Kerala   

Tsunami scholarship: Congress seeks inclusion of eligible students

Photo: S.Mahinsha

Raising a demand: A protest organised by Youth Congress activists along with children and parents in front of the office of the Deputy Director (Education) in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. –

THIRUVANANTHPURAM: Hundreds of activists under the aegis of the District Congress Committee, including children and parents, staged a protest in front of the office of the Deputy Director (Education) in Killippalam, demanding inclusion of students who have been omitted from the tsunami scholarship fund instituted by the Central government.

According to the DCC, as per the scholarship scheme, nearly two lakh children residing in coastal areas of the State were eligible for the funding, with each student eligible for Rs.3,600 a year.

However, last year the scholarships were disbursed to only 18,000 students, with a number of deserving students being omitted from the list.

“In addition to this, the scholarship scheme was also extended to students from high-range areas, which is totally unacceptable,” said M.A. Latheef, treasurer, DCC.

“Following this, we met the District Collector nearly six months ago and requested him to include the children of fish workers studying in schools in Puthikkurichi, Maryanad and Madanvila. The Collector too assured us that the names of the children studying in these schools would be included in the scholarship list this year,” said Mr. Latheef.

But this year too the District Educational Officers instructed the headmasters to shorten the list from 100 to 20 students. A meeting convened by the headmasters and Parent Teacher Associations of these schools, however, decided against shortening the list.

The protest, which began around 10.30 a.m., went on for more than three hours and was finally called off after the Deputy Director assured that a final decision would be taken only after discussing with the Collector and other government officials.

According to Mr. Latheef, there were around 43,000 students in Thiruvananthapuram district alone who were eligible for the scholarship.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

‘For the Students,’ by the students
Child and the sea
In perfect formation
State told to look into suggestion
PKM school in the lead
Black money seized in Tirur
Tsunami scholarship: Congress seeks inclusion of eligible students
In new role
Centre should give funds as grant: Isaac
Swords recovered
Today at Sabarimala
Unprecedented rush at Sabarimala

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu