Introduction

1. Scholarship provision is essential for equity in educationJyoti Chandra OjhaDevelopment studies (2013) Introduction • Scholarship provision - Grant supports or incentives to students for their education. • Equity in education- The approach making sure the needy student get equal opportunities to same education.

2. Introduction • Free education- Provision of cost free services for admission, text books, tuition, examinations etc. • Objectives of scholarship provision: - to encourage school enrolment, improving continuation and retention of enrolled students, expansion of equitable access in school education.

3. The scholarship categories for basic level: • Girls’ scholarship – All girls of Karnali (Rs1000/yr) & 50 % of girls from other districts (Rs350/yr). • Dalit scholarship – All dalit students (Rs350/yr). • Handicapped scholarship –For students with Disability (based on severity) (Rs 500 to 15000 /yr). • Martyr’s scholarship – for martyrs’ children identified by DEO (Rs1000/yr). • Girls’s inceptive program- 2 litres food oil/ month • Scholarship for siblings of freed bonded laborers (150 Rs/month ) etc

4. Scholarship awarded to school studentsin Rs000

5. analysis • The size of scholarship per head is quite low • Heterogeneous process for target students identification • Stipulated budget not fully distributed • Government scholarship is only for public school students. • Poor coordination among concerned authority and monitoring of scholarship budget.

6. Ways to forward • Promote inclusive approach based on evidence in scholarship distribution. • Make sound management functions focusing coordination and budgetary monitoring. • Develop integrated and coordinated scholarship program management should be developed