PMSSS Scholarship | AICTE to release Rs 20,000 maintenance grants to students enrolled
Srinagar, Dec 18: The All India Council for Technical Education ( AICTE) Friday decided to release the maintenance grants of students enrolled under Prime Minister's Special Scholarship Scheme ( PMSSS) in different colleges outside J&K. The move comes in the wake of the outrage of J& K students against the AICTE for curtailing the maintenance grants to the students for COVID19 lockdown period, citing closure of the colleges.
An official said that the AICTE would release the installment of Rs 20,000 as maintenance allowance under PMSSS for the students of J& K and Ladakh.
“ After the students made a hue and cry that their maintenance grant was not released, the administration took up the matter with AICTE and convinced them to release the grants.
The decision will help the students complete their online studies,” the official said. He said the scholarship would be released to all the students pursuing classes in odd semester ( July- December 2020).
Under the scheme, the students are entitled to Rs 50,000 maintenance grants per semester. However, the AICTE had decided to curtail the grants for students saying that the students did not attend the colleges physically.
“ But now AICTE has agreed to release Rs 20,000 and the remaining grants will be released after the students join their colleges physically,” the official said.
Earlier, the J& K students enrolled in various colleges outside J& K PMSSS were up in arms against AICTE for curtailing their maintenance grants. Greater Kashmir received distressed calls and emails from scores of students who complained that they submitted their results and application through their college offices in August- September for continuation of the scholarship.
“ But the AICTE did not process the release of maintenance grants. The online student portal shows he amount has been submitted and approved by AICTE for the odd semester but so far, it has not been disbursed among the students,” the students said. They said the AICTE processes the college fee with regular updates on the portal but decided to curtail the maintenance grants of the students.
“ It is a welcome step that AICTE has decided to release Rs 20,000 as of now, but the left out amount should also be released keeping in view our expenses on studies,” the students said. The distressed students said that they had not vacated their college hostels, private hostels or rented accommodations.
“ Due to COVID19 lockdown, scores of students could not vacate the rented accommodation or hostels.
All students didn’t get accommodation in college hostels and are paying rent out of their own pockets,” the students said.
