SC commission issues notice to Punjab on scholarship scheme

MOVE COMES AFTER THE JOINT ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES DECIDED TO WITHHOLD ROLL NUMBERS OF TWO LAKH SC STUDENTS

CHANDIGARH: Taking strong note of the decision taken by the Joint Association of Colleges (JAC) of private educational institutions to withhold roll numbers of two lakh Scheduled Caste (SC) students, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has issued a notice to the Punjab government, directing it to ensure immediate release of roll numbers.

The notice has been issued to the chief secretary and principal secretaries, social justice, empowerment and minorities, and higher education, on the orders of NCSC chairman Vijay Sampla. They have been asked to submit an action taken report immediately.

“The JAC has stopped roll numbers in protest against nondisbursal of Rs 1,549 crore under the SC Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme by the Punjab government, but private colleges cannot punish students because of mistakes or blunders of the state,” the NCSC chairman said in a statement, calling it “unacceptable”.

Asking the state government to take strict action against the erring government officials, Sampla said that stopping the roll number or withholding degree of any student admitted under the post-matric scholarship is an offense. “It is the duty of the state governments to ensure proper implementation of the scheme and ensure that SC students face no hardship,” he said, asking the Punjab government to fulfil its duty.