All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) has appealed for early release of second and final instalment of Centrally Sponsored Scheme-Post Matric Scholarship (CSS-PMS) for ST students of Nagaland for 2022-2023.
In a letter to the secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (Education Section), ANCSU president Tenyesinlo Bukh and assistant general secretary Kivinoka A Sema acknowledged the ministry for releasing Rs 36.08 crore as arrears for 2021-2022 and the first instalment (50% of Central share) for 2022-2023 on November 16, 2022 over the proposal projected amount of Rs 46.85 crore for 4,3424 beneficiar-ies for 2022-2023.
They however expressed dismay at the ministry allegedly neglecting the sole purpose of scholarships through delay tactics year after year in sanctioning scholarships amount to Nagaland.
They claimed that the implementing agency submitted a utilisation certificate to the authority con-cerned on August 31, 2023.
They however lamented that even after the lapse of more than 70 days the matter had been kept in abeyance.
They therefore appealed to the ministry to understand the need for scholarships of the students for their academic requirements and immediately release the pending second instalment of CSS-PMS for the year 2022-2023 to the state at the earliest.
They hoped that the ministry would pay heed to the genuine voice and address the matter on priori-ty rather than meting out step-motherly treatment to the students of Nagaland year after.