The warning was issued after a number of reviews of faculties demanding cash below varied heads equivalent to safety deposits, picnic charges, medical prices, books, uniforms and stationery.
In an official communication dated July 7, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment reminded all collaborating residential colleges that below the SHRESHTA (Scheme for Residential Training for College students in Excessive Colleges in Focused Areas) programme, no charges or further prices are to be levied on SC college students admitted in school 9 and 11.
All instructional and boarding bills are to be reimbursed by the federal government on to the colleges, based mostly on precise prices or a prescribed restrict, whichever is decrease, the ministry stated within the letter.
“Certainly not ought to any price or further prices be levied on the beneficiary by SHRESHTA colleges,” Underneath Secretary Rakesh Kumar stated, including the scheme's objective is to offer high-quality, fully-funded training to SC college students in top-performing residential colleges.
Regardless of this, the ministry stated it had acquired a number of reviews of faculties demanding cash below varied heads equivalent to safety deposits, picnic charges, medical prices, books, uniforms and stationery.The letter famous such practices had been in clear violation of guidelines and warned that “strict motion” can be taken in opposition to defaulting establishments via the Central Board of Secondary Training (CBSE). The ministry urged all colleges to conform absolutely and guarantee a clean implementation of the scheme. “Your speedy consideration and compliance with the scheme guideline are appreciated to make sure equal instructional alternatives to SC college students,” the letter learn.
SHRESHTA is a focused initiative by the federal government to bridge the hole in entry to high quality training for SC college students by inserting them in reputed personal residential colleges via a nationwide entrance check (NETS) performed by the Nationwide Testing Company (NTA).
As soon as admitted, these college students are funded till class 12 and will profit from post-matric and top-class scholarship schemes.
For the 2025-26 educational yr, 3,000 recent seats can be found throughout class 9 and 11. Colleges assembly high quality benchmarks, together with constant educational efficiency and enough infrastructure, had been requested to verify their consent to hitch the programme by March 10 this yr.
The scheme additionally offers further assist equivalent to bridge programs to assist college students transition easily and covers tuition, hostel, and mess charges.
The ministry stated colleges failing to adjust to the phrases danger not solely monetary penalties but in addition blacklisting.
The SHRESHTA scheme is central to the federal government's efforts to dismantle structural obstacles in training, the federal government stated whereas calling on colleges to uphold the spirit of inclusion and fairness.
