UP government disburses Scholarships to 5 lakh students

In a major initiative aimed at student welfare, the Uttar Pradesh government has distributed scholarships to nearly five lakh students ahead of the usual timeline. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath personally released the scholarships during a ceremony, signaling a significant shift in the state’s scholarship distribution policy.

Addressing the event, CM Yogi emphasized that economic progress begins with education and it is the government’s duty to ensure students have access to quality learning opportunities. He noted that nearly 5 lakh students from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes had previously been unable to receive scholarships due to delayed institutional data uploads, locking their records.

Advertisement

The Chief Minister assured that funds have been arranged to transfer scholarships directly to the students’ bank accounts before Diwali and urged all institutions to update pending data for those previously deprived of benefits.

Recalling past challenges, CM Yogi highlighted that before 2017, scholarship payments were often delayed or denied, particularly for Scheduled Tribe students. Since assuming office, his government has ensured that scholarships for all students—including those from 2016–17 and 2017–18—were disbursed efficiently.

Currently, the Social Welfare Department provides scholarships to four lakh students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and the General Category in grades 9 to 12. The first phase has already assisted 1.12 lakh students. In addition, over 2.5 lakh students from the Backward Classes Welfare Department and 25,000 students from the Minority Welfare Department are benefiting from these schemes.

Between 2017–18 and 2024–25, Rs9,150 crore was transferred via DBT to 1.23 crore SC/ST students, while ₹5,945 crore was disbursed to 5.89 lakh students from the General Category. Scholarship funding has nearly doubled since 2017–18, reaching rs3,124 crore in 2025–26 alone.

CM Yogi urged students to be prepared to lead the next generation and stressed the importance of unity, education, and empowerment. He highlighted that the government is leveraging technology, including AI, to simplify verification processes and ensure seamless DBT transfers, eliminating middlemen and irregularities.
He reminded them that divisive forces had once enslaved the nation, but under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a campaign to build a new India is underway.

At the same time, he cautioned that certain elements are once again attempting to hinder India’s vision of becoming a self-reliant and developed nation by creating divisions in society. He stressed that the collective effort should be to unite, not divide, and to ensure that every child has access to quality education. He said it is the duty of all to connect students, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds, with schools and to continuously work towards strengthening their education.