- By Sarju Saran Tiwari
- Mon, 14 Apr 2025 04:00 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
SC OBC Scholarships Haryana: In the heart of Gurugram, amidst the bustling celebration of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule's birth anniversary, a remarkable announcement echoed through the gathering. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, with conviction in his voice, declared a groundbreaking scholarship program that would change thousands of lives.
Saini said that the state government has increased the income limit of creamy layer for backward classes from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh per annum and has given reservation to backward class-B in Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies. Apart from this, children of backward class families with annual income up to Rs 3 lakh are being given loans up to Rs 15 lakh for studies in the country and up to Rs 20 lakh for studies abroad at 4 percent annual interest.
The announcement came as a ray of hope for countless Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) families who had long struggled to support their children's higher education dreams.
Nineteen-year-old Rajan Kumar, son of a daily wage laborer from Rohtak, had nearly abandoned his aspiration to become a doctor. Despite scoring impressively in the medical entrance exam, the financial burden of medical education loomed large over his family. The news of full scholarships for SC and OBC students studying in government medical and engineering colleges reached him like a divine intervention. His father, Mahesh, wiped tears of joy as he heard about the scheme on the local radio. "This government has given wings to my son's dreams," he said, his voice choked with emotion.
Transforming Lives Through Education:
The ripple effect of CM Saini's announcement was felt across Haryana. In Karnal, Priya Saini had deferred her engineering admission twice due to financial constraints. Her mother, a single parent working as a school attendant, had been contemplating selling their modest family home to fund Priya's education.
"Education is the greatest equalizer," remarked Professor Ramesh Chand, a social activist working with first-generation learners in Haryana. "What CM Saini has done by raising the income limit for the creamy layer and offering these scholarships is revolutionary. It acknowledges that talent isn't limited to economic privilege."
The establishment of a dedicated online portal for the scholarship scheme promises to streamline applications and reduce bureaucratic hurdles. Educational institutions across India are witnessing increased inquiries from Haryana's SC and OBC students, signaling a demographic shift in professional courses that have traditionally seen underrepresentation from marginalized communities.
As Vaisakhi celebrations continued across the state, the Chief Minister's tribute to Mahatma Phule seemed particularly poignant. Phule's vision of education as empowerment was being realized in modern Haryana, one scholarship at a time.