Congress leader and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising serious concerns over the “deplorable” state of residential hostels and the persistent delay in disbursing post-matric scholarships for students from marginalised communities.
In his letter dated June 10, Gandhi urged the Prime Minister to urgently address these two critical issues that, he said, continue to obstruct educational opportunities for nearly 90 per cent of students belonging to Dalit, Scheduled Tribe (ST), Economically Backward Class (EBC), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and minority communities.
Gandhi recounted his recent visit to the Ambedkar Hostel in Darbhanga, Bihar, where he said he witnessed first-hand the appalling living conditions students are forced to endure.
“Students complained about 6-7 individuals crammed into single rooms, filthy toilets, unsafe drinking water, no functioning mess, and a lack of access to libraries or internet facilities,” he wrote.
He noted that these conditions are not limited to Bihar but are “widespread across the country.”
The Congress leader also flagged the repeated delays and lapses in the post-matric scholarship scheme meant for marginalised students. He cited the case of Bihar, where he said the scholarship portal was non-functional for three years, resulting in zero disbursement in 2021–22.
“Even after restoration, the number of Dalit students who received scholarships dropped sharply—from 1.36 lakh in FY23 to just 0.69 lakh in FY24,” Gandhi pointed out, adding that the amounts granted were “insultingly low.”
Calling for urgent corrective action, Gandhi proposed a nationwide audit of all hostels for students from marginalised communities to ensure adequate infrastructure, sanitation, nutritious food, and access to academic resources.
He also put ahead the demand for timely and increased disbursal of post-matric scholarships, with improved coordination between the Centre and state governments to fix execution gaps.
“India cannot progress unless youth from marginalised communities progress,” he concluded, urging the Prime Minister to respond positively and swiftly to his appeal.
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