Karnataka government is planning to spend over Rs 5.6 crore to help 24 poor SC and ST students to study abroad. According to reports, Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya had said that the beneficiary of the scheme includes children of vegetable vendors, mechanics, auto and bus drivers and ex-servicemen.
As per the scheme the Social Welfare department would cover all expenses of the students including course fees, travel and visa charges and book purchases.
“If the department had not come up with a plan to support them, their dream to continue their education in reputed institutions abroad would have remained unfulfilled,” Anjaneya said.
The scheme which was introduced in 2001, so far has funded around 67 SC and 18 ST students with a total spend of about Rs 9.85 crore on their studies.
“Despite measures to publicise the scheme, it had not caught the attention of enough students,” the minister said. Further, he said the department will send more students abroad next year.
Among the 24 candidates selected this year, 17 will study engineering, three MBA, two MBBS and one LLM. For the current year the government received application from 33 candidates, of which 24 were found eligible, the minister said.
