Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath to provide scholarships to over 4.8 lakh OBC students

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday emphasised the importance of education as a key to nation-building and empowering the youth, quoting Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar.

He was speaking at a program in Lucknow organised to transfer scholarships to students under the Post-Matric and Pre-Matric Scholarship Program.

According to the chief minister's office, Adityanath attended the program to transfer funds worth ₹297.95 crore to 10,28,205 students.

"Until 2016-17, only 4.6 million students in the state were eligible for scholarships, but today, this number has risen to 6.2 million," Adityanath said.

Adityanath stated that the purpose of these scholarships is to encourage students to channel their energy productively for the betterment of society and the nation.

"It is our resolve that we will not allow the future of any student, especially those from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, to be compromised," he added.

He congratulated the students and their parents on receiving this support before Diwali, wishing them a bright future.

"Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar used to repeatedly say that only through education can we lead a life of self-reliance and do something for our country and society," the chief minister said.

Recalling the challenges of Baba Saheb's school days, Adityanath said, "Today, there is no shortage of money. The government has initiated numerous programs to ensure that honest students and deserving people can access government services."

He highlighted the 'Abhyudaya Coaching' initiative, which provides exceptional platforms in every district, noting that the country and state have benefited from such schemes over the past 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guidance.

"250 million people in the country have been given the opportunity to live a normal life after rising above the poverty line, and 60 million people in Uttar Pradesh have been lifted above the poverty line," Adityanath stated.

The chief minister affirmed that this program aims to encourage promising students in the state and remove any hurdles in their education.

"This double engine is a new link in the education-empowerment campaign being run by the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said, pointing out that scholarships were also awarded to a significant number of students during Vijayadashami.

"Earlier, problems like discrimination, delay and corruption were common in the scholarship disbursement process, but due to the implementation of the technology-based DBT system under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the amount is now directly reaching the accounts of eligible students," the chief minister stated.

He announced that scholarships will now be disbursed in two phases (in October and January) instead of once a year, ensuring timely assistance for students. By presenting statistics regarding class-wise scholarships, Adityanath reinforced that "The government's intention is clear, as Prime Minister Modi says, 'transparency is the hallmark of good governance'."

He highlighted the DBT system as a strong example of transparency and assured that no deserving student would be deprived of scholarships. The portal has been reactivated for the students who could not get the scholarship last year due to the negligence of the institutions or errors in the portal.

As soon as the data entry is complete, they will also be given the amount through DBT in a special function, the chief minister said.

Emphasising his government's goal of ensuring that no child in the state is deprived of the right to education, he urged students from Scheduled Castes and Tribes to attend school and cultivate a habit of hard work.

"You have natural talent. If you study diligently, you can realise Baba Saheb's dream," he said. During the program, the chief minister also presented scholarship certificates to a few selected students on stage.