Thiruvananthapuram: The Fraternity Movement's state secretariat has condemned the central government's decision to slash the National Overseas Scholarship provided to students from backward communities, including Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
In a statement, the organisation said the move is unacceptable and warned that if the scholarships are not restored and disbursed immediately, a mass student protest would be organised.
The reduction in funds has reportedly been made under the pretext of an economic crisis, as decided by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister. This year, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has issued provisional scholarship awards to less than 40% of eligible candidates.
The Fraternity Movement’s state secretariat strongly objected to what it described as an unjustified encroachment on the rights of students from backward communities under the pretext of financial constraints.
The organisation stated that such actions cannot be accepted, and warned that the burden of an economic crisis caused by systemic failures should not be unfairly placed on the shoulders of minority and backward community students.
The statement further alleged that the Sangh Parivar's continued hostility toward these communities is clearly reflected in the cuts to scholarship programs. It pointed out that similar reductions had previously been made to the Maulana Azad National Fellowship and the National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste students.
According to the Fraternity Movement, scholarships provided to minority students have seen a significant decline under the Modi-led governments — both in terms of the funds allocated and the number of student beneficiaries. The group cited a stark example: while 1.36 lakh Dalit students had received scholarships in previous years, that number has dropped to 69,000 by 2024.
The meeting was presided over by President Naeem Ghafoor, with Gopu Thonnakkal, Shameem Zakkeer, Sunil Attappadi, Ranjitha Jayaraj, and Sahla E.P. among those who spoke.