The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and the Ministry of Minority Affairs have framed a number of schemes for the promotion of education among backward sections such as SCs, STs, manual scavengers, PVTGs, OBCs, minorities, EWSs and DNTs as a constitutional mandate to promote education and economic development. But the ministries' annual reports show poor performances of Odisha in comparison to other States in implementing the schemes for benefits of the vulnerable sections.
Education being an important means of social transformation has been neglected by the State, which has impacted socio-eco development of the marginalized sections and employability of the youths. There has been a political debate over State and Central sharing over scholarship scheme while the very scholarship amount is very less in meeting the basic needs of the students.
To implement all varieties of education related schemes for the SCs and STs, the SCs and STs Development Department is the nodal agency and this department has to be headed by a ST under the provision of the Constitution under Article 164. So the proactive role of the department is important from the point of view of education of the socially and economically marginalized sections of the State. In an era of growing privatisation of education, the State support to the socially, educationally and economically backward communities has become more relevant in order to ensure universal quality education.
But unfortunately, the State lags behind in many of the educational indicators such as literacy rate, dropout and quality of education as reported by various surveys.
Still the literacy and dropout rate among STs, PVTGs and SCs has been a matter of concern. The quality of education has an impact on skill and employment of the youths as the increasing distress migration and poverty in the State have a strong link with access to quality education. The current educational schemes include scholarship from class one to higher studies, hostel facilities and coaching for jobs and other facilities.
There are pre matric and post matric scholarship schemes available for all sections of people such as economically weaker sections, manual scavengers, religious minorities, STs, OBCs and SCs on Centre and State sharing basis and there are also a few schemes getting 100% Central assistance.
Pre-matric scholarship from Class-1 to X also is available to a few occupational groups irrespective of their caste and annual family income. Dr Ambedkar scheme for post matric scholarship is available for EBC/EWC students since 2014 with 100% Central assistance. The Government of Odisha reported that during the year 2019-20 Rs 430.42 lakh has been made available for 11,670 EBC students. Pre -matric and post matric scholarship along with merit –cum-means based scholarship are available for religious minority students.
There are special efforts by the MTA to provide quality education to STs through the Eklavya Model Residential Schools with 100 % grant in aid under the provision of Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India.
The Government of Odisha also has facilitated schemes such as ANWESHA for studying in private English medium schools and special merit scholarship to STs and SCs studying in Sainik Schools. There are national schemes such as fellowship to study in Indian universities and overseas scholarship for STs, SCs ,OBCs, de notified tribes , nomadic tribes, semi-nomadic tribes, landless agricultural labourers, traditional artisans for pursuing higher studies in abroad in subjects such as medical, engineering, social science, science, management, finance and commerce etc.
Added to this, scholarship scheme is available for top class education for ST and SC students in 220 institutions for excellence in the country such as IIM, IIT and NITs. Students of OBCs, SCs and STs appearing different competitive examinations are being supported through private coaching institutions with grant in aid. Along with scholarship there is support for construction of hostels for minority, OBCs, SCs and STs in the State on State- Centre sharing basic and in case of girl students hostel, the central assistance is 100%.
The major educational schemes of the Centre depend on the State for its implementation through sharing in the budget and in grounding the schemes as its sole implementer. But it is found that the Government of Odisha has failed to implement many of the important schemes of education due to lack of prompt decision and timely action in field level.
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