Colleges barred from penalising students over scholarship delays

The Department of Collegiate Education has issued a clear directive to all government first-grade and aided degree colleges: no student shall face adverse action because of delays in scholarship disbursement. The order explicitly bars colleges from debarring students from examinations, expelling them from classes, or evicting them from hostels over unpaid fees linked to pending scholarships.

Commissioner Gopal Krishna H.N. emphasised that the directive aligns with Supreme Court guidelines, which strictly prohibit punitive measures against students for administrative delays. The department has also clarified that marksheets and certificates cannot be withheld for scholarship-related outstanding dues, and warned of consequences for institutions that violate these rules.

The order covers 440 government first-grade colleges and 321 aided colleges across the state, serving over 8,00,000 students. Many of these students depend on scholarships from various sources, including the Social Welfare Department, the Backward Classes Welfare Department, and development boards.

Available schemes include the Sanchi Honnamma Scholarship, Sir C.V. Raman Scholarship, HIV/Leprosy Scholarship, and the National Scholarship Portal's Central Sector Scheme, with amounts ranging from ₹2,000 to approximately ₹23,000. Eligible female students receive full fee coverage from the government, and hostel expenses for many students are borne by relevant departments.

Commissioner Krishna acknowledged that scholarship releases often face delays due to grant availability and departmental financial positions. He noted that ongoing audits in colleges have raised objections regarding non-payment of scholarships, prompting some institutions to pressure students for direct fee payments. The new directive makes it clear that such pressure tactics are unacceptable and that scholarship delays remain an administrative matter, not a student's fault.