(a) the reasons for the Government not to implement Merit Scholarship Scheme for top
2,000 JEE rank holders during 2017-18 and 2018-19;
(b) whether the Government proposes to implement the above scheme in 2019-20; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ‘NISHANK’)
(a) to (c): The Council of the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and
Research (NITSER) in its meeting held on 1st October, 2015 decided to give complete fee
waiver to students taking admissions in National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and Indian
Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST), Shibpur, whose family income is less
than `1.00 lakh per annum and 2/3rd of the tuition fee waiver for students with family income
less than `5.00 lakh per annum in addition to complete tuition fee exemptions granted to SC /
ST / PH students. This resulted in decrease in internal revenue generation of NITs and IIEST.
In light of the exemptions in tuition fees structures for protecting interests of the socially and
economically backward students approved by the Council and in addition very few students in
top 2000 JEE ranks taking admission in NITs, the Standing Committee of the Council on 23rd
November, 2016 recommended scrapping of Merit Scholarship Scheme.
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