BARIPADA: Hundreds of tribal students on Wednesday staged protest in front of the Mayurbhanj collector’s office here on Wednesday demanding immediate disbursement of post-matric scholarship (PMS) for the academic year 2024-25.
The agitators alleged that a significant number of eligible students are yet to receive the scholarship which is crucial for covering tuition fees, hostel expenses, and other academic costs.
They said students from economically-weaker background are unable to pay the tuition, hostel accommodation and examination fees. This has resulted in schools withholding admit cards of many students, restricting their access to classes, and delay in academic results.
Terming their protest as peaceful and apolitical, the students appealed to the district administration to act urgently and ensure timely disbursal of the scholarship amount.
Later in the day, the agitating students met Mayurbhanj collector Hemakanta Say and urged him to resolve the issue at the earliest. The collector reportedly assured them that the matter would be addressed within three days, following which they called off the protest.