Odisha to reimburse medical, engg course fees of ST, SC students

In a bid to encourage SC and ST students to pursue technical education, the Odisha govt has decided to reimburse the entire course fees of eligible ST and SC students studying medicine and engineering at various government-run institutions under the Mukhyamantri Medhabi Chhatra Protsahan Yojana.

The ST, SC Development, M & BCW Deptt. of the Odisha government made that clear today with a letter to all the district collectors urging them to ensure financial assistance to the ST & SC students pursuing higher study from the State budget under financial assistance scheme of Mukhyamantri Medhabi Chatra Protshahan Yojana (MMCPY).

Under MMCPY, the entire course fee of the course tenure of all the eligible ST & SC students studying in government institutions offering MBBS and Engineering (B. Tech, M. Tech.) courses will be covered.

As per the letter, the course fee includes admission fee/ seat acceptance charge/ initial deposit annual course fee (tuition fee & all compulsorily payable charges to institution), hostel admission charges, annual hostel/ mess charges and any other incidental expenses for study like purchase of books/study materials, coaching/ tutorial expenses. All such expenses duly signed by the Dean/Head of the Institution and student will forwarded to the District Collector for reimbursement under the scheme.

The department has asked to forward the requirements to it in the prescribed application form.

After that, for all eligible ST & SC students from the year 2023-24 onwards, the entire component as described above will be borne by Government in ST & SC Development, M & BCW Department.

The department further asked the Collectors to give adequate publicity to the scheme by affixing the same on the notice boards, orienting the faculties, and authorities of the institutions and making it mandatory upon every such institution to orient the students on September 11, 2023 and repeat the same every month.