Akbaruddin Owaisi, during a short discussion on the issue of fee-reimbursement and scholarships, he said the government had already issued orders to this effect.

By | Published: 11:52 pm

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday reiterated in the State Assembly that minority students would be treated on par with the SC and ST students for sanction of scholarships and provision of other facilities.

Replying to MIM floor leader, Akbaruddin Owaisi, during a short discussion on the issue of fee-reimbursement and scholarships, he said the government had already issued orders to this effect.

There is staff shortage in the minority institutions and moves were afoot for filling 85 posts. It was discussed in the Cabinet meeting also.To meet the staff crunch immediately the services of some 75 additional members were drafted on deputation basis.

He also assured Owaisi that the separate software sought for the operations of the minority institutions would be provided soon. The Secretary concerned in charge of the minority affairs would be asked to consider the request .

Earlier, Owaisi pointed out that only the BC- E minority students are being treated on par with the SCs and STs. Despite the assurance given by the government, why the government was not considering all the minority students on par with the SCs and STs, he questioned.

He said the number of institutions offering professional courses including the engineering colleges, MBA and MCA colleges was coming down in the State. So is the case with the number of junior colleges and schools.

Despite the raise in the income ceiling for scholarships, there is a drop in the number of students from weaker sections such as SCs, STs and EBCs. It will be fine, if the closure of the engineering colleges was due to their failure to step up their standards desired by the task force set up by the government .

But the cause of the closure of other institutions has to be addressed. Post matric scholarships for minority students was in vogue since 1997-98 and the assurance given by the government for treating all the minority students on a par with the SCs and STs for sanction of scholarships was not being implemented.