“How to avail National Scheme of Incentives for Secondary Education of Girls”
In May 2008, the government-sponsored "National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education (NSIGSE)" was established to provide incentives to girls in class IX. The programme has been added to the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). The Government of India has created the "National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education" to promote education for girls in high school and higher secondary school. The scheme is limited for girls in grade 9 who attend government/grant-in-aid/local-government-run schools. This programme is not for private schools (which do not get government funding) or other institutions.
Objective
The scheme's goal is to create an environment that encourages girls from SC/ST communities to enrol in secondary schools, minimise dropout rates, and assure their retention until they reach the age of 18. Its aim is to increase the number of females aged 14 to 18 who enrol in secondary school, particularly those who have completed Class VIII, and to encourage them to continue their education.
Coverage
The scheme applies to:
all girls from SC/ST communities who complete class VIII, and
(ii) all girls who pass class VIII from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (whether or not they are from SC/ST communities) and enrol in class IX in State/UT Government, Government-aided, and Local Body schools.
Incentive amount
The following are the rewards and benefits of the incentive scheme for female students:
- On enrolling in class IX, an amount of Rs.3000/- is placed in the name of eligible unmarried girls as a fixed deposit in a public sector bank or in a post office in the name of every eligible girl child, which they are entitled to withdraw together with interest when they attain the age of 18 and pass the Class X examination.
- The deposit term/period can be calculated from the date of deposit until the day the girl child reaches the age of 18.
- Premature withdrawals are not permitted.
- Under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), the incentive/scholarship will be automatically transferred to the student's bank account using the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).
In the tragic event that the applicant passes away before reaching the age of 18, the incentive money will be returned to the Central Government's account.
Eligibility
- SC/ST girls in State/UT Government, Government-aided, and Local Body schools who have passed class VIII and are enrolled in class IX.
- All girls who pass the class VIII examination at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (regardless of their SC/ST status).
- When joining class IX, girls must be under the age of 16 (as of March 31st).
- Married girls, girls enrolled in private unaided schools, and girls enrolled in Central Government institutions are excluded.
- The incentive distribution programme has no income requirements.
The National Scholarship Portal (NSP), which was developed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to simplify and accelerate the distribution of scholarships across Ministries and Departments with efficiency, transparency, and dependability, has recognized the NSIGSE.
Process followed
The implementing agency (State/UT Governments or autonomous organisations, as the case may be, will create an account in the beneficiary's name in the nearest public sector bank or post office, and the fund will be deposited in a Fixed Term Deposit.
The student would be issued a passbook or a certificate that would identify her as a scheme beneficiary.
In order to get the benefit under the scheme, the recipient must continue her studies in secondary school for at least two years after enrolling in Class IX. A certificate to this effect will be provided by the school's Principal/Head of School.
A pre-condition for withdrawing the matured money would be for the recipient to pass the class X Board examination successfully.
On reaching the age of 18, the implementing agency will authorise the bank to transfer the matured amount in the interest bearing account to the girl beneficiary's savings account upon production of:
- a 10th class pass certificate and
- a certificate from the Principal / Head of the school that the girl beneficiary has continued her studies for at least two years after enrollment in Class IX.
Application Procedure
The following is the application procedure and implementation of the National Scheme of Incentive to Girl Students:
The National Scholarship Portal has the application performa available for download. It is also available in print to District Education Officers or Principals of the schools involved.
The performa can be filled out in an excel sheet by students or schools.
The principal will verify all information about a school's students, compile it into excel sheets, and send it to the District Education Officers.
Students from various States and UTs who pass class VIII and enrol in class IX at Government, Government-aided, and Local Body schools must register on NSP in order to apply for NSIGSE.
The applications are validated by the specified State authorities online on the platform.
NSP Team submits a final list of qualified candidates to the Ministry for scholarship approval, which is complete in every respect.
Following that, the Ministry of HRD authorises funds and releases them to the Scheme's implementing banks, the Indian Bank and Union Bank of India.
Through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), banks distribute scholarships/incentives to students immediately by electronic transfer into their bank accounts under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Required documents
- Certificate of residency
- School Verification Form
- Income Certificate
- Minority Certificate
- a self-attested photocopy of the previous class marksheet
- School fees
- Bank passbook
- Aadhaar Card
- Disability Certificate if applicable
Process of Execution
Every school will submit a proposal to the State Government/Union Territories for the disbursement of incentive funds.
The Department of School Education and Literacy, MHRD, will receive a consolidated proposal from the states/UTs, which will state:
- The number of schools in each state or union territory that are qualified.
- The total number of proposals received from schools that are eligible.
- Number of female students that are eligible (from both SC/ST and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas).
- Proposal for the entire incentive amount to be released.
Every year, the funds will be distributed in two installments to the State and UT governments. The first installment will be paid out as soon as the proposal is received. After receiving the utilisation certificate and progress report from the States/UT Government, the second installment may be released.
Additional information
Time period: Every school that participates in the programme shall complete scholar selection and proposal preparation within one month of the start of the academic year.
Grant-in-aid Committee: The Secretary of School Education and Literacy chairs the committee. The Grant-in-Aid Committee will review the applications submitted by the various states and UTs. Joint Secretary, MHRD, Planning Commission representative, Ministry of Finance, Tribal Welfare, Social Justice and Empowerment, and Ministry of Women and Child Development are included in the committee.
Monitoring and Evaluation: The Grant-in-Aid Committee also serves as the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee. By the end of the school year, a third-party assessment procedure will be completed.
Review of the Scheme: After two years, the scheme will be evaluated rigorously by suitable independent bodies in order to improve it in the future.
Implementation partners
The implementing partners would include State/UT Governments, Schools administered and supervised by State Governments, Local Bodies, Aided Private Schools, and Panchayati Raj Institutions. The incentive money might be given to state/local governments to deposit into the accounts of eligible females.
The dropout rates of girl students is the result of the inability to afford the educational costs of their child. Hence, through this scheme, it aims to reduce the dropout percentage of female students.
Sources:
https://www.getmyuni.com/scholarships/national-scheme-of-incentive#eligibility-criteria
https://www.scholarship4study.com/national-scheme-of-incentive-to-girls/
https://www.policybazaar.com/life-insurance/child-plans/nsigse-scheme/