Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 18 : The Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is taking historic steps to uplift education for Scheduled Caste students, said Cabinet Minister Baljit Kaur during a press conference at Punjab Bhawan.
She highlighted major initiatives being implemented by the Department of Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities to ensure that students from marginalised communities receive opportunities to excel in higher education and professional careers.
Baljit Kaur announced a significant reform of the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, which had long been marred by irregularities. She said strict action has been taken against misappropriation of funds to guarantee that every rupee now directly reaches deserving students. In 2022, 1,76,842 students availed the scheme, and the number has risen to 2,37,456 this year, marking a 35 per cent increase in just three years. Over the past five years, only 3.71 lakh students benefited, whereas during the current three-year term alone, 6.78 lakh students have already been supported. The target for 2025-26 has been set at 2.70 lakh students, with awareness drives being conducted across schools and colleges to ensure no eligible student is left behind.
She further added that under the Top Class Education scheme for OBC, EBC, and DNT students from families with annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh, scholarships are being extended to students enrolled in premier institutions such as IIT Ropar, NIT Jalandhar, IIM Amritsar, NIPER Mohali, IISER Mohali, Thapar University Patiala, Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law Patiala, and others.
Sharing details of a new Overseas Scholarship Scheme, Baljit Kaur said that Scheduled Caste students and children of landless agricultural labourers can now pursue studies at the world's top 500 universities with full financial support from the Punjab Government. The scheme covers visa, airfare, tuition fees, a maintenance allowance of Rs 13.17 lakh per annum, a contingency allowance of Rs 1.35 lakh, and medical insurance. Eligible students must be under 35 years of age, have secured at least 60 per cent marks, and belong to families with an annual income below Rs 8 lakh. A 30 per cent reservation for girls has been mandated to ensure equal opportunities. Each family can avail benefits for up to two children, with each student eligible only once. Applications for the 2025-26 academic year can be submitted online at the NOS portal from September 15 to October 24.
She also announced the launch of a two-month PCS Crash Course for SC, BC, and minority students at the Ambedkar Institute in Mohali to prepare them for civil services. Applications are being accepted offline and via email between September 17 and 26, with forty candidates to be selected through an entrance test on September 30. The institute has been upgraded with an investment of Rs 1.47 crore, with an additional Rs 1.22 crore earmarked for further enhancement. To attract top trainers, faculty remuneration has been doubled from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500 per hour.
Baljit Kaur reaffirmed the government's commitment to the development of SC, BC, and economically weaker sections, stating that the goal is to make higher education accessible, affordable, and desirable for every eligible child in Punjab. "Through education, we empower our students socially and economically," she emphasised.