CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to restore the scholarships for Class 1-8 students from minority communities.
Stalin mentioned that a letter from the Ministry of Minority Affairs dated November 29, 2022 stated as per the Right to Education Act, 2009, the government must provide free and compulsory elementary (Classes 1-8) education to every child and only students in Classes 9 and 10 will be eligible for pre-matric scholarship scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. He said this will affect all scholarships for students in Classes 1-8.
“Under this scheme, Rs 86.76 crore was sanctioned to 4,49,559 students from Tamil Nadu in 2021-22. Since the Centre withdrew the scholarship, nearly five lakh poor students from minority communities in Classes 1-8 in Tamil Nadu will be adversely affected,” the CM said.
He added the scholarship must be continued as education is the most effective tool to empower the poor and help them lead dignified lives. “Multiple surveys over the years have demonstrated that minorities, especially Muslims, are lagging in education.
This scholarship helps underprivileged, and marginalised students, including girls, to access quality education, and therefore, must be continued,” he pointed out.
Stalin also requested Modi restore the pre-matric scholarship scheme.