The BJD on Wednesday demanded the Central guideline for mandatorily linking Aadhaar cards of SC and ST students with Government portals to get national scholarship and stipend be relaxed for Odisha as many of the students are yet to be issued such cards. “Before making such a mandatory norm, the Union Government should have taken consent of the State Governments.
lakhs of SC and ST students are facing problems in getting stipends and scholarships due to the Aadhaar card norm,” said SC and ST Development Minister Sudam Marandi at a Press conference here. BJD spokesperson Shashi Bhushan Behera said SC and ST students are now facing problems to apply at the National Scholarship Portal as Aadhaar number is mandatory to register and fill up the application forms online. Behera questioned as to how students can apply to the scholarship portal when internet facility is not adequately available in rural areas.
He informed as many as 4 lakh students are now getting scholarship through Prerana Scholarship Portal.