IndiaPosted at: Oct 15 2026 9:31PM


PAC flags scholarship delays of up to 89 months for SC students, warns of action against six states

New Delhi, Oct 15 (UNI) The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has flagged prolonged delays in disbursing pre-matric and post-matric scholarships to Scheduled Caste (SC) students, with beneficiaries waiting for as long as 48 months for pre-matric dues and 89 months for post-matric payments, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, who also chairs the committee, said on Thursday.
In a statement, Venugopal said the audit had also uncovered instances in which income and caste eligibility criteria remained unverified, while payments were made to non-SC beneficiaries, even as eligible students continued to wait for their scholarships.
The committee examined the implementation of the schemes at its meeting and expressed concern over deficiencies in delivering financial assistance intended to help SC students pursue their education.
Venugopal said the Chief Secretaries of six poorly performing states had been summoned to appear before the committee and give oral evidence, but none attended.
“The Committee has taken serious note of this as contempt and will bring it to the notice of the Hon’ble Speaker for action under the privilege rules,” he said.
Emphasising the consequences of delayed payments for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, Venugopal said, “For a Dalit child, a scholarship decides whether the classroom stays within reach.”
He asserted that the PAC considered the delivery of social justice a constitutional obligation and would hold the concerned state governments and ministries accountable until every eligible student received the amount due to them.
The findings have raised fresh concerns over the monitoring and implementation of scholarship schemes designed to reduce financial barriers to education and prevent students from marginalised communities from being forced to discontinue their studies.
The prolonged delays, lapses in verifying beneficiaries’ eligibility and alleged payments to ineligible recipients have also highlighted questions about administrative accountability and safeguards to ensure that public funds reach their intended beneficiaries.
UNI SKA RN
Tags: #PAC flags scholarship delays of up to 89 months for SC students# warns of action against six states
More News

Rahul Gandhi must clarify whether he agrees with Bora’s statement that youth protest movement is inspired by Bangladesh’s 2024 agitation: Malhotra

15 Oct 2026 | 9:49 PM

New Delhi, Oct 15 (UNI) Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra has asked Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to immediately clarify whether he agrees with the statement of his new associate Neha Bora that the youth protest movement here is inspired by the 2024 movement in Bangladesh that led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. .

see more..

SC asks Centre if Jantar Mantar was de-notified as protest venue after its October 9 order

15 Oct 2026 | 9:41 PM

Parmod Kumar

New Delhi, Oct 15 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the Central government’s response on a petition challenging the de-notification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue and asked whether the decision was taken in the wake of its October 9 order.

see more..

PAC flags scholarship delays of up to 89 months for SC students, warns of action against six states

15 Oct 2026 | 9:31 PM

New Delhi, Oct 15 (UNI) The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has flagged prolonged delays in disbursing pre-matric and post-matric scholarships to Scheduled Caste (SC) students, with beneficiaries waiting for as long as 48 months for pre-matric dues and 89 months for post-matric payments, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, who also chairs the committee, said on Thursday.

see more..

“Nobody can browbeat the judiciary”: SC notices Congress, Rahul Gandhi on plea over court march, posts against CJI; holds back contempt action

15 Oct 2026 | 9:14 PM

New Delhi, Oct. 15 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the Congress, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders on a petition questioning the October 12 march to the court and social media posts targeting Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, but declined for now to issue notice on the prayer seeking criminal contempt proceedings.

see more..

Rahul Gandhi urges President to reconsider Dushyant Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim Governor

15 Oct 2026 | 7:47 PM

New Delhi, Oct 15 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has urged President Droupadi Murmu to ask the government to reconsider Dushyant Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim Governor until the investigation into the 2022 murder of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand is completed, raising concerns over the unresolved identity of the alleged VIP linked to the case.

see more..