Pune: Delay in disbursement of scholarship by the Post Matric scholarship of Maharashtra Direct Beneficiary Transfer (MAHA DBT) for post matric scholarship for OBC students leads to frustration among students. The delay has severely affected their ability to pay academic fees on time, adding financial and emotional pressure.
Speaking to the Free Press Journal, Vishal Kantela, a BSc nursing student, said, “I am in the final year; however, the scholarship of last year (2024-2025) has not been transferred by the dedicated department. The year is about to end. I belong to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community. The delay of the scholar shop leads to frustration among students and disrupts our studies. Our family is below the poverty level.”
The issue is not limited to a single category. Ganesh Bahir, an Open Category student, said, “The scholarship comes under the Punjabrao Deshmukh Hostel Maintenance Allowance, has been pending since 2023. Now it has been more than 2 years, but we still have not received the scholarship.”
“Around Rs 60,000 is pending. We have given the complaint to the Social Welfare Department officer who had assured us that we would get the amount on time. But we have not received it yet. Like us, some students are suffering from mismanagement by the department,” Bahir added.
Aniket Surwase, a final year student in Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, highlighted, “The department has released the first instalment, but the second instalment is due for the last 2 months, which was about the amount received in September. The instalment of the third year has not been transferred, leading to difficulty in paying the final year's fee.”
Another student, Priya Jadhav, highlighted, We depend completely on these scholarships. The uncertainty every year affects our planning, mental health, and ability to continue education smoothly.
Responding to the issue, Prasad Khondapure, an officer from Social Welfare department, speaking to Free Press Journal, said, "The process has been initiated and grant has been disbursed, and the billing of the remaining colleges has been forwarded to further process. Soon, the students will get their scholarship."
