1.        BACKGROUND: 

            The National Scholarship Scheme is being implemented since 1961-62.  The objective of this Scheme is to provide scholarships for post-metric studies to the brilliant but poor students so that they can pursue their studies inspite of their poverty.  The Scholarship Scheme for Talented Children from Rural Areas for Class VI to XII is an on-going scheme since 1971-72 with the objective to achieve equalization of educational opportunities, and to provide fillip to the development of talent from rural areas by educating talented rural children in good schools.  The schemes were implemented as Centrally Sponsored Schemes upto IX Plan.  The Department has merged these schemes to form the ‘National Merit Scholarship Scheme’ for implementing within the approved outlay of Rs. 52.00 crores during the X Plan.  The Revised Scheme prescribes changes in the eligibility criteria and rate of scholarships etc.   

2.         OBJECTIVE: - 

            The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to the meritorious students of rural areas studying in classes IX & X and also to meritorious students studying at post-matric to post-graduate level in Government schools, colleges and Universities.  

3.         SCOPE: - 

            The scholarships for classes IX & X are available for schools in rural areas, in government schools, in each development block.  The scholarships from post-matric to post-graduate level courses on state-wise merit are available for schools, colleges and Universities in the States/UTs in India.  The scholarship will be awarded by the Government of State/Union Territory in which the applicant is domiciled or passed the examination based on the result of which he/she has been awarded the scholarship.  The schools in rural areas will be identified by the State Government/UT Administration.  

4.         ALLOCATION OF SCHOLARSHIPS: - 

            The scholarships at post-matric to post-graduate level available will be first allocated among the various States and Union Territories on the basis of student population.   Within the same State and Union Territory, these will be further distributed proportionately among the various courses/examinations on the basis of number of candidates who enroll/appear for those courses/examinations in the preceding years. 

            Two scholarships are provided for the 9^th class per block to the meritorious students studying in schools in rural areas.  The break-up of 5488 blocks in rural areas amongst various States/UTs in India is at Annexure –I. Thus, in all 10976 scholarships will be awarded to students studying in classes IX and X in Government schools in rural areas. The number of scholarships and amount earmarked for providing scholarships to students in rural areas cannot be diverted to students studying in schools situated in urban areas. 

(A)       The students for scholarships in the IX class in rural areas under the scheme will be selected from block-wise merit list prepared on the basis of marks obtained in the VIII class examination for students studying in the designated  Government schools in rural areas. 

(B)       The scholarships for the post-matric to post-graduate studies are made on the basis of state-wise merit list prepared from the results of the following examinations:- 

            (i)    (  (i)               10^th Class/Matriculation/High School - For award of scholarship in + 2 level/pre University/pre Degree. 

(ii)               12^th Class of 10 + 2 pattern Senior Secondary Board Examination/ Intermediate/pre University/pre Degree - For award of scholarship in first year B.A./B.Sc./B.Com./B.Archeology etc. courses onwards. 

(iii)             12^th Class of 10 + 2 pattern/Intermediate/pre University/pre Degree /Graduation level examination  - For award of scholarship in first year Diploma/Professional and Engineering Studies/Diploma in Hotel Management/Diploma in Homeopathy/B.D.S/ B.E./ B.Tech. /M.B.B.S. 

 (iv)              Graduation – For award of scholarship for courses after graduation like LL.B/B.Ed/Post-Graduation.

The break-up of 17000 scholarships under this component is given in Annexure-II. 

5.         COVERAGE AND ELIGIBILITY  

             The scholarships for classes IX & X will be open to students studying in Government schools in rural areas only.  However, the scholarship from class XI to post-graduate level will be available throughout the State on state-wise merit basis for Indian Nationals.   

(ii)        Only those students who obtained 60% or more marks in aggregate in the Science and Commerce stream and 55% or more marks in aggregate in Humanities Stream in the examinations mentioned in para 4 (B) for the classes/courses for which scholarships have been allocated will be considered for award of National Merit Scholarship subject to fulfillment of the other conditions stipulated.   

(iii)       A student shall not receive any other scholarship/stipend for a course of study for which he is in receipt of National Merit Scholarship. 

(iv)       A student in full time employment will not be eligible for award of a scholarship. 

(v)        A scholar under the scheme while availing scholarship can enjoy fee concession given by the institution in which he is studying. 

(vi)       Candidates studying privately or in unrecognized institutions will not be eligible for scholarship.  However, students studying in regular correspondence courses will be eligible subject to fulfillment of the condition regarding employment etc. laid down under the scheme. 

