Fund delay hits SARTHI scholarship beneficiaries

Students selected for the overseas higher education scholarships under the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development institute (SARTHI) scheme of the Maharashtra government are awaiting financial benefit even as they have started their professional course abroad.

- Dheeraj Bengrut

Launched in 2023 with the intent to offer scholarships to meritorious students from marginalised communities, delay in disbursements of funds has forced selected candidates to avail loans, borrow from family and friends, and take up part-time jobs to survive in foreign lands.

According to officials, while 53 applicants were selected for the first batch of 2023-24, authorities capped the intake to 75 students and ₹30 lakh scholarship per person the following year. However, 42 of the selected students studying abroad are yet to receive any financial benefit till date even as their applications were cleared during the months of June-July last year.

Despite repeated appeals by the students, SARTHI’s response remains that soon the funds will be released and sent.

Applicants have also raised concern over the demand for legal documents to get the scholarship. Legal experts and education activists argue that this is not only unnecessary, but also unlawful, as no binding condition should be imposed before the formal issuance of selection letters like other government-run scholarship schemes.