Indore News: Tribal Students Protest Over Pending Scholarships, Hostel Allowances

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Members of Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS) students wing staged a protest at the collectorate on Tuesday, alleging severe irregularities in scholarship distribution, hostel allowances, and other educational welfare schemes for tribal and SC-ST students.

A large number of students marched from Tantya Bhil (Bhanwarkuan) Square to the collectorate, where they staged a sit-in, raising slogans against government’s alleged neglect of marginalised students.

JAYS district president Pawan Ahirwal said that scholarships for SC-ST students from 2022 to 2025 have not been released, leaving thousands unable to pay their college fees. “Private colleges are exploiting the situation and denying students permission to appear for exams,” he claimed.

He further pointed out that the stationery allowance and stipends for differently-abled students have also been discontinued, while funds from the Tribal Welfare Department are allegedly being diverted to other departments.

Responding to the protest, tehsildar Balbir Singh Rajput said the administration has been informed that the delay in scholarship disbursement has led to students being barred from exams. “We will ensure that no student is denied the right to appear for exams. The matter will be taken up with university authorities and college deans for immediate resolution,” he assured.

Students at the protest shared their struggles. Laxmi Chauhan, a student participant, said, “We haven’t received any scholarship for three years. Colleges keep pressuring us for fees and those who can’t pay are not allowed to sit in exams.”

Another student, Ranga Prasad Maurya, added, “Our parents are daily wage laborers. Without scholarships, it’s nearly impossible for us to afford food, housing, and education in Indore.”

Students’ Key Demands:

--Release of pending scholarship funds for 2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25 academic years.

--Resumption of Hostel Allowance process on the MPTASK portal, inactive for the past three years.

--Restoration of stipends for differently-abled students.

--Reinstatement of the Stationery Scheme for government college students.

--Action against private colleges imposing illegal fees and denying exam access to scholarship beneficiaries.