How to apply for EBC scholarship?

The purpose of the EBC scholarship is to provide Economically Backward Class (EBC) students studying at the post-matriculation or post-secondary level with financial aid to enable them to complete their education.

EBC scholarship: Scope

This EBC scholarship will only be accessible for studies in India and will be awarded by the government of the Indian state or union territory to where the applicant is really domiciled, i.e. legally residing.

EBC scholarship: Conditions of eligibility

• The scholarships will be available to Indian nationals from the General Category (other than Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribe, and Other Backward Classes), and the total annual income of the employed candidate or his/her parents/guardians in the case of an unemployed candidate shall not exceed Rs 8 lakhs.
• A income certificate must be presented by the appropriate State or Union Territory government.
• Candidates who, after completing one level of education, are now enrolled in the same level of education in a different topic, e.g., I. Sc. after I.A or B.Com. after B.A or M.A. in a subject after M.A. in a different subject are ineligible.
• Students who have finished their studies in a single professional discipline, e.g., LLB, are ineligible.
• Students enrolled in the XI Class of the Higher Secondary School or the XII Class of the Multipurpose High School are ineligible for the course to be considered a continuing school course. In circumstances where the tenth class examination of such courses is viewed as equivalent to Matriculation, and students who attend other courses after passing the tenth class examination, such students will be considered post-matric and eligible for scholarships.
• Post-graduate medical students who are not permitted to practice during the duration of their studies will be eligible.
• If otherwise eligible, grants shall be provided to students who, after failing or passing the Undergraduate/Postgraduate examinations in Arts/Science/Commerce, enrol in any recognised professional or technical certificate/diploma/degree program. Except for courses in Group ‘A,’ any subsequent failure will not be tolerated, nor will any course changes be permitted.
• Students who pursue their education through correspondence courses will be eligible for tuition reimbursement. The correspondence consists of distance education and continuous education. In addition to the repayment of non-refundable fees, these students will be eligible for an annual grant of Rs. 900 for essential/required textbooks, as applicable.
• Only two boys from the same set of parents or guardians will be eligible for scholarships. However, this restriction will not apply to girls. Therefore, scholarships obtained by girls of the same parents/guardian will not affect the eligibility of up to two boys of the same parents/guardian to get scholarships.
• A recipient of this fellowship will not hold any other scholarship or stipend. If awarded another scholarship/stipend, the student must exercise his/her option and notify the awarding authorities through the institution’s head of his/her decision. 
• In addition to the scholarship amount given under this scheme, the student may accept free lodging or a grant or ad hoc financial assistance from the State Government or any other source for the purchase of books and equipment or for board and lodging expenses.
• Scholarship recipients who are receiving coaching in any of the pre-examination training institutions with Central Government/State Government funding will not be eligible for a stipend under the coaching programs for the duration of the coaching program.
• Employed students whose combined income with their parent’s or guardian’s income does not exceed Rs. 1.00 lakh per year are eligible for post-matric scholarships to the extent of repayment of all mandatory non-refundable fees.
• Under the Scheme, unemployed students whose parents’ or guardians’ annual income from all sources does not exceed Rs. 1.00 lakh will be eligible for a scholarship.

Note 1: As long as any of the parents (or husband in the case of markedly unemployed female students) are alive, only the income of the parents/husband, as applicable, from all sources must be included, regardless of whether other family members are also earning. On this basis, income must be recorded on the income declaration form. Only if both parents (or husband in the event of a married but unemployed female student) have passed away will the income of the guardian supporting the student’s education be considered. 

Students whose parent’s income is affected by the untimely death of one of their earning parents and, as a result, falls within the scheme’s income ceiling will become eligible for the scholarship, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements as of the month in which the unfortunate event occurred. On compassionate grounds, scholarship applications from such students may be considered even after the application deadline has passed.

Note 2: The House Rent Allowance obtained by a student’s parents is exempt from the computation of income if such exemption has been authorised for Income-Tax purposes.

Note 3: The Income Certificate is required just once, at the time of enrollment in courses lasting more than one year.

EBC scholarship: Value of scholarship

The value of the scholarship will consist of a maintenance allowance, reader charges for blind students, reimbursement of mandatory non-refundable fees, study tour charges/thesis typing/printing charges, and a book allowance for students pursuing correspondence courses for the duration of the course, as detailed below:

i) Maintenance Allowance

Note: Scholars who are entitled to free boarding and/or lodging will be paid maintenance chargers at 1/3rd of the hostellers’ rate.

ii) Reader charges for blind students (Blind Scholars)

The blind scholars will be given an additional amount as ‘Readers Charges as mentioned below:-

iii) Fees

Enrollment/registration, tuition, games, union, library, magazine, medical examination, and any other fees obligatorily payable by the scholar to the institution or university/board shall be paid by the institution. However, refundable deposits such as caution money and security deposits will be excluded.

iv) Study travel

Students enrolled in professional and technical courses will be reimbursed for study tour expenses up to a maximum of Rs. 900 per year, limited to the actual expenses incurred by the student on transportation costs, etc., provided that the head of the institution certifies that the study tour is essential to the completion of the student’s course of study.

v) Fees for typing and printing the thesis

On the recommendation of the institution’s head, research scholars will be reimbursed for thesis typing/printing costs up to a maximum of Rs. 1000.

EBC scholarship: Selection of candidates

Scholarships shall be awarded to all qualifying Economically Backward Classes candidates, according to the aforementioned eligibility requirements. Candidates from one state who are studying in another state will be awarded a scholarship by their home state and will submit their applications to the appropriate authorities in their home state. 

Regarding fee waivers and other concessions, students will be treated as if they were studying in their home state. The funds-limited nature of the scheme should, nevertheless, be considered while making selections.

