority communities who want to study the arts, sciences, or business will receive a scholarship worth Rs 5,000. According to reports, the Maharashtra government under Eknath Shinde revised the scholarship amount after evaluating the social, financial, and educational status of Muslims in 56 cities across six revenue divisions of the state. This revision came more than a decade after the original amount was announced. The state cabinet meeting decided to change the amount of the minority scholarships.
The annual income cap for parents looking to receive scholarship benefits was increased from 2 lakh to 8 lakh in 2011. The scholarship amount, which is Rs 25,000, remained the same.
