New Delhi: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has examined the implementation of pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for Scheduled Caste (SC) students, with an audit reportedly revealing delays of up to 48 months for pre-matric dues and 89 months for post-matric payments.
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal shared the findings on social media, alleging that some eligible students had received no scholarship payments despite prolonged waits.
According to Venugopal, the audit also identified lapses in verifying caste and income eligibility. He claimed that payments had reached ineligible non-SC beneficiaries while eligible students continued to wait for assistance.
Venugopal said the committee had summoned the chief secretaries of six states identified as poor performers to provide oral evidence. However, none appeared before the panel.
He said the PAC had taken serious note of their absence as contempt and would bring the matter to the notice of the Lok Sabha Speaker for possible action under parliamentary privilege rules.
Emphasising the importance of scholarships for disadvantaged students, Venugopal said financial assistance often determines whether children can continue their education.
He said the PAC viewed the delivery of social justice as a constitutional obligation and would hold state governments and ministries accountable until every eligible student received the assistance due to them.
The committee’s concerns, as outlined by Venugopal, centre on delayed payments, beneficiary verification and accountability in the implementation of scholarship schemes for SC students.
