For Prelims: Scheduled Caste (SC), National Scholarship Portal (NSP), Post-Matric Scholarship, Pre-Matric Scholarship, Total Pending Scholarships, Post-Matric Pending, Pre-Matric Pending, Portal Name
For Mains: Social equity, Educational access, National Scholarship Portal, Delayed disbursal, SC welfare
Source:
Hindustan
5 facts for one-day exams
SSC, railway, police and teaching exams ask direct questions like these.
- 27,546 SC student scholarships are pending in Bihar.
- Post-matric cases: 25,704; pre-matric cases: 1,842.
- The Director of Secondary Education, Bihar issued the order.
- Data must be uploaded on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
- Pending cases are from sessions 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Why in the news?
Bihar has 27,546 pending scholarships for Scheduled Caste students, with 25,704 post-matric and 1,842 pre-matric cases. The Director of Secondary Education has ordered District Education Officers to expedite disposal and upload data on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) for academic sessions 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Summary
- Bihar has 27,546 pending scholarships for SC students, comprising 25,704 post-matric and 1,842 pre-matric cases.
- The Director of Secondary Education has instructed District Education Officers (DEOs) to expedite disposal of pending cases.
- Pending cases are from academic sessions 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25, and data must be uploaded on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
Highlights
27,546 Pending SC Scholarships in Bihar
Bihar has 27,546 pending scholarships for Scheduled Caste students, with post-matric (25,704) and pre-matric (1,842) cases.
Director Orders Expedited Disposal
The Director of Secondary Education has directed District Education Officers to quickly process pending cases from sessions 2022-23 to 2024-25.
National Scholarship Portal (NSP) Upload
Data of cleared scholarships must be uploaded on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) for timely disbursal.
Background
Scholarships for Scheduled Caste students are a key tool for promoting social equity and access to education in Bihar, a state with a significant SC population. The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) is the central platform for processing and disbursing these scholarships. Pending scholarships indicate delays in administrative processing at the district level.
Key Analysis and Impact
The high number of pending scholarships (27,546) can lead to student dropouts and financial distress for SC families. The majority (25,704) are post-matric scholarships, which are critical for higher education. The directive to clear cases from three academic sessions (2022-23 to 2024-25) highlights systemic delays in fund release and data verification.
Way Forward
Expedited disposal of pending cases and timely NSP data upload can restore student confidence. The state government may need to strengthen district-level scholarship processing cells, ensure regular fund allocation, and implement real-time tracking on the NSP to prevent future backlogs.
Bihar connection
Matters for these Bihar exams:BPSC 7/10BPSC TRE 7/10
Background GK
Textbook concepts you need to understand this news
- Scheduled Caste (SC)
- A group of historically disadvantaged castes in India recognized under Article 341 of the Constitution for affirmative action and social welfare benefits.
- National Scholarship Portal (NSP)
- A one-stop digital platform under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for application, processing, and disbursal of government scholarships to students.
- Post-Matric Scholarship
- A scholarship provided to students from SC/ST/OBC/EBC categories for pursuing education after Class 10 (matriculation), including higher secondary, graduation, and postgraduate courses.
- Pre-Matric Scholarship
- A scholarship provided to students from disadvantaged communities for education from Class 1 to Class 10.
Facts to remember
Tap a card to see the answer. Try to recall it first.
How exams will ask this
- Data: 27,546 pending SC scholarships in Bihar (25,704 post-matric + 1,842 pre-matric)
- Legal Point: Article 341 (Scheduled Castes)
Don't make this mistake!
Examiners may ask the total pending scholarships (27,546) but give options that confuse it with only post-matric (25,704) or pre-matric (1,842) numbers. Also, they may swap 'post-matric' with 'pre-matric' in questions.
Write these in mains answers
- Social equity, Educational access, National Scholarship Portal, Delayed disbursal, SC welfare
Stuck? Get it in one tap
The government gives scholarships to help Scheduled Caste students study. In Bihar, 27,546 such scholarships have not been given yet. Most of them are for students after Class 10. The education department has told district officers to clear these cases quickly and update the National Scholarship Portal.
- 27,546 SC student scholarships are pending in Bihar.
- Post-matric cases: 25,704; pre-matric cases: 1,842.
- The Director of Secondary Education, Bihar issued the order.
- Data must be uploaded on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
- Pending cases are from sessions 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- Polity: Scheduled Castes and Affirmative Action
- Society: Education and Social Welfare Schemes
Related concepts: Scheduled Caste (SC), National Scholarship Portal (NSP), Post-Matric Scholarship, Pre-Matric Scholarship
Practice questions
Pick an answer, then read the explanation.
- Q1Easy
Which constitutional article is the basis for providing Scheduled Caste status in India?
Explanation: Article 341 of the Constitution empowers the President to specify castes, races or tribes as Scheduled Castes. Article 342 deals with Scheduled Tribes, Article 340 deals with backward classes, and Article 15 prohibits discrimination.
- Q2Hard
Consider the following statements regarding the pending SC scholarships in Bihar:
- 1.The total number of pending scholarships is 27,546.
- 2.Pre-matric scholarships account for 25,704 of the pending cases.
- 3.The Director of Secondary Education has ordered DEOs to upload data on the National Scholarship Portal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: 27,546 scholarships are pending. Statement 2 is incorrect: post-matric scholarships account for 25,704 cases, not pre-matric (1,842). Statement 3 is correct: the Director ordered DEOs to upload data on the NSP. Hence option C is correct.
- Q3Medium
How many post-matric scholarships for SC students are pending in Bihar?
Explanation: 25,704 post-matric scholarships are pending.
- Q4Medium
What is the primary objective of the directive issued by the Director of Secondary Education, Bihar?
Explanation: The directive aims to clear the backlog of 27,546 pending scholarships from three academic sessions and upload the data on the National Scholarship Portal. It does not change the scholarship amount, launch a new scheme, or reduce applications.
Frequently asked questions
1. How many SC student scholarships are pending in Bihar?
A total of 27,546 scholarships for Scheduled Caste students are pending in Bihar, including 25,704 post-matric and 1,842 pre-matric cases.
2. Which academic sessions are affected by the pending scholarships?
The pending cases are from academic sessions 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
3. Who ordered the expedited disposal of pending scholarships?
The Director of Secondary Education, Bihar ordered District Education Officers to expedite disposal and upload data on the National Scholarship Portal.
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Original5 November 2026 · Read story
