In response to increasing demand from student organizations, Punjab University (PU) has relaxed the requirements for Scheduled Caste (SC) students enrolled in the Post Matric Scholarship (PMS) program regarding fee payments. The Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) and other student organizations repeatedly protested the challenges students experienced in fulfilling the fee requirements, and as a result, a decision was made.
Previously, SC students had to pay their tuition in advance according to an order that was announced in October 2023. Nevertheless, this legislation has been reversed in response to persistent pleas for flexibility. The university is now using the previous procedure, which requires candidates to promise to pay the tuition by Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) within ten days after receiving the scholarship money at the time of acceptance.
The university has decided to halt enrollment for individuals who owe money and begin the process of collecting it to address the issue of unpaid fees from previous semesters. Awareness campaigns will be conducted to provide SC/ST children with more information about the PMS plan and other welfare measures.
The choice was made at a time when the institution is severely strapped financially as a result of unfulfilled scholarship obligations. PU is heavily indebted to the Punjab government, which has a negative financial impact on the institution. Notwithstanding these obstacles, the institution has taken action to ensure that unpaid fees are collected while simultaneously easing the financial burden on SC students.
Although SC students benefit from the loosened regulations regarding fee payment, the Punjab government’s ongoing problem of delayed scholarship payouts is still a cause for worry. To guarantee that qualified students can enrol in higher education without encountering financial barriers, this issue must be resolved.
It is admirable that the institution is making an effort to educate students about the PMS system, which should enable them to get the benefits to which they are legally entitled.
