Punjab Government has started the process of getting online applications under the post-matric scholarship scheme for eligible students of scheduled castes and backward classes.
Punjab Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Welfare Minister, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot on Monday said the Welfare Department has started the Dr Ambedkar Scholarship Portal from September 25. He said Dr Ambedkar Scholarship portal is an important link to make the process of post matriculation scholarship transparent where students get the facility to apply online and where they do not have to face frustration.
The Minister informed that the eligible SC / BC students can take advantage of these student welfare schemes to pursue studies after matriculation and be able to stand on their feet.
Dharamsot said that according to the schedule released by the welfare department, eligible students can apply online from September 25 to October 24, 2017, While different educational institutions would submit online applications of students from October 25 to November 10, 2017to the Sanctioning Authority. He informed that the time for sending/forwarding of applications, received from the organisations, to the departments been fixed from 11th November to 4th December, 2017 by the sanctioning authorities.
The Minister also said that the welfare department has in concurrence with the line departments chalked out significant steps to make the process of multilevel receiving of the applications for scholarship purposes from 2017-18 so as to put a stop to the duplicity and fake students.
Dharamsot said that the process for applying for scholarship is also being attached to the Aadhar number. He further added that before the online submission of the scholarship applications by the students, it would be ensured by them to upload the signed undertaking besides photograph at the portal. Apart from this, the students can also upload attested affidavit on the portal in place of the income certificate.
The minister also divulged that in another important measure, the welfare department has made mandatory the e-signatures of the head of the institution and the sanctioning authority at the time of accepting/forwarding applications by them. During the year 2017-18, if any student or an institution submits fake claims on the online portal then they would be strictly proceeded against.