KARACHI, Nov 23: The Sindh education department is unable to start the process for distribution of Rs10 million merit-cum-poverty scholarships among 400 students, who passed their Intermediate examinations and want to continue higher education, said official sources.
The sources attribute the delay to a “misunderstanding” between the education and finance departments.
Sources in the education department said the government had allocated the scholarship amount, in addition to its other financial assistance schemes, for students of the province, for the current year, for distribution among students belonging to four educational boards of the province through its Bureau of Curriculum and Extension Wing.
However, considerable time had elapsed since the announcement of Intermediate examination results, and students had finalized their admissions to higher classes, but the fund was still to be released by the Sindh finance department, the sources added.
It was learnt that the finance department was disputing the claim of the education department that any separate amount for the purpose had been allocated in the budget. The finance department is of the view that a cash award scheme was included in a consolidated merit award and stipend programme of the government, which were supposed to be disbursed through the district governments.
When contacted an official concerned of the education department said they had correspondence on the issue, from time to time, with the finance department, but to no avail. The finance department maintained that there was no approval or directives from the higher authorities on the subject, so it was not in a position to release the required fund, the official said.
Under the merit scholarship scheme, effected during the year 2001-2002, as many as 666 students of SSC the and HSC annual examinations were selected for the cash awards, which amounted to Rs9.99m. The Bureau of Curriculum and Extension Wing had been made responsible for distribution of the cash awards money, which were instituted for the first time in the province.
As per revised policy of the government, now the SSC students have been dropped from the category. Last year all deserving students were given Rs15,000 each, and for the new year it has already been decided that Rs25,000 would be given to every deserving student.
The government wanted to support meritorious students desirous to continue higher education who secured good marks in Intermediate examinations. The ratio of boys and girls would be 50:50, but they would be selected for scholarship on the basis of weightage, which would be determined on the basis of the marks that the students obtained and the economic condition of their parents, said the official.
The Bureau would hand over the scholarship amount to students only after confirmation from medical, engineering, or other professional institutions as well as universities where they are enrolled for higher education.
Under the head of poverty, it was required that the annual income of a parent should not exceed Rs100,00 or the parent should not be a government servant above grade 16, and three of his children were already enrolled in government educational institutions, said a source while giving details of the scholarship criteria.
Candidates having secured marks less than 60 per cent marks would not be eligible to apply for the scholarship. Students were also required to clear the examinations in the first attempt.
The facultywise distribution of scholarships, both for boys and girls, are as follows: Pre-engineering group-25, Pre-medical group-25, Commerce or Home Economics, Humanities and General Science groups-50.
The criteria for determination of recipients would be : A. Merit weightage (marks secured in HSC examinations) - 80 per cent.
B. Poverty weightage-20 pc, which would be further calculated as follows: annual income of parents between Rs100,000 to Rs79,000 4 marks; annual income of parents between Rs80,000 to Rs49,000-6 marks; annual income of parents between Rs50,000 to Rs29,000-8 marks and annual income below Rs30,000-10 marks.
The applicants studied in any educational institution of rural/ slum areas of Karachi and all the rural areas, except district headquarters (for the rest of Sindh)-5 marks, and more than three sisters/brothers studying in a government institution-5 marks.
A senior official of the department said fresh talks had been initiated between the education and finance departments, and it was likely that the difference of opinion would be sorted out soon. However, students would be informed and applications would be invited for scholarship through advertisements in national dailies, the official said, adding the whole process of scholarship award could take at least three months.
