The University Grants Commission (UGC) has informed that in order to enable students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SCs)/Scheduled Tribes (STs)/Other Backward Classes (Non-creamy layer)/Minority communities, who need remedial coaching to come up to the level necessary for pursuing higher studies efficiently and to reduce their failure and drop-out rate, it has been providing financial assistance to Universities and Colleges for conducting special classes outside the regular time table.  Such assistance is provided under the UGC Coaching Schemes for SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) & Minority Students for Universities and Colleges. Financial assistance of rupees five lakhs, for non-recurring items, as one time grant and rupees seven lakhs per annum, for recurring items, is provided to Universities under the scheme. Colleges are eligible to receive rupees five lakhs, for non-recurring items, as one time grant and rupees two lakhs per annum, for recurring items, under the scheme. The details of these Schemes are available at http://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/1910509_Guidelines-for-Coaching-Schemes-university.pdf and http://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/ 2722093_Guidelines-for-Coaching-Schemes-college.pdf respectively.

During 2012-2013 to 2014-15, the UGC has released a grant of Rs. 162.14 crores to Central Universities, Deemed to be Universities and Colleges exclusively under the Remedial Coaching scheme for SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer).

The UGC has further informed that 1,38,474 SC students, 48,513 ST students and 1,76,515 OBC students benefited from the Coaching Classes in Colleges during the last three years. The UGC has reported that there is no provision for scholarship/incentives to the students for such coaching facilities. The UGC is separately providing financial assistance to SC/ST students under the following schemes:-

1)      Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC candidates

2)      Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for ST candidates

3)      Post- Doctoral Fellowship for SC/ST candidates

4)      Post-Graduate Scholarship for Professional Courses for SC/ST Candidates.

Details of guidelines of these schemes are available at www.ugc.ac.in.

This information was given by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani today in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.

*****

GG/RT/DS/RK/ COACHING TO SC/ST