Chizokho Vero
August 29
KOHIMA (MExN): The Department of Higher & Technical Education has gone ahead with disbursement of the Post Matric Central Scholarship (PMCS) amounting to Rs. 5.07
Crores even as the All Nagaland College Students Union (ANCSU) refused to accept the scholarship until and unless it was paid in full installment.
“We have to go ahead with dispatching bank draft,” Director, Higher & Technical Education, L. Edward Lotha told The Morung Express today adding that the department could not hold back the amount.
The department has already dispatched bank drafts to most of the colleges in the State in compliance with the government’s instruction, he said.
“The money belongs to the students. It does not belong to the government and the department and it was up to the students to accept it or not”, the Director pointed out in response to refusal by the ANCSU to accept the present scholarship.
Further, he said that he had not received any official communiqué from ANCSU regarding their refusal to accept the scholarship.
The department was also reportedly taken by surprise over the central government’s decision to pay the scholarship in two installments. This is the first time that payment is being made in two installments in Nagaland.
“The department cannot do otherwise and we are compelled to obey whatever instructions we receive from the Centre”, the Director said while adding that he had no power to hold back the amount sanctioned for the purpose.
In the meantime, it was informed that the department was yet to dispatch the scholarship to those students studying outside Nagaland.
The Director informed that their cases will be considered only after the concerned States and Union Territories furnish the clearance about the government recognized institutions in the respective States. Lotha has already intimated to the concerned authorities in all States and Union Territories to do the needful at the earliest.
It may be recalled that ANCSU had directed all the colleges which had received the first installment not to disburse the amount to the students. The ANCSU also asked the department to hold the draft until their demands were fulfilled by the State and the central government.
There are 31,005 eligible students in and around 750 schools and colleges within the State and in various States of the country who have applied for post matric central scholarship for the year 2004-2005, Higher Education Minister Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu told the just concluded assembly session. In the past, the entire amount was released in a single installment enabling the State government to disburse the same to the students in a single installment.
However, the Centre has decided that disbursement of PMCS with effect from this financial year would be made in two installments.
Rs. 5.07 Crore has so far been received by the Department of Higher Education in July 2005.