(vii)      Candidates who have passed qualifying examination in a year prior to the year of award of scholarship will not be eligible for consideration. 

6.         SELECTION PROCEDURE  

             The examining bodies will draw up a merit list of scholars (Annexure-III) likely to be eligible for scholarship within five weeks after the results of the examinations announced by the Boards/Universities/Authority for rural students. For rural students, the State Government will prepare block-wise merit list of students on the basis of marks obtained in VIII class in rural areas.  The income of the students’ parents will be taken into account before preparing the list. 

(ii)        The Boards/Universities/Authority in the State/Union Territory will write to the eligible students from the top of the merit list equal to double the number of awards available  (to provide for possible refusal and ineligible cases) through a registered letter to confirm within 15 days that he/she is prepared to accept the National Merit Scholarship. For rural students based on the block-wise merit list prepared, the State Government will write similar letters. 

(iii)       The candidates from whom replies are not received within 15 days will not be considered for scholarship and the award will be given to the next eligible candidates in the merit list. 

(iv)       The Boards/Universities/ Authority in the State/Union Territory will send a list of selected candidates to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations within a maximum period of 10 weeks from the date of declaration of result.

(v)        The District authorities will send the list of selected rural students from each block in the State/UT within a maximum period of 10 weeks from the date of declaration of result. 

(vi)       The Boards/Universities/ Authority/District Administration in the State/Union Territory will send to each candidate selected for award of scholarships: 

(a)       Entitlement Card
(b)         Income Affidavit form
(c)         Statement of  Particulars  

(vii)      The selected scholar shall present the Entitlement Card (Annexure-IV), Statement of Particulars (Annexure-V) and Income Affidavit form (Annexure-VI) duly filled in to the Head of the Institution joined by him.  The Head of the Institution will complete the Entitlement Card and send it to the Director of Collegiate Education/Higher Education/Secondary Education/Public Instruction / Education Department of the State/UTs as the case may be, who will make the final selection.   

(viii)     The officer of the above Department of the State Government/UT Administration will arrange to pay scholarship money to the scholar on receipt of the joining report (Annexure-VII) alongwith the completed ‘Statement of Particulars’ and ‘Income Affidavit’.   

(ix)       If the State/Union Territory Government concerned does not receive the joining report from the candidate duly signed by the Head of Institution, within 30 days from the date of closure of admission in the Institution, the case for award of scholarship to him will not be considered.  The scholarship will then be offered to the next eligible candidate in the merit list.   

7.         TENABILITY  

            A scholarship under the scheme has to be availed of in the year it is made in said Scheme for the duration of the course subject to fulfilling eligibility criteria.   

(ii)        The holder of a National Merit Scholarship is free to study a higher course in any recognized institution any where in India, and the responsibility for the payment of his scholarship will continue to be that of the State Government or the UT Administration in whose jurisdiction he is domiciled or passed the examination based on the result of which he/she has been awarded the scholarship. 

8.         RATE OF SCHOLARSHIPS  

 The rates of scholarships with effect from 01.04.2004 are as under:          

9.         PARENTAL INCOME CEILING  

             Scholarships will be paid only to those students whose parent’s/guardian’s income from all sources does not exceed Rs.1.00 lakh per annum, for all categories under the scheme.   

(i)         The income of father, mother, guardian, husband in the case of married unemployed girl student will be taken as income.   However, in the case where both the parents (or husband, in the case of married but unemployed girl student) have died, the income of the guardian who is supporting the student in his/her studies will be taken into account. 

(ii)        In the case of parents/guardians drawing salary, the Dearness Allowance, City Compensatory Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Conveyance Allowance, Interim Relief and Overtime Allowance etc. shall not be included in determining the income.  Deputation allowance, Honorarium, Special Pay and Bonus etc. shall however be treated as income.    

(iii)       Income certificate is required to be taken once only, i.e., at the time of admission to a course even if its duration is more than one year. 

(iv)       The scholarship once awarded will continue and it will be renewed from year to year till the completion of the course for which the award has been made.  A fresh income certificate each year will not be called for provided the scholar fulfils all other terms and conditions stipulated for the renewal.  Any increase or decrease in income in subsequent years will not also be considered for the purpose of the scheme. 

10.       HOLDING IN ABEYANCE OF AN AWARD  

             An award made under the scheme may be allowed to be held in abeyance for not more than one academic year if:- 

(i)        The candidate is unable to join the next course due to prolonged illness.