EBC scholarship: Duration and renewal of awards

• The scholarship will be valid from the time it is granted until the end of the course, pending good behaviour and regular attendance. It will be renewed annually if, during the course of a continuous number of years, the scholar achieves promotion to the next higher class, regardless of whether such examinations are administered by the University or the Institution.
• The award may be renewed if an EBC scholar taking a Group A course fails the examination for the first time. For second and consecutive failures in any class, the student is responsible for his or her own fees until promotion to the following class.
• If a scholar is unable to appear in the annual examination due to illness or other unforeseeable circumstances, the award may be renewed for the following academic year upon submission of a medical certificate and/or other required sufficient proof to the satisfaction of the Head of the Institution, with the Head of the Institution certifying that the scholar would have passed the examination had he appeared.
• If, according to the regulations of a university/institution, a student is promoted to the next higher class even though he/she may not have passed in the lower class and is required to retake the junior class examination after some time, he/she will be eligible for a scholarship for the class to which he/she has promoted if the student is otherwise eligible for the scholarship.

EBC scholarship: Payment

• Maintenance charges shall be payable from 1st April or from the month of admission, whichever is later, to the month in which the examinations are completed at the end of the academic year (including maintenance during holidays) unless the scholar obtains admission after the 20th day of a given month, in which case the payment will be made from the month following the month of admission.
• In the event that scholarships awarded in past years are renewed, maintenance fees will be paid from the month after the month in which the scholarship was paid in the previous year, provided that the student’s course of study is continuing.
• All students are expected to acquire the required textbooks, stationery, etc., using their maintenance allowance. If the Head of the relevant Institution reports that a scholar lacks textbooks, stationary, etc., the authority awarding the scholarship may reduce the value of the scholarship at its discretion.
• The government of the State/Union Territory Administration to which the selected students belong will pay the scholarship money to them in accordance with the mechanism they have established in this regard.
• The scholarship will not be paid for the duration of the internship/housemanship in the M.B.B.S. course or for practical training in another degree if the student is receiving payment during the internship period or allowance/stipend during the practical training in another course.

EBC scholarship: Mode of disbursal of scholarship

To ensure timely payment of scholarship amount to the beneficiaries, State Government/UT administrations are requested to avoid cash payment of scholarship amount and to issue instructions to all concerned that payment of scholarship should be made directly to beneficiaries through their accounts in post offices/banks, with a gradual transition to Smart Cards.

EBC scholarship: Additional Requirements for the award

• The scholarship is contingent on the scholar’s good progress and behaviour. If at any time the Head of the Institution reports that a scholar has failed to make satisfactory progress due to his or her own act or default or has been guilty of misconduct such as resorting to crime, participating in strikes without the permission of the authorities concerned, or irregularity in attendance without the permission of the authorities concerned, the authority sanctioning the scholarships may either cancel the scholarships or stop or withhold further payment for such period as it deems fit.
• If it is discovered that a student won a scholarship by making a false statement, the scholarship will be immediately revoked, and the value of the award will be reclaimed at the discretion of the concerned state government. The student will be permanently banned and excluded from any scholarship programs.
• Without the previous approval of the State Government, a scholarship may be revoked if the recipient changes the subject of the course of study for which the scholarship was awarded or the institution of study. The institution’s leader is required to report such occurrences and cease scholarship payments. The money previously paid may be reclaimed at the Blue Government’s discretion. A scholar is obligated to request the scholarship amount at the discretion of the course of study for which the scholarship was awarded or if the institution of study is changed without the prior approval of the State Government. The Head of the Institution must report such situations to them and cease scholarship payments in such instances. The money already paid may also be reclaimed at the State Government’s discretion. A scholar must return the scholarship sum at the discretion of the scholarship provider.
• The provisions of the program are subject to modification at any time at the discretion of the Indian government.

EBC scholarship: Advance notice of the plan

All State Governments/UT Admins shall announce the specifics of the Scheme and solicit applications in May-June by publishing advertisements in the State’s prominent newspapers and other media outlets. All requests for application forms and other information should be sent to the state or territory where the student actually belongs. The applicant must submit the application to the designated authority prior to the deadline for receipt of applications.

EBC scholarship: Procedures required for application

An application for a scholarship must include the following information when submitted to the prescribed authority:

• One copy of the scholarship application in the approved format (the competent State Government/UT may prescribe a separate application form for “new and renewal scholarships”).
• One copy of the student’s passport-sized photograph with signatures thereon (for fresh scholarship).
• One attested copy of all certificates, diplomas and degrees for all examinations passed.
• An original certificate of income issued by a Revenue Officer, not below the rank of Tehsildar.
• A receipt acknowledging the scholarship received in the preceding year on the form attached to the application alone, fully countersigned by the Head of the Institution concerned, if the applicant received a scholarship under this scheme in the previous year.
• Application complete in all respects shall be submitted to the Head of the Institution attended or last attended by the candidates and addressed to an officer designated for this purpose by the Government of the State/Union Territory to which the student belongs in accordance with the instructions issued by them from time to time.

EBC scholarship: Funding limitation of the plan

Due to budgetary constraints, the Central Government is unable to provide full assistance to the States/UTs for the provision of scholarships to all qualifying students. Under the program, the monies will be distributed to the states on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to a maximum amount to be determined annually, depending on the overall budget made available that year.

However, States/UTS would be at liberty to allocate monies from the state plan, in addition to the central support, to fund extra scholarships under the scheme. Any such additional expenditures must be borne by the State Government/UT Administration and are normally not reimbursable by the Central Government. However, any additional expenditures paid by a State/UT may be reimbursed by the Central Government at the conclusion of a fiscal year, subject to the availability of savings.

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