MLA assures them of taking up the issue with CM soon Amritsar, July 13 Students of Khalsa College, belonging to the scheduled caste (SC) community, met Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka regarding issues pertaining to the post-matric scholarship scheme in the city on Saturday. The post-matric scholarship is a Central scheme to provide financial assistance to SC students studying in educational institutions. Students alleged that they were being charged fee by the college despite being covered under the scheme. Many of agitated students are seeking admission to second and third year courses in the college. The students were accompanied by representatives of the Punjab Students’ Union (Lalkaar). Ravinder, a leader of the union, said, “The students hold protest if the college keeps on charging fee from the students concerned.” The group also submitted a memorandum to the leader about the issue. Verka, who also happens to be the vice-chairman of the National SC Commission, assured the students of raising the issue at a meeting scheduled on July 17 with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and others. Khalsa College Principal Mehal Singh said, “We are following the guidelines of the Punjab government and the Supreme Court. The colleges in general are facing acute shortage of funds due to a revised system of post-matric scholarship. Earlier, scholarship funds were transferred to the college account, but nowadays students are directly receiving the funds in their accounts. Often there is a delay in fund disbursement. A student receives money after passing out. We are offering students admissions on concession as offered by the state government. Presently, we have 600 SC students studying our college and all are taking the benefit of the scheme.” Last year, too, there was a delay in release of funds by the government which had troubled the students.

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