Agartala, March 2:
Thousands of students belonging to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category in Tripura, majority of them studying outside the state are staring at an uncertain academic future as the centrally sponsored Post-Matric Scholarship for 2024–25 remains largely unpaid, triggering protests in Agartala on Monday.
The scholarship scheme provides monthly stipends, maintenance allowances and tuition fee reimbursements to financially weaker OBC students from Class XI onwards, including those pursuing polytechnic, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in professional and non-professional streams.
Reportedly, out of nearly 27000 eligible OBC beneficiaries in the state, 6000 are yet to received their stipends. The delay has left many unable to pay tuition fees, with several colleges reportedly barring students from attending classes or appearing in semester examinations due to non-payment.
On Monday, aggrieved students and their parents assembled in front of the OBC Welfare Department office at Gorkhabasti in Agartala and submitted a memorandum to the authorities, alleging that they have been given repeated assurances over the past several months but no funds have been credited.
“We have not received the stipend for 2023–24 and 2024–25. For seven to eight months, we have been given date after date. Colleges are not allowing us to sit for examinations. If we do not receive a clear assurance, we will be forced to intensify our protest,” said Subhrajit Ghosh, one of the students.
Parents also narrated similar ordeals. Mani Debnath, whose daughter is pursuing a B.Pharm course in Bengaluru, said the family had relied entirely on the scholarship to support her education.
“Because the scholarship has not been credited since August, my daughter was not allowed to appear in examinations. We are not financially well-off and are struggling to manage,” she said.
Another parent, Racharita Sarkar, alleged that the department had repeatedly cited new deadlines for release of funds, including January and February 28, but the money has still not been credited.
“Colleges had waited for months expecting the dues to be cleared. Now they are warning that students may be dropped,” she said.
Officials of the department declined to speak to the media but reportedly informed the gathering that officers are currently in New Delhi to resolve the issue. They stated that the state government’s 10 per cent share has already been dispatched and that the remaining amount is pending at the central level.
However, the recurring delay has once again raised serious concerns over the implementation of welfare schemes in the state. Such disruptions are not isolated to the OBC Welfare Department alone, earlier similar delays have been noticed in scholarship disbursement under Tribal Welfare and SC Welfare departments.
With students’ academic careers at stake and semester examinations underway, questions are being raised over accountability and coordination between state and central authorities.
As the government frequently highlights digitisation, transparency and the benefits of a “double engine” administration, affected families are demanding to know whether concrete steps will be taken to fix systemic lapses and ensure that scholarship payments do not become an annual crisis.
For now, thousands of students remain in limbo, waiting for funds that could determine whether they continue their education or lose an academic year.
