Uttarakhand CM Cracks Down on Scholarship Fraud: SIT to Probe

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced strict measures against irregularities in state scholarship programs. A Special Investigation Team will examine fraudulent activity involving fake documents, implicating 92 institutions. Preliminary findings confirm embezzlement in 17 institutions, including madrasas and Sanskrit schools, prompting thorough investigations across districts.

In a decisive move to uphold the integrity of welfare programs, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has pledged zero tolerance towards any irregularities in state-run scholarship schemes. Recognizing the gravity of ongoing fraud cases on the National Scholarship Portal, CM Dhami has ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged embezzlement activities involving fake documentation.

Preliminary investigations have unravelled that some educational institutions, including madrasas and Sanskrit schools, unlawfully claimed minority scholarships using fraudulent documents. According to central government data from the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic sessions, 92 institutions are under suspicion, with confirmed scholarship embezzlement cases against 17 of them, as revealed by the initial findings. Instances of counterfeit student identity cards and residency documents have also surfaced within these institutions.

The SIT will deepen its investigation into the activities of institutions such as Saraswati Shishu Mandir High School in Udham Singh Nagar and Vasukedaar Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya in Rudraprayag. Institutions across Nainital, Haridwar and other districts are also under scrutiny. The probe will assess the complicity of involved officials and focus on seven critical points, including the identification of fraudulent cases and the filing of FIRs against culpable entities, as instructed by the central government.

(With inputs from agencies.)