Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday released the first instalment of a scholarship programme for 96,812 students for the 2025-26 academic year.
An amount of Rs 93.7 crore, equivalent to 40 per cent of the outlay of the Umbrella Post-Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Tribe students, was released through direct benefit transfer (DBT) and will be credited to the beneficiaries' bank accounts, officials said.
The total estimated expenditure for the scholarship this academic year is Rs 198.42 crore. The Centre has given its share of Rs 84.55 crore, while the state government has sanctioned Rs 9.4 crore as its 10 per cent contribution, they said.
Addressing a gathering at a programme in Shillong College in the presence of Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, Sangma said the scholarship would help students meet tuition fees, hostel expenses, cost of books and other educational materials.
He said the delay in releasing the scholarship amount this year was due to the introduction of a new Single Nodal Agency system by the Centre for real-time fund transfers.
Under the new system, funds are transferred directly by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to beneficiaries after verification and completion of the required formalities by the state, rather than being routed through the ministry and the state government.
The chief minister said the process of crediting the scholarship amounts to students' bank accounts could take four to five working days.
He said the Education Department has been directed to continuously monitor failed transactions arising from incorrect bank details, Aadhaar-seeding issues or other mismatches and ensure that eligible students receive their scholarships.
Sangma said the release of the scholarship amount was part of wider reforms aimed at addressing long-standing issues in the education sector.
Addressing the students, he said the ability to take responsibility and get things done would remain an important quality even as technology changes jobs and skills.
"Let's be positive. Let's not be the problem; let's be part of the solution, at home, in our community, college, state and country," he said.
The chief minister also said that the National Scholarship Portal for the 2026-27 academic year has opened on July 3 and would remain operational till November 30 for pre- and post-matric scholarships for ST students.
He said officials had been instructed to begin verification and sanctioning early to avoid delays.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.