Students Abroad Suffer As Maharashtra Govt Delays Overseas Scholarship Payments
The Maharashtra government's National Overseas Scholarship Scheme has left many students in dire financial straits.
Many students who participated in the Maharashtra government's National Overseas Scholarship Scheme are currently experiencing a serious financial problem as a result of government payments that have been overdue for more than two months. The Other Backward Class (OBC), Dalit, and minority beneficiaries who were enrolled in higher education programs in Australia and the United Kingdom spoke to The Times of India (ToI) about their predicament. They said that since arriving, they have not been given any scholarship funds for living expenses or tuition.
According to these students, their predicament is pathetic; several are in danger of starving, and some could be forced to leave their rental apartments, ToI states.
'Feels like I'm drowning in uncertainty. Scholarship funds are delayed, tuition fees are piling up with penalties, and debt is suffocating me. Every day feels like a struggle to stay afloat financially," a student at the University of Birmingham said as quoted by the ToI.
A University of Sydney student stated, 'It feels like I've been left on my own. My scholarship funds were delayed endlessly, and unpaid fees are accumulating penalties. I borrowed money to survive, but the debt is crushing me now."
'I'm exhausted, mentally and financially. I haven't received any scholarship support for months. My fees are unpaid. I borrowed money to survive, but now I can't repay. I feel abandoned," another student from Sydney University told the publication.
In a follow-up with authorities in the relevant departments, Rajiv Khobragade, president of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), The Platform, stated that sending students overseas with false promises of scholarships is equivalent to forcing them into mental hardship and malnutrition. 'The government should provide scholarship funds on time," he stated as per the publication.
The Platform is an organisation that works closely with these students.
The students claimed that even though they emailed the social justice and special assistance (SJSA) and OBC welfare departments regarding their scholarships, they were informed that the finance department had not yet sanctioned the monies.
According to the state OBC welfare minister, Atul Save, there is no shortage of funding, as he told TOI. 'I will look into the issue and resolve the matter. Though it is a public holiday tomorrow, I will take an update about the scholarship and disburse funds," he said.
Meanwhile, SJSA's main secretary, Harshdeep Kamble, stated that 'Scholarship funds were already released to the commissioner (social justice)." He went on to say that more information must be obtained from the SJSA commissioner.
First Published:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
22 minutes ago
- Time of India
MP minister Vishwas Sarang slams Congress over controversial Independence Day post; Youth Congress says account was hacked
1 2 KHARGONE: Madhya Pradesh's cooperation minister and Khargone district in-charge minister, Vishwas Sarang, on Friday alleged that an Independence Day message on the X handle of Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress carried a hashtag — 'Independence Day Pakistan'. The message was apparently deleted soon after the controversy began. Talking to media persons after flag hoisting in Khargone, Vishwas Sarang said, " Rahul Gandhi and Congress always talk as if they are Pakistan-loving people." He said, "Rahul Gandhi, who opposed Operation Sindoor and questioned the surgical strike, is shining up his politics by speaking the language of China and Pakistan and defames India by going abroad. The same mentality is evident from Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress' hashtag." Chairman of social media, Youth Congress Madhya Pradesh, Devendra Bairagi, told TOI, "On Friday morning, the official Facebook account of Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress was hacked by anti-social elements in which objectionable posts were made. This incident was an attempt to disrupt the activities and communication of the organisation." He said, "Our IT team has taken immediate action with promptness and alertness and has re-secured the account, and at present, the page is completely safe and is operating normally." A formal complaint in this regard has been given to the Delhi office. The cyber cell will also be informed for an in-depth investigation of this matter, he added. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Krishna Janmashtami Wishes ,, messages , and quotes !
