Government Restores Overseas Scholarship Cut-off to 60%, Students Await Orders
Maharashtra Restores Overseas Scholarship Criteria The Maharashtra government has decided to revert to the earlier eligibility criteria for overseas education scholarships for students from…
The Maharashtra government has decided to revert to the earlier eligibility criteria for overseas education scholarships for students from marginalized communities. However, with no official written orders issued yet, students are anxious about losing their chance to study abroad due to the delay. Last year, the required cut-off score to qualify for these scholarships was 60 percent in the qualifying degree course.
But in June this year, the state government announced a new cut-off score of 75 percent for scholarships for students from OBC and SC categories. The scholarships cover students from SC, ST, OBC, Maratha, and EWS categories. This sudden change caused widespread concern among many students.
Protests lead to Reversal; Advocacy Group Demands Timely Action
In response to student protests, the state government decided during the recent monsoon session of the Assembly to restore the original cut-off score. Kuldeep Ambekar, from the student organization Students’ Helping Hands, commented, "The decision to revert the eligibility criteria was made during the monsoon session of the legislative Assembly after facing significant opposition.
While this decision is a relief, it remains incomplete without written orders, which are necessary for students to begin the application process." Many students had already received admission offers from universities abroad before the cut-off score change was announced in June.
Uncertainty Lingers as Official Orders Delayed
A student set to join a U.S. university for a master’s in arts shared their frustration, saying, “I was supposed to report to the university in the first week of August. However, this seems unlikely now since, without the written orders reinstating the eligibility criteria, our applications cannot proceed.
I have requested a deferral from the university, but there is still no clarity from the state government on when the process will begin.” While students from SC and OBC categories await official orders, Ambekar noted that the government has also failed to issue advertisements inviting applications from ST and minority students, further delaying the process.
