Kerala Boosts Scholarship Funding for OEC Students by Rs 200 Crore

The Kerala government has announced an additional allocation of Rs 200 crore for post-matric scholarships targeting Other Eligible Communities (OEC) students. This raises the total scholarship allocation to Rs 5,326 crore this year, covering various marginalised groups, with efforts to settle outstanding arrears.

The Kerala government announced on Friday an additional allocation of Rs 200 crore for scholarships to benefit students in the Other Eligible Communities (OEC) category.

This allocation brings the total funds for scholarships to Rs 5,326 crore this year, covering Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and OEC students, as per the office of state Finance Minister K N Balagopal. The latest allocation will aid in settling outstanding arrears under the scholarship scheme.

Finance Minister Balagopal highlighted that a budget of Rs 240 crore was initially approved, with the added Rs 200 crore now enhancing it. This move follows previous efforts where Rs 358 crore was distributed, including overdue funds from earlier years, marking a significant increase from previous administrations.

(With inputs from agencies.)