Facing a sharp rise in scholarship expenditure over the past 2 decades, the civic body in Pune is preparing to tighten eligibility norms for its merit-based student support programme.
The Pune Municipal Corporation is planning to introduce an annual family income cap of ₹8 lakh for its merit scholarships. Students from households earning above this threshold will no longer qualify, under a proposal aligned with the “non-creamy layer” principle. The move comes as the corporation’s annual spending on the scheme has climbed to nearly ₹20 crore.
Launched around 20 years ago, the scholarship programme currently provides ₹15,000 to SSC (Class X) students and ₹25,000 to HSC (Class XII) students from both government and private schools to support higher education. To be eligible, students must score at least 80% in their board examinations.
“The increasing number of beneficiaries has placed a significant financial burden on the civic coffers. We observed that many students from affluent backgrounds were availing of these scholarships, and in some cases, the funds were not being used for their intended educational purposes. Therefore, we have decided to implement these restrictions,” said a senior PMC official.
According to PMC data, the number of beneficiaries has grown sharply from around 3,500 in 2008–09 to nearly 10,000 last year. The scholarships are awarded annually and are named after Maulana Abul Kalam Azad for SSC students and Annabhau Sathe for HSC students, with specific budget provisions made every year.
While the general eligibility requirement remains 80%, the PMC has eased conditions for visually challenged students. The earlier minimum requirement of 65% marks has been removed, and any visually challenged student who passes the examination is now eligible for the scholarship.
Applications for the scheme typically open in September, with funds disbursed in December and January after document verification. Asha Raut, head of PMC’s social welfare department, said, “The proposal to introduce an income cap was approved by the standing committee. Earlier, there was no income limit. Our goal remains to encourage students from all backgrounds to pursue further studies and help them procure necessary equipment and materials.”
While activists have largely welcomed the income ceiling, they cautioned against politicising the scheme. Vijay Kumbhar of Surajya Sangharsha Samiti said, “These merit scholarships are funded by public money, yet many politicians organise grand public events to pretend as though they or their parties are providing the aid. Civic officials must put an end to such events and ensure the focus remains on the students.”
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