Centre to bear full coaching costs for competitive exams for SC, OBC students

The entire expenditure incurred by Dalit and backward class students on coaching for competitive examinations will now be borne by the Union government, according to the revised Scheme of Free Coaching for SC and OBC Students which has removed the cap of Rs 20,000.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has revised the Central sector scheme under which it will also empanel reputed coaching institutes to provide good quality coaching to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates.

"The central sector scheme of Free Coaching for SC and OBC students has been revised in order to provide good quality coaching to SC and OBC candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations and succeed in obtaining appropriate jobs in public or private sector.

"Earlier, the maximum ceiling of coaching fee paid to institution per candidate was Rs 20,000. Now we will fund the entire expenditure on coaching," said a senior official from the Ministry.

Under the earlier procedure, Ministry would invite applications from institutions which offer coaching for competitive exams. The proposals were then considered by a committee, which would screen and shortlist them.

"Under the revised provisions, Centre would ask states and UTs to furnish proposals of at least 5 and not more than 10 coaching institutes with proven track record of success. The proposals for empanelment of coaching institutions will be considered by a Selection Committee and recommended for selection based on their past record of performance.

"Reputed institutions having branches in more than one district in a state will be given preference over stand-alone institutions," the official said.