Coaching Schemes for SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) & Minority Students for Universities

What is the Coaching Scheme for SC/ST/OBC & Minority Students for Universities?

Coaching Schemes for SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) & Minority Students for Universities is a scheme of the University Grants Commission (UGC) that pays grants to universities and colleges so they can run remedial and competitive- examination coaching for students from disadvantaged groups. It is a merged UGC scheme covering Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes in the non-creamy layer, and notified minority communities.

According to UGC guidelines, the aim is to enable students who need remedial coaching to reach the level required to pursue higher studies efficiently, to reduce their failure and drop-out rates, and to prepare them for competitive examinations, most importantly the UGC-NET/SET, which is the gateway to Assistant Professor posts in universities.

This is an institutional grant scheme, not an individual cash benefit. The money goes to the university or college, which then organises the coaching. A student benefits by enrolling in that coaching, not by receiving a payment.

Main features

• Financial assistance paid by the UGC to eligible universities and colleges.
• Two streams of coaching: remedial coaching to strengthen academic and language skills, and coaching for NET/SET and other competitive examinations.
• Coverage of SC, ST, OBC (non-creamy layer) and minority students together.
• Coaching provided free to the enrolled students.

Who is eligible for the coaching scheme?

The scheme has two layers of eligibility — one for the institution that receives the grant, and one for the student who benefits.

Institutions that can apply to the UGC:

• Universities and colleges that fall within the purview of Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956, and are declared fit to receive central assistance under Section 12(B) of the Act.
• The institution must be able to run the coaching, keep records of enrolled students, and submit utilisation certificates.

Students who can benefit from the coaching:

• Students belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes.
• Students belonging to Other Backward Classes in the non-creamy layer.
• Students from notified minority communities.
• Students enrolled in the university or affiliated college running the coaching, who need remedial support or are preparing for competitive examinations.

Who cannot apply / is not eligible:

• An individual student cannot apply to the UGC for money under this scheme, there is no personal cash benefit. Students who want the coaching must approach the Equal Opportunity Cell or relevant department of their own institution.
• Institutions that are not covered under Section 2(f) / 12(B) of the UGC Act are not eligible for the grant.
• OBC students in the creamy layer are outside the target group.

How much does the coaching scheme provide?

Under UGC guidelines, a university can receive up to Rs 5 lakh as a one-time non-recurring grant (for equipment, books and setting up the coaching) and up to Rs 7 lakh per year for recurring items such as faculty remuneration. A college can receive up to Rs 5 lakh non-recurring and up to Rs 2 lakh per year recurring.

The recurring grant mainly pays honoraria to the faculty and resource persons who conduct the classes. Because the benefit reaches students as free coaching rather than a cash transfer, there is no fixed "amount per student".

How to apply for the coaching scheme

Because this is an institutional grant, the "application" is made by the university or college, not by a student. The route is:

1. The university or college confirms it is covered under Section 2(f) and 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956.
2. The institution prepares a proposal for coaching under the scheme, giving the number of eligible SC/ST/OBC/minority students, the coaching plan and the budget.
3. The proposal is submitted to the University Grants Commission in the format and window notified by the UGC.
4. On approval, the institution receives the grant, runs the coaching, and later files a utilisation certificate and an appraisal report showing each student's improvement in marks.

For a student who wants the coaching:

1. Contact your university's or college's Equal Opportunity Cell, SC/ST cell, or the department coordinating remedial and NET/SET coaching.
2. Show your caste/community certificate and proof of admission to confirm you belong to a target group.
3. Enrol in the remedial or competitive-exam coaching batch when it is offered.

What documents are required?

Help and where to go

Because the scheme is run through institutions, the first point of contact for a student is always the Equal Opportunity Cell or SC/ST/OBC/minority cell of their own university or college. Institutional queries about the grant are handled by the University Grants Commission, whose guidelines and formats are published on ugc.gov.in.

This scheme is narrow and institution-facing. For a general reader it may be most useful understood as one part of the wider set of UGC equal-opportunity measures for higher education, rather than as a scheme an individual applies to.