Ministry Of Social Justice And Empowerment Strengthens Educational Empowerment Through Scholarships And Digital Reforms

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has implemented targeted interventions through scholarships, residential infrastructure, and digital reforms to support educational access for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Economically Backward Classes (EBCs), and Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs). Central assistance amounting to Rs 4,893.03 crore was released under the Pre-Matric Scholarships Scheme between FY 2014–15 and FY 2025–26, benefiting approximately 299.66 lakh students. Additionally, Rs 46,581.54 crore was released under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC students during the same period, reaching 612.98 lakh beneficiaries. Digital reforms such as Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Aadhaar-based authentication, de-duplication mechanisms, e-KYC, and integration with platforms like DigiLocker, AISHE, UDISE, and PFMS have been introduced to enhance transparency and improve last-mile delivery.