The recognition and upliftment of the backward classes and castes in light of the discrimination that such classes have been through has always been at the core of national policies. The government formulates certain special schemes to uplift and elevate such classes.

The SHREYAS scheme is one such umbrella scheme by the Government of India that seeks to provide educational benefits specifically to students belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and OBC categories.

What Is The SHREYAS Scheme?

The Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers Scheme (SHREYAS) is a cluster name for four sub-schemes that are provided under this head. The motive of the scheme is to provide scholarships for various fields and modes of education to students, specifically those from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC).

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Background

The four schemes included under SHREYAS can be summed up as

• Zero-cost coaching for SCs and OBCs

• Top-rated education for SCs

• National Overseas Scheme for SCs

• National Fellowship for SC Students

These schemes collectively form the SHREYAS scheme and work in the best interests of the students belonging to the SC category.

Benefits Of The SHREYAS Scheme

The SHREYAS scheme has been specially formulated to cater to the needs of SC students who also fall under an economically backward class (EBC). The scheme caters to the financial assistance required by such students in pursuance of their higher education, both in India and abroad. Let us have a glance at its benefits.

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• Free Coaching:

One of the schemes under SHREYAS provides free coaching to financially disadvantaged students from the SC and OBC communities to encourage them to undertake competitive examinations. Such coaching enables them to seek education from good medical, technical, and other reputed institutes.

• Financial Assistance for Meritorious Students:

Meritorious students who clear competitive exams or secure positions in institutes such as IITs, IIMs, NLUs, etc., along with NAAC++ accredited institutes, are provided with a tuition fee waiver and academic assistance throughout their course. The family income ceiling is set at Rs. 8 lakh per annum for this purpose.

The rates of fellowship are:

Sl.No	Head	Rates Applicable - JRF	Rates Applicable - SRF
1.	Fellowship in all streams.	Rs. 31,000/- p.m. for initial two years	Rs. 35,000/- p.m. for remaining tenure
2.	Contingency for Humanities & Social Sciences	Rs.10,000/- p.a. for initial two years	Rs.20,500/- p.a. for remaining tenure
3.	Contingency for Sciences, Engineering & Technology.	Rs. 12,000/- p.a. for initial two years	Rs. 25,000/- p.a. for remaining tenure.

• Financial Assistance for Overseas Education:

Students from the SC background aged 35 or younger are eligible to secure financial assistance from the government in case they secure admission to the top 500 QS-ranking foreign institutes or universities. All the expenses, such as travel fares, tuition fees, and others, are covered under this scheme.

• National Fellowships:

This scheme is enforced by the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Division to provide fellowships to students who qualify the National Eligibility Test-Junior Research Fellowship (NET-JRF) of UGC and Junior Research Fellows for Science stream qualifying UGC-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (UGC-CSIR) Joint Test to pursue such fellowships from Indian Universities and Institutes recognised by the Universities Grants Commissions.

What Is The Eligibility Criteria For The SHREYAS Scheme?

The eligibility criteria for SHREYAS scheme is:

• The students should have secured admission in the approved courses at Masters, M.Phil or Ph.D levels abroad for the courses listed at Para- M.

• He/She should have availed loan from a scheduled bank under the Education Loan Scheme of the Indian Banks Association (IBA) for the purpose.

• For OBC candidates, total income from all sources of the employed candidate or his/her parents/guardians in case of unemployed candidate shall not exceed present Creamy Layer criteria.

• For EBC candidates, total income from all sources of the employed candidate or his/her parents/guardians in case of unemployed candidate shall not exceed Rs.5.00 lakh per annum.

Which Documents Are Required To Apply For SHREYAS Scheme?

The following documents are required to apply under SHREYAS scheme:

• Aadhar Card

• PAN Card

• Passport

• Voter’s ID Card

• Bank Details

• Marksheets from educational institutions

• Caste certificate

• Income certificate

How To Apply For SHREYAS Scheme?

The procedure to apply for the SHREYAS scheme has been given below:

Step 1: Visit the National Scholarships Portal.

Step 2: Register on the portal by providing the required details if you are a new user.

Step 3: Use your credentials to log in to the portal.

Step 4: Complete the application form with accurate information and upload the necessary documents.

Step 5: Review your application and submit it online.

Conclusion

The government needs to implement such schemes to bridge the opportunity gap that exists between sections of society due to discrimination. Hence, the SHREYAS scheme acts as an active policy measure for fulfilling such gaps and maintaining social order.

Specific details on these schemes are available here.

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