Malick Asghar Hashmi

The Central Government's Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship Scheme has the potential to change lives of young women belonging to religious minorities of India with the government taking care of their expenses and not letting them drop out of school.

Though this scheme is for the girls of six religious denominations including Sikhs, Jains, Parsis Buddhists and Christians – it is in essence targeted at dealing with high dropout rate of Muslim girls.

Earlier known as 'the Maulana Azad National Scholarship for Meritorious Girls in its new version, it envisages financial incentive for female students who excel academically but find their progress hindered by financial constraints.

The scheme was launched in 2003 by the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Under this scheme, beneficieries studying in classes 9 and 10 are entitled to a scholarship of ₹5,000. While those in classes 11 and 12 receive ₹6,000.

This amount is transferred directly into the student's bank account. The scholarship funds may be utilized to pay school or college fees, purchase textbooks, acquire stationery, and cover expenses related to hostel accommodation or living costs.

The student must have secured a minimum of 50 percent marks in the previous academic class. Furthermore, the annual income of her parents or guardians must not exceed ₹200,000. It is mandatory that the income certificate be issued by the relevant competent government authority.

The most significant feature of this scheme is its transparent online process. Applications are accepted exclusively through the National Scholarship Portal. Students are required to submit their applications online

Selection for the scholarship is based on merit and income. State-wise and community-wise quotas have also been established.

This allocation system is determined based on the minority population recorded in the 2011 Census. If a sufficient number of applications are not received from a particular state or community, the remaining scholarships may be awarded to eligible female students from other states.

Experts believe that such schemes have a significant social impact. When a woman advances her education by securing a scholarship, it has a ripple effect on the family and society. This promotes girls' education and reduces the likelihood of girls dropping out of school.

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Over the past few years, interest in higher education has grown among girls from minority communities. Scholarship schemes have played a pivotal role in this trend. There are many female students who have completed their studies with the help of such assistance and subsequently went on to become teachers, doctors, engineers, and administrative officers.