Registration date of EBC scheme extended

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) has extended the registration date for the Economically Backward Class (EBC) scheme, the Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Shulk Shishyavrutti Yojna, upto February 15.

The EBC scheme is offered to economically backward students. The registration started on October 10, 2023, for the academic year 2023-24 through the DBT portal. It was expected that 2.60 lakh students would apply for the scholarship while only 1.59 lakh students applied during the last three months. The DTE took review of the scheme with the regional joint director of Technical Education time and again during the last two months. The DTE observed that educational institutes are reluctant to get registered students for the scholarship.

The Department is also not getting the required cooperation from the colleges. Principal Secretary of Higher and Technical Education, reviewed the scheme on January 31. He found that the registration process of students is going at a snail’s pace with low strength. The Principal Secretary felt that they may face problems in the disbursement of the scholarship by March 31, 2024.

In the meeting of the Joint Board of Vice Chancellors held in Mumbai on February 2, the chief secretary instructed the available whole fund should be utilised on or before March 31. The registration date was also extended up to February 15. The DTE officers said that a college would be held responsible if any student is deprived of the EBC benefit