CHANDIGARH, Sept 18, 2025: Punjab Cabinet Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Dr. Baljit Kaur on Thursday outlined a series of initiatives aimed at expanding educational opportunities and ensuring transparency in scholarship programs. Speaking at Punjab Bhawan, she said the government has eliminated years of irregularities in the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme and tightened oversight of funds.
“Strict action has been taken against those who misused money in the past. Today, every rupee is being directly used for the education of needy students,” she mentioned.
The minister said 1,76,842 students benefited from the scheme in 2022, and that number has risen to 2,37,456 this year—an increase of 35 percent within three years. During the last five years of the previous government, only 3.71 lakh students received scholarships, compared with 6.78 lakh in the past three years under the current administration. For 2025–26, the department has set a target of 2.70 lakh beneficiaries. Awareness drives in schools and colleges are underway to ensure no eligible student is left behind, she added.
Dr. Kaur also highlighted the Top Class Education scheme, under which scholarships are being provided to OBC, EBC and DNT students from families earning less than ₹2.5 lakh annually. Students studying in 11 premier institutions—including AIIMS Bathinda, IIT Ropar, NIT Jalandhar, IIM Amritsar, NIPER Mohali, IISER Mohali and Thapar College Patiala—are eligible.
On international opportunities, Dr. Kaur announced a new transitional Foreign Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Caste students and children of landless agricultural laborers. The program allows eligible students—below 35 years of age, with at least 60% marks and parental income under ₹8 lakh—to study at the world’s top 500 universities.
“The government will cover the entire cost, including visa, airfare, tuition, maintenance allowance of ₹13.17 lakh annually, emergency allowance of ₹1.35 lakh and medical insurance,” she said. Thirty percent of the slots are reserved for girls, and up to two children per family can benefit, although each student can avail the scheme only once. Applications are open on the NOS portal (https://nosmsje.gov.in) until October 24, 2025.
“This initiative will open new doors for Punjab’s talented youth, and parents will no longer have to mortgage their property to send their children abroad,” Dr. Kaur noted.
She also announced a two-month PCS crash course for SC, BC and minority students at the Ambedkar Institute, Mohali. Applications are open from September 17 to 26, with 40 candidates to be selected through an entrance test on September 30. The institute, upgraded at a cost of ₹1.47 crore with another ₹1.22 crore investment underway, has doubled professor honorariums from ₹750 to ₹1,500 per hour to attract top scholars.
