Scholarship Disbursements in Jammu Kashmir: Sharp Drop After 2021-22 | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a significant decline in scholarship disbursements to minority students over the last five years, with the total amount falling from Rs 128.66 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 107.85 crore in 2021-22, and then sharply down to Rs 7.81 crore in 2022-23, reflecting the cessation of new scheme approvals beyond 2021-22. These figures are based on official data provided by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in response to Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4102 on March 30, 2026.

The Ministry had been implementing Pre-Matric, Post-Matric, and Merit-cum-Means based scholarship schemes for minority students, with Pre-Matric scholarships covering classes IX and X, Post-Matric scholarships for higher secondary and college students, and Merit-cum-Means scholarships supporting graduate and postgraduate education.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Pre-Matric scholarships saw 466,290 students benefitting in 2020-21 with Rs 96.24 crore disbursed, followed by 389,132 students in 2021-22 receiving Rs 77.67 crore, while only 8,402 students were covered in 2022-23 with Rs 3.11 crore paid. Post-Matric scholarships reached 53,725 students in 2020-21 with Rs 30.38 crore disbursed, 47,574 students in 2021-22 receiving Rs 27.47 crore, and 5,722 students in 2022-23 supported with Rs 3.28 crore. Merit-cum-Means scholarships were provided to 772 students in 2020-21 for Rs 2.04 crore, 1,029 students in 2021-22 with Rs 2.71 crore, and 516 students in 2022-23 receiving Rs 1.42 crore.

The decline reflects structural changes in scheme administration. The Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship Scheme for girls was merged with the Pre-Matric and Post-Matric schemes from 2022-23, and the Ministry confirmed that new scholarship schemes have not been approved for implementation beyond 2021-22, leaving the disbursements in 2022-23 largely as committed liabilities.

The data illustrates the substantial support minority students in Jammu and Kashmir had received earlier, and the sharp fall in recent years underlines the dependency of local students on central scholarship schemes for pursuing education from class IX to higher studies.