Why in news? The Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers Scheme (SHREYAS) initiative plays a vital role in India’s commitment to empowering students from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) by granting them access to high-quality education opportunities.

Highlights:

• The umbrella scheme of “SHREYAS” comprises 4 central sector sub-schemes namely “Top Class Education for SCs”, “Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs”, “National Overseas Scheme for SCs” and “National Fellowship for SCs”

Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs:

• It provide coaching of good quality for economically disadvantaged Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) candidates to enable them appear in competitive and entrance examinations
• Family income : 8 lakhs per annum.
• Ratio of SC: OBC students is 70:30 and 30% slots are reserved for females in each category.

Top Class Education for SCs:

• The Scheme aims at recognizing and promoting quality education amongst students belonging to SCs, by providing full financial support.
• It will cover SC students for pursuing studies beyond 12th class.
• The scholarship, once awarded, will continue till the completion of the course, subject to satisfactory performance of the student.
• Family income : 8 lakhs per annum.
• Institute covered : Government institutes and private institutes such as all the IIMs, IITs, NITs, IIITs, AIIMS, NIFTs, NIDs, NLUs, IHMs, CUs and institutes of national importance, NAAC A++ accredited institutes and top 100 National Institutional ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking institutes.

National Overseas Scheme for SCs:

• Financial assistance is provided to the selected students from SCs, De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, landless agricultural labourers and traditional artisan categories, for pursuing masters and Ph.D. level courses abroad.
• Total tuition fee, maintenance and contingency allowance, visa fee, to and fro air passage etc. are provided to the awardees.
• Family income : 8 lakhs per annum.
• Eligibility: Students more than 60% marks in the qualifying examination, below 35 years of age and secured admission in top 500 QS ranking foreign Institutes/ Universities.

National Fellowship for SC Students:

• Under the scheme fellowship is provided to Scheduled Castes students for pursuing higher education leading to M.Phil/ Ph.D degrees in Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences in Indian Universities/Institutions/ Colleges recognized by University Grants Commission (UGC).