By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kozhikode: The Kerala Minority Commission is all set to intervene in the wake of reports about how minority students are denied the ‘Merit Cum Means scholarship’ in the state.
During a sitting organised by the Commission in Malappuram on Wednesday, March 11, around 70 students had approached it claiming they were denied the scholarship amount of Rs 30,000 per year “owing to the criminal lapses committed by the educational institutions.”
TCN file photo
The students, most of them from NSS College in Palakkad, complained to advocate M Veerankutty, Commission chairman, that they are unable to avail the scholarship as their institutions failed in forwarding their applications timely to the State Minority Department. The students said their applications were not forwarded to the department concerned before due date for further clearances after once they were submitted to the institution authorities.
“It is frustrating that the students are denied the due financial assistance despite their meritorious victories in both curricular and extra-curricular activities. They lose the amount for the mistakes they haven’t committed,” Veerankutty told TwoCircles.net.
“We are looking to initiate a drive to find such institutions, which tend to do injustice to the students, belonging to various minority communities. And stringent action will be taken if such lapses are found,” he added.
However, the Commission has decided to take the cause to the Union Minister of State for Minority Welfare Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to ensure the justice for the students.
Veerankutty, along with Commission member V V Joshi, will bring the issue to the notice of the minister during the national conference of the Minority Commission members, which is to be held on March 23 at New Delhi.
“The Centre, in each budget, allocates huge amounts to lend financial assistance for various students’ welfare schemes. But, unfortunately a share of the allocated amount is lapsed owing to the irresponsible stand of such institutions and officials concerned. The Commission is obliged to ensure that whether or not the fund is maximum utilized and delivered to the right beneficiaries,” Veerankutty said.