'Over 85 lakh students benefited from scholarship schemes'

Over 85 lakh students have benefited from scholarship schemes meant for the youth from the minority communities during the last fiscal, Rajya Sabha was informed today. 

Union minister of state for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said this in Rajya Sabha in reply to questions pertaining to measures taken by the government on such schemes. 

According to the ministry, government's pre-matric, post-matric and merit-cum-means based scholarships benefited a total of 74,96,593, 9,05,818 and 1,38,770 students (totaling 85,41,181) respectively during that fiscal year. 

Naqvi said the government runs multi-media campaigns to spread information about the drive for the awareness of students from minority communities. 

He said from 2015-16, students can apply online to seek benefits under the three schemes and added the scholarships are required to be disbursed under direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode to bank accounts of youngsters. 

"Moreover, under simplified procedure, students can submit self-declaration/self-certification and self-attested copies of documents in respect of religion certificate, annual family income, mark sheets, etc. 

"Periodic regional reviews are undertaken with state government/Union Territories administrations in addition to regular video conferencing," the minister said.

Madrassa students get trained to aid in time of natural calamity

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, one of India's leading Islamic organization, is giving training to students enrolled in government-aided madrassas to become scouts and guides. The madrassa students are being trained to help people during emergencies and natural calamities including floods and earthquakes.

At present, the Jamiat is offering training to 50 students enrolled at madrassa Ashfaqia in Bareilly. Similar training had already been given at government-aided madrassas located in Shahjahanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. The members of the organization said that they will carry out this training at government-aided madrassas, schools and colleges across the country.