The Uttarakhand government today extended scholarship to all minority community students who secure pass marks, removing the earlier criterion of 50 per cent marks for availing the benefits.
All students from the minority community will now get a scholarship, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said, presiding over a review meeting of the Minority Welfare Department here.
Over 1.60 lakh students will benefit from this measure, Bahuguna said, adding Rs 12 crore will be provided to meet the additional expenses.
Earlier, it was mandatory for a minority community student to secure 50 per cent marks to get a scholarship.
The qualifying marks for a scholarship of Rs 15,000 have been reduced from 75 per cent to 60 per cent.
As per another decision taken at the meeting, the annual budget for self-employment of youths belonging to the minority communities has been doubled from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 3 crore.
The state government also decided to provide Rs 4 crore for the modernisation of madrassas.
Describing the welfare of minorities as the first and foremost commitment of his government, Bahuguna said several programmes meant for them will soon be implemented in the state.
