5 lakh SC, ST students deprived of scholarships to get them before Diwali: Adityanath
Economic progress of any nation or state begins with education, and it is the government’s responsibility to provide students with better educational opportunities: CM
LUCKNOW Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday emphasised that the economic progress of any nation or state begins with education, and it is the government’s responsibility to provide students with better educational opportunities. He announced that the state government has arranged funds to disburse scholarships to nearly five lakh students from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who were previously left out due to institutions failing to upload their data on time.
“All students deprived of scholarships will have the funds sent to their accounts before Diwali. Furthermore, accountability will be fixed for those whose actions prevented students from receiving the scholarship so that such errors do not occur in the future,” he said during a scholarship distribution ceremony organised at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan here.
“Nearly 500,000 students from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were unable to receive scholarships due to institutions failing to upload data on time, which resulted in their records being locked. Funds have been arranged to ensure these students receive their scholarships before Diwali,” added Adityanath, who distributed scholarships to several students.
The CM recalled that before 2017, scholarships were distributed but never reached students’ accounts. “Payments meant for September–October were delayed until March–April and were often subject to discrimination. In fact, in 2016, ST students were denied scholarships altogether,” he said.
Adityanath said after his government came to power in 2017, it addressed these past failures. “When our government came in 2017, we gave scholarships for 2016-17 and 2017-18 to every single child in the state,” he said.
Highlighting the government’s achievements, the CM said the social welfare department is currently providing scholarships to four lakh students from SCs/STs and the general category in grades 9 to 12. In the first phase, 1.12 lakh students have already received assistance. Additionally, over 2.5 lakh students from the Backward Classes welfare department and 25,000 students from the minority welfare department are benefiting from this scheme.
Between 2017–18 and 2024–25, a total of ₹9,150 crore has been transferred via DBT to 1.23 crore students belonging to the SCs/STs. Similarly, ₹5,945 crore was disbursed to 5.89 lakh students from the general category during the same period.
Addressing the students, the CM urged them to prepare for future leadership and resist divisive forces. “The leadership of the coming generation is in your hands; be mentally prepared for it now. You have to think now about what kind of India we want. Remember, divisive forces had enslaved the country,” he advised.
The CM appealed to all institutions to upload the data of remaining students so that they can receive their scholarship benefits before Diwali.
“India has enshrined the Right to Education as a fundamental right, making schooling mandatory for every child under the RTE Act. To strengthen this vision, numerous schemes have been launched, and the National Education Policy has been framed to ensure that every student receives free education up to graduation level,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has implemented the ‘One Nation, One Scholarship’ programme, ensuring that every eligible student receives scholarship benefits.
Highlighting the government’s efforts, the CM informed that scholarships worth ₹2,825 crore have been distributed in 2025–26 alone to students from disadvantaged groups. From 2017 to 2025, more than 2 crore students have benefited from scholarship schemes. Between 2017–18 and 2024–25, over ₹13,535 crore has been distributed to 27,53,457 students belonging to backward classes, reflecting the government’s strong commitment to connecting every child with educational opportunities.
He further highlighted: “In 2016–17, the budget for computer training for backwards classes was ₹11 crore, and our govt increased it to ₹35 crore, alongside dedicated funding for hostel grants.”
Kasturba Gandhi Vidyalayas, which earlier functioned only up to Class 8, have now been upgraded to Class 12, with provisions for girls from the SCs, STs and Backward classes, said the CM.
He also said that anganwadi centers are being strengthened, where children aged 3 to 6 years are linked with the Nutrition Mission while ashram-style schools are being established to provide quality education to children from SCs, STs.
