Cong MLA accuses govt of deliberately weakening scholarship scheme

Congress's Adarsh Nagar MLA Rafeek Khan today accused the Bhajan Lal Sharma govt of deliberately tightening selection norms under the Swami Vivekanand Scholarship for Academic Excellence to such an extent that it has become "not just difficult, but impossible" for students to avail of it.

First announced in 2021 by then Congress chief minister Ashok Gehlot, the scholarship covers the complete tuition and living expenses in top-ranked global and domestic universities for eligible students who are domiciled in Rajasthan.

Citing the govt's written reply in the Assembly on the matter, Khan wrote on X: "The data clearly exposes the fallout of revised scholarship rules." According to the govt's figures, only 427 students were selected for the scholarship in 2023–24 against 500 sanctioned seats–300 international and 200 domestic–and the number fell even lower in 2024–25 to 341.

This drop, Khan said, had come when applications in both years had passed 1,000, adding that new rules had "choked the scheme from within" and increased the gulf between opportunity promised and opportunity delivered.

Khan further claimed that the government was also evading answers to direct questions on fee payment delays, property, and surety conditions, apart from the number of students affected due to procedural hurdles. "The govt dodged the core questions. They offered scattered figures, incomplete explanations, and hid behind the excuse of technical difficulties in uploading documents on the portal," he said.

Khan further said the govt did not disclose the fact that its delays made a majority of potentially eligible students unable to meet international admission deadlines.

Khan accused the government of "deliberately weakening" the scholarship scheme and said Rajasthan's youth deserve more transparency and accountability rather than "statistical jugglery". The application process was opened only in August this year by which time nearly 90% of the eligible students had already missed the academic cycle abroad, he added.