BERHAMPUR: Alleging inordinate delay in disbursement of their scholarship money, hundreds of tribal students from various colleges across Gajapati staged demonstration in front of the district collector’s office at Paralakhemundi on Thursday.

The agitating students alleged that their scholarship money has not been released for more than a year. “In absence of the financial assistance, our education has been severely affected. We demand immediate disbursement of the pending scholarship money,” said the students who trekked nearly 100 km from different parts of the district to reach the collectorate.

Under the government scholarship scheme, tribal students receive annual financial assistance directly in their bank accounts to support their studies and meet academic expenses. However, the students alleged that their scholarship applications were rejected earlier this year for unspecified reasons, resulting in the non-disbursement of the assistance.

They claimed that the delay occurred due to a lack of coordination between college authorities and the government department concerned, along with implementation of a new policy related to the scholarship system. Despite raising the issue with the authorities concerned several times, no solution has been provided so far, they alleged.

During the protest, the students warned that if the government fails to resolve the issue soon and release the pending scholarship money, they will intensify their agitation in the coming days.

No official was available to comment on the matter.