Digital Transformation of Scholarships: Empowering Nagaland's ST Students

Nagaland is set to transform its scholarship disbursement by identifying 41,793 Scheduled Tribe students as beneficiaries of the Post Matric Scholarship for the 2024–25 academic year. Officials estimate the financial requirement at Rs 56.38 crore, but only Rs 30.70 crore is currently available.

Keduosielie Keyho and Tol Pucho, Officers on Special Duty for Scholarships, revealed that the first phase will cover 22,000 students, representing 52.64% of total beneficiaries. These students will receive their full scholarship amount in one payment, differing from previous installment-based disbursements.

The transition to the National Scholarship Portal marks a significant shift, aligning with the Indian government's digitization goals. This platform will handle payments in full, ensuring transparency and direct transfers to students. However, 11,342 students face delays due to non-seeding of Aadhaar with bank accounts, with further disbursement dependent on resolving these issues and securing additional funds.

(With inputs from agencies.)