(ii)              The candidate is unable to get admission in higher course of his choice.

(iii)            The candidate is unable to join the next higher course due to circumstances beyond his control e.g. flood, death in family etc. 

2.        An award may also be allowed to be held in abeyance if the candidate is underage to join the next higher course.  This will be permitted only till such time as the candidate attains the prescribed age for admission. 

3.         If an award is made tenable after the period during which it has been kept in abeyance, it will be done only if the scholar fulfils other conditions of the scheme.  The State Governments/Union Territory Administrations will decide all such cases themselves. 

11.       DURATION OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND ITS RENEWAL  

             A scholarship under the scheme is renewable from year to year within the same stage of education.  For example the scholarship awarded to a student in 9^th class in rural area can be renewed for the 10^th class; scholarship awarded to a student in 11^th class can be renewed for the 12^th class.  Similarly the scholarship awarded to a student on the basis of 12^th class of 10 + 2 Pattern/Intermediate Examination/Graduation level Examination can be renewed in the 2^nd year and subsequent year/years within the same stage of education.  The renewal will depend on promotion to the next class provided the scholar secures 60% or more marks in aggregate in the Science stream and 55% or more marks in aggregate in Humanities Stream in the semester/annual examination which determines his promotion to the next class.   

(ii)      If a scholar is unable to appear in the annual examination owing to illness and or on account of any unforeseen event, the award may be renewed for the next academic year on submission of medical certificate and other proof to satisfy the Head of the Institution who will certify that the student would have passed with 60% or 55% marks respectively as stated above had he appeared in the examination. 

(iii)       If a scholar gives up the chosen course of study before its completion or if he changes the course of study without the approval of the State Government/Union Territory Administration the scholarship will be cancelled.  Good conduct and regularity in attendance are also required for continuance of the scholarship.  The decision of the State Government/UT Administration will be final and binding in all such matters.  Scholarship once cancelled will not be revived in any circumstance.   

(iv)       Where a scholar has shifted to another course instead of continuing with the course for which the scholarship was originally granted e.g. a scholar who was studying in first year of 3 year degree course on passing the 1^st year shifts to Engineering or other similar course, the scholarship may be renewed for the Engineering or the other course.  

12.       PAYMENT OF SCHOLARSHIP  

            The payment will be made by the State Government/Union Territory Administration in whose jurisdiction the scholar passed the examination based on which he was awarded the scholarship.   

(ii)        The State Government/Union Territory Administration will disburse scholarship amount to the selected scholar within one month from the date of receipt of the list of awardees from the Boards/Universities/ Authority in the State/Union Territory. 

(iii)       The payment of scholarship will start from the month the admission is obtained.   

(iv)       In case of renewal of scholarship for succeeding year/years the payment will be made from the month following that for which, the scholarship was paid during the previous academic year. 

(v)        The scholarship will be paid for a period of 10 months in an academic year.   

(vi)       The State Government will issue sanction for payment of scholarship to the eligible students in favour of the Head of the Institution concerned whether within or outside the State. 

(vii)      For disbursement of scholarship to students studying outside the State, the State Government will issue the demand draft in favour of the concerned Head of Institution.  Payment to the institution will be made in advance in one installment covering the entire academic year for all the scholars to whom scholarship is due. 

(viii)     Each State Government and Union Territory Administration will ensure that the Heads of Institutions have actually disbursed the amount correctly to the scholars. 

(ix)       The Head of the Institutions have to submit by the end of the financial year to the respective State Governments certificate of utilization of the amount provided for giving scholarships. 

(x)                The State Governments will furnish to the Government of India, the information regarding the number of scholarships awarded, the details of students and fund disbursed in the enclosed Performa Annexure VIII. 

13.       MISCELLANEOUS 

            The practice of awarding the Certificate of Merit and one time Rs. 100/- to meritorious students, who become ineligible due to income of parents of exceeding Rs.1.00 lakh, has been discontinued. 

            The Government of India will meet expenditure incurred by the State/UT Governments towards selection of students, giving publicity or for award of scholarships under the scheme. 

            The areas where schools are situated will be deemed as urban or rural as notified by the State Government from time to time under the relevant statute. 

            The full cost of scholarship is met by the Government of India every year without any state liability. However, the State Governments are expected to send their proposal well in advance so as to disburse the scholarship to the students within 2/3 months of the start of academic session.  

Annexure-I

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME
(SCHOLARSHIP FOR TALENTED CHILDREN FROM RURAL AREAS)
CLASSES IX & X  

Annexure – II