SCAM ALERT: 53% of fake beneficiaries received the benefit of the minority scholarship scheme

According to the internal enquiry conducted by The Ministry of Minority Affairs, 53% of the beneficiaries of the minority scholarship scheme are fake. The government has lost Rs 144.83 crore because of this scam. 

The scam was found through the Minority Affairs Ministry, which launched an investigation after receiving lawsuits from numerous institutions. The research determined that many institutions had enrolled false students in the scheme through false documents. These students did not exist or did not meet the eligibility standards for the scholarship. 

The Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani, has ordered a CBI inquiry into the scam. The CBI has registered a case and is investigating. This scam is a primary blow to the Minority Scholarship Scheme, that’s designed to help underprivileged college students from minority communities pursue higher training. The fraud has also raised questions about the accountability of the institutions concerned within the scheme. The CBI investigation is anticipated to shed extra light on the scam and produce the culprits to justice.

In addition to the CBI inquiry, the Minority Affairs Ministry has also taken steps to save such scams from occurring in the future. The ministry has tightened the eligibility criteria for the scholarship scheme and has also delivered a device for random verification of beneficiaries. The scam is a reminder of the want for vigilance in implementing government schemes. 

The ministry’s scholarship program was launched in the academic session 2007 – 08 which included 1,80,000 institutions. The scholarship scheme aims to provide benefits to students studying in Grade 1 through higher education. These 1,80,000 institutions did not actually exist or function, a number of audited organizations, somehow registered on both the National Scholarship Portal and the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE).

Highlights of the Report

In Chhattisgarh, all 62 institutions inspected were either fake or non-functional. In Rajasthan, out of 128 institutions inspected, 99 were fake or non-functional. Assam was quite shocking when 68% of its institutions were fake. About 64% of institutions in Karnataka were found to be fake. In Uttar Pradesh, 44% of institutions were fake. Similarly, 39% of institutions in West Bengal were fake.

The following are a few reasons why the scam took place: 

• Lack of oversight: The Minority Scholarship Scheme isn’t always adequately monitored by the authorities. This has allowed individuals to make the most of the schemes for their personal advantage. 
• Corruption: There is a lot of corruption inside the government departments that are liable for implementing the scheme. This has made it smooth for officials to accept bribes and approve fake institutions and beneficiaries. 
• Lack of transparency: The method of applying for and receiving a scholarship under the Minority Scholarship Scheme isn’t transparent. This has made it difficult to detect fraud. 

The following are a number of measures that may be taken to prevent such scams in the future: 

• Increased oversight: The authorities must grow oversight of the schemes launched by the government. This may be accomplished by appointing auditors and investigators to keep an eye on the schemes. 
• Zero tolerance for corruption: The government should have zero tolerance for corruption. Any official discovered to be involved in corruption should be punished strictly. 
• Increased transparency: The process of applying for and receiving a scholarship under any scheme need to be made extra transparent. This can be carried out by making the eligibility and selection standards available to the general public.

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