Meritorious Scholarships to VJNT and SBC Students Studying in Secondary Schools

What is the Meritorious Scholarships scheme for VJNT and SBC secondary school students?

Meritorious Scholarships to VJNT and SBC Students Studying in Secondary Schools is a small merit award of the Government of Maharashtra for Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribe (VJNT) and Special Backward Class (SBC) students in Standard 5 to Standard 10. The scheme is administered by the Other Backward Bahujan Welfare Department, the Itar Magas Bahujan Kalyan Vibhag, which took over VJNT, OBC and SBC welfare from the Social Justice and Special Assistance Department. Both departments still appear in listings for this scheme, and both refer to the same award.

The stated purpose is to motivate backward class students to continue in school by recognising the ones who do best in their class. The design reflects that purpose: the award is not means-tested, it is not linked to attendance or hostel residence, and it goes only to the first and second rank holders in each class. It is an honour with a token payment attached, not a maintenance grant.

A reader should be clear about the size of the benefit before going further. The scheme pays Rs 200 a year for Standard 5 to 7 and Rs 400 a year for Standard 8 to 10. These are annual figures fixed long ago and not revised since, so a family looking for real financial support during school years should treat this as recognition and look elsewhere for the money: particularly at the Tuition Fees and Examination Fees scheme for VJNT and SBC high school students, which covers the actual fee heads in full and has no income limit either.

How much does the scholarship pay, and by which class?

The award is paid once a year, for the year in which the student holds the rank. It does not carry forward automatically: a student who ranks first in Standard 8 and third in Standard 9 draws the award for one year only. Conversely a student who ranks second every year from Standard 5 to Standard 10 can draw it six times, for a total of Rs 1,800 across those six years.

It is worth noting the parallel scheme the Commissionerate of Social Welfare runs for backward class students generally in Standard 5 to 10, which is published at Rs 50 a month for Standard 5 to 7 and Rs 100 a month for Standard 8 to 10, paid over 10 months. The eligibility conditions there are identical — more than 50 per cent in the previous annual examination and a first or second rank, but the rate is higher. Which rate a particular student is paid at depends on which department's list the school sends the name to, and that in turn depends on the caste certificate. A parent whose child qualifies should ask the Head Master explicitly which scheme head the name has been entered under.

Who is eligible for this scholarship?

A student can be selected if:

• The student belongs to a notified Vimukta Jati, Nomadic Tribe or Special Backward Class community of Maharashtra and holds a valid caste certificate.
• The student is studying in Standard 5 to Standard 10 in a recognised primary or secondary school in Maharashtra.
• The student scored more than 50 per cent marks in the previous year's annual examination.
• The student stood first or second in the class among the eligible category students.

A student cannot apply or is not eligible if:

• The student belongs to a category outside VJNT and SBC. Scheduled Caste and general backward class students are covered by the Commissionerate of Social Welfare's own version of the award, and Scheduled Tribe students by the Tribal Development Department. The scheme has to match the caste certificate.
• The student scored 50 per cent or below in the previous annual examination. The condition is "more than 50 per cent", so exactly 50 does not qualify.
• The student did not rank first or second in the class. Only two students per class can be sent up.
• The student is below Standard 5 or above Standard 10. Standard 11 and 12 students should look at the Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj merit scholarship instead.
• The school is not recognised.

There is deliberately no income limit and no age limit on this scholarship. That is unusual among Maharashtra school benefits and is the single fact most worth knowing: a VJNT or SBC family that has been refused other scholarships because the income certificate was too high can still have a top-ranking child selected here.

What documents are required?

Caste certificates are issued by the Tehsildar or Sub-Divisional Officer and applied for through a Setu centre, a Maha e-Seva Kendra or the Aaple Sarkar portal. Because selection happens quickly after results are declared, a family should already hold a valid caste certificate before the annual examination rather than start the process when the school asks.

How to apply for the VJNT and SBC merit scholarship

The process is offline and school-initiated. The Commissionerate of Social Welfare states plainly that backward class students do not need to apply for this scholarship, eligible students are identified from the results. In practice a family still has to make sure the paperwork is with the school, because a Head Master cannot forward a name without a caste certificate on file.

1. Give the school a valid caste certificate naming a notified VJNT or SBC community, and check that the school's own register records the category correctly.
2. Let the annual examination result be declared. Selection is based on the previous year's annual examination, so nothing can move before results.
3. Confirm the class rank with the class teacher or Head Master. Only the first and second rank holders among eligible students go forward, so ask where your child stands rather than assuming.
4. Ask the Head Master to include the name in the merit list, and hand over the marksheet copy, bonafide certificate, Aadhaar copy and, where the district credits the award directly, a bank passbook copy.
5. Take a dated acknowledgement or ask for the school's dispatch number when the list goes out.
6. Let the Head Master forward the list through the Block Education Officer to the District Social Welfare Officer at the Zilla Parishad. In Mumbai City the list goes to the Assistant Commissioner of Social Welfare.
7. Follow up at the school once sanctions are released to confirm the award has been credited or handed over.

How to check whether the award has been sanctioned

There is no online status tracker for this scheme, because the student is never the applicant of record. Status is checked at two points:

• The Head Master's office, which holds the merit list and the dispatch number for the Block Education Officer. This answers the most common question, which is simply whether the name was sent at all.
• The District Social Welfare Officer at the Zilla Parishad, quoting the school's dispatch number, if the school confirms the list went and nothing has come back for a full academic year.

Why merit scholarship claims fail, and how to fix each one

• Name never entered in the school's merit list. This is the most frequent cause and it is almost always a paperwork gap at the school, not a rejection by the department. Fix it by confirming the caste category in the school register before results are declared.
• Marks at exactly 50 per cent or below. The threshold is more than 50 per cent, and there is no discretion to relax it.
• A third rank rather than first or second. Only two students per class go forward, so a strong student in a strong class can miss out.
• Caste certificate names a general backward class rather than a notified VJNT or SBC community. Get a fresh certificate from the Tehsildar.
• Wrong department's list. An SC student entered under the VJNT and SBC head, or the reverse, is struck off. Match the scheme to the certificate.
• Name or spelling mismatch between the marksheet, the caste certificate and the bank account, which stalls the credit even after sanction.

Where to complain or get help

• Head Master of the school, the first and most effective contact, since the merit list starts and is signed there.
• Block Education Officer of your taluka, who routes the school's list onward.
• District Social Welfare Officer, Zilla Parishad, for sanction and payment grievances; in Mumbai City, the Assistant Commissioner of Social Welfare.
• Other Backward Bahujan Welfare Department, Government of Maharashtra, at obcbahujankalyan.maharashtra.gov.in.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister's helpline, 1800 120 8040, for general state service and certificate grievances, and Aaple Sarkar at aaplesarkar.maharashtra.gov.in for the caste certificate itself.

The award carries no application fee at any stage, and no agent can charge a family for having a child's name added to a school merit list.