Mokokchung, 18 November (MTNews): The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) has pressed the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs (Education Section) for the early release of the second and final installment of the centrally sponsored scheme-post matric scholarship (CSS-PMS) for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in Nagaland for the academic year 2022-2023.
In a letter dated Friday, ANCSU President Tenyesinlo Bukh and Assistant General Secretary Kivinoka A Sema addressed the secretary of the ministry, emphasizing the crucial necessity of scholarships to meet the academic requirements of the students.
The student body acknowledged the ministry for disbursing Rs. 36.08 crore as arrears for the academic year 2021-2022 and the first installment (50% of the central share) for the year 2022-2023 on November 16, 2022. This disbursement covered 43,424 beneficiaries and amounted to Rs. 46.85 crore, as per the proposed projection.
Despite this acknowledgment, the ANCSU expressed dismay at what it perceives as the ministry’s consistent neglect of the primary purpose of scholarships. The union accused the ministry of employing delay tactics in sanctioning scholarship funds to Nagaland on an annual basis.
Highlighting that the implementing agency submitted a utilization certificate to the authority on August 31, 2023, the union pointed out that the matter has been in abeyance for more than 70 days.
The ANCSU appealed to the ministry to understand the need for scholarships by the students for their academic requirements and immediately release the pending amount.
It urged the ministry to “address the matter on priority rather than meting out step-motherly treatment to the students of Nagaland year after year.”