The State Government has introduced from the academic year 2006-2007 a new scholarship scheme named ‘West Bengal Government Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme’ for providing financial assistance to the poor but meritorious students of the State pursuing higher studies at various post-Madhyamik levels.
Meritorious students coming from poor families, who are domiciled in West Bengal and have enrolled themselves in one of the State Govt., institutions or State Govt., aided institutions after passing out from the State Board/Council of Secondary/Higher Secondary Education or a State-aided University in West Bengal will be eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Rates and Quota of W.B.G.M-C-M Scholarships:
| SI. No. | Level | Rate (per month) | Quota |
| 1. | H.S. | Rs. 500/- | 1500 |
| 2. | UG (Arts) | Rs. 750/- | 550 |
| 3. | UG(Commerce) | Rs. 750/- | 150 |
| 4. | UG (Science) | Rs. 900/- | 325 |
| 5. | UG (Professional Courses other than Engg./Med.) | Rs. 900/- | 25 |
| 6. | UG (Polytechnic) | Rs. 750/- | 100 |
| 7. | UG (Engineering) | Rs. 1400/- | 200 |
| 8. | UG (Medicine including MBBS,BDS,BHMS etc.) | Rs. 1500/- | 200 |
| 9. | PG (Arts) | Rs. 1200/- | 300 |
| 10. | PG (Commerce) | Rs. 1200/- | 100 |
| 11. | PG (Science) | Rs. 1400/- | 225 |
| 12. | PG (Professional Courses other than Engg./Med.) | Rs. 1400/- | 25 |
| Total number of Scholarships = | 3,700 | ||
Though the Department of Higher Education of the Government of West Bengal acts as the nodal department for this scholarship scheme, for ease of administering the scheme it has been decided that the concerned Directorates be given the responsibility to run the scheme for the students and courses falling within their respective jurisdictions. Thus, the Directorate of School Education (DSE) handles the H.S.-level; the Education Directorate (i.e. the Directorate of Public Instruction, or DPI) handles the UG (Arts, Commerce, Science and non-Engg. & non-Med. Professional Courses)-level as well as the PG (Arts, Commerce, Science and non-Engg. & non-Med. Professional Courses)-level; the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) handles the UG (Engg.)-level; the Directorate of Technical Education & Training (DTET) handles the UG (Polytechnic)-level and the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) handles the UG (Med.)-level of the scholarship scheme. There is a high-power Steering Committee headed by the Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge of Higher Education, West Bengal, for the over-all supervision and monitoring of the scheme.
There is no system of distributing any prescribed application forms for this scholarship; instead the application format is published in newspaper advertisements inserted by the Government of West Bengal around June-July seeking applications for the scholarship. For applicants in the 2007-08 academic year the minimum eligibility criteria included: (i) Yearly Income of the applicant’s family from all sources not exceeding Rs. 80,000/-, and, (ii) 75% marks in aggregate in the Madhyamik or the H.S. Exam, for applying respectively