The Hindu
38 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Bombay High Court orders SIT probe into custodial death of Dalit law student
In the custodial death case of Somnath Suryawanshi, the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) within one week. The court orally passed the order on August 14, 2025. A Division Bench comprising Justice Vibha Kankanwadi and Justice Sanjay A. Deshmukh observed that the Inquiry Committee earlier appointed by the Maharashtra Government will be dissolved, and all documents related to the 35-year-old Dalit law student Suryawanshi's custodial death will now be handed over to the new SIT. 'If the petitioner, Vijayabai Venkata Suryawanshi, has any objections to the members of the SIT, she may register them before the court,' the Bench observed. Advocate Hitendra Gandhi representing Ms. Suryawanshi, told The Hindu, 'The High Court's direction to constitute a SIT in the custodial death case of Somnath Suryawanshi is a significant step forward, we hope the SIT will conduct a fair and thorough investigation to deliver justice that has long been denied. This order restores faith that the truth cannot be buried, and accountability will have to follow.' On July 4, 2025, the court directed the Parbhani police to register a First Information Report (FIR) within a week, noting prima facie evidence of custodial torture and violation of fundamental rights. The Bench passed the interim order in response to a petition filed by Mr. Suryawanshi's 61-year-old mother, Vijayabai Vyankat Suryawanshi. The petitioner alleged that her son was subjected to brutal torture during his illegal detention following a protest in Parbhani on December 11, 2024, and that authorities subsequently attempted to cover up his death as a cardiac incident. Mr. Suryawanshi, a final-year law student and a member of a Scheduled Caste family from Latur, was reportedly arrested while filming a protest against the desecration of a replica of the Constitution near a statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The petition alleged that despite the peaceful nature of the demonstration, he and several others were picked up during an indiscriminate police crackdown, subjected to custodial assault, and denied timely medical attention. On July 30, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by the Maharashtra government challenging a Bombay High Court order directing the police to register a FIR. Mr. Suryawanshi, a final-year law student and a member of a Scheduled Caste family from Latur, was reportedly arrested while filming a protest against the desecration of a replica of the Constitution near a statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The petition alleged that despite the peaceful nature of the demonstration, he and several others were picked up during an indiscriminate police crackdown, subjected to custodial assault, and denied timely medical attention. The petition stated, 'In the videos, it could be seen that Somnath was carrying the book of the Constitution of India and recording the incident in the protest. His arrest was illegal and then he was subjected to inhuman atrocities. He as well as other persons were produced before the Magistrate on 12.12.2024. The others were also subjected to brutality and their injuries were visible, swollen, however, they were afraid to speak to the Magistrate due to the threats those were given.' It further said that the Court had granted police custody of two days. 'Further brutal assault was given to Somnath. His situation worsened when he was again produced before the Magistrate on 14.12.2024. Thereafter, his custody was transferred to Magisterial custody. Around 6.49 a.m. suddenly Somnath died on 15.12.2024, while in judicial custody,' the petition read. It was further submitted that police claimed Mr. Suryawanshi had complained of chest pain prior to his death. The petitioner also alleged that on reaching Parbhani, she was taken by Police Officer Ashok Ghorband to the Inspector General of Police, where she was informed that Somnath's brothers could be offered police jobs and was advised to perform the last rites in Latur instead of Parbhani. She further claimed she was offered ₹50 lakh to refrain from filing a complaint. She declined, demanding that her son's death be acknowledged as custodial murder and not classified as death by natural causes. The court noted that the post-mortem, conducted by a seven-member medical team, had recorded 24 visible injuries and concluded that the cause of death was 'shock following multiple injuries'. A judicial inquiry under Section 196 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) also reportedly found gross human rights violations and directly linked the death to custodial assault. 'This Court cannot remain a mute spectator when constitutional rights of a person in custody are prima facie violated,' the Bench observed, criticising the State for failing to register a cognisable offence despite substantial evidence from the post-mortem, inquest report, and the magistrate's findings. The Bench further questioned the delay by the CID in acting on the findings and expressed concern over the credibility of the internal inquiry, which bypassed the autopsy doctors and instead sought a second opinion from J.J. Hospital, Mumbai. The court directed that an FIR be registered based on the petitioner's complaint dated December 18, 2024, and that the investigation be handed over to a Deputy Superintendent of Police. The prior order restraining CID officer D.B. Talpe from submitting a final report has been vacated following this direction.
Economic Times
2 hours ago
- Economic Times
RSS chief calls for population control to address stray dog issue
Synopsis RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has weighed in on the stray dog issue in Delhi-NCR, advocating for population control through sterilization and vaccination, rather than relocation to shelters. His statement counters a recent Supreme Court directive ordering the permanent relocation of strays. Bhagwat emphasized balancing human needs with animal rights and ecological conservation, referencing traditional cattle-rearing practices. ANI RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat (File photo) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that the stray dog problem in Delhi-NCR should be resolved by regulating their population rather than shifting them to shelters, reported TOI. His remarks come days after the Supreme Court, on August 11, directed authorities in the region to permanently relocate all strays to at a religious congregation at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack on Thursday, Bhagwat, who has a background in veterinary science, said, 'All animals have the right to live. The problem can be solved only by regulating the population of street dogs, but it cannot be resolved by putting them in shelters.' He added, 'Sheltering all street dogs is not a practical solution. The only effective way is to implement sterilisation and vaccination, as already prescribed in law.' Call for balance with nature Bhagwat also referred to traditional cattle-rearing practices, noting that while milking a cow, a portion is taken for human use and the rest is left for the calf. 'This is the art of striking a balance between man and nature. Nature should be conserved by maintaining a balance between development and the environment,' TOI said. Debate over SC directive The Supreme Court's August 11 order has triggered criticism from politicians, animal rights groups and scientists, who say the directive runs contrary to the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2023. On Wednesday, Chief Justice of India B R Gavai reassigned the suo motu case to a larger three-judge bench led by Justice Vikram Nath, which began fresh hearings on Thursday. (With inputs from TOI)
