Meghalaya: Protests called against MBoSE over delayed scholarships

Guwahati: The North-Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) called for a protest outside the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) office over the delay in scholarships to deserving students.

Roykupar Synrem, the President of HYC, conveyed the collective frustration of the student community, stating, “This demonstration is a message to the state government regarding the overdue scholarships for the students of our state. We have learned that both fresh applicants for the academic session 2023 and 50% of renewal students are still awaiting their scholarships.”

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Synrem continued, emphasizing the historical impact of their protests, “Last year, when the HYC education cell threatened a rally, we witnessed the state government swiftly releasing the pending scholarships overnight. This year, there is a delay of three to four months, despite the Education Minister’s assurance on November 21 that the students would receive their scholarships within two to three weeks."

In a direct appeal to the state government, Synrem questioned the priorities of allocating funds, stating, “We have seen our honourable Chief Minister repeatedly visiting Delhi for various schemes, projects, and financial assistance from the central government, all in the pursuit of making our state a $10 billion economy. But what is the purpose of this economic growth if our own students are forced to abandon their education halfway? Our youths are the future of our state, and their education should be a top priority.”

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Synrem urged the state government to utilize the available contingency fund for immediate scholarship disbursement, stating, “If the government can allocate one crore to Sikkim for flood relief or provide assistance to different organizations for festivals, why not use the contingency fund to release the pending scholarships? Once the funds arrive from the central government, they can be replenished into the contingency fund. This pragmatic approach would alleviate the current plight of the students.”