Students belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, who obtain degrees from State universities such as Bangalore University (BU) and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), are at a disadvantage in receiving scholarships for higher studies abroad compared to students from private and deemed-to-be-universities, according to a report of the Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission-2 (KARC-2) headed by former Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar.
Currently, SC/ST/BC students are selected from among the applicants based on marks obtained in degree or post-graduate courses. “But, it is generally felt that students from State universities, like Bangalore University and VTU, are given lesser marks than students from the relatively more liberal private and deemed-to-be universities. This criterion may put students from State universities at a disadvantage,” states the report.
The SC/ST Department and Backward Classes Welfare Department have been offering Prabhuddha Overseas Scholarship for students to pursue higher studies abroad every year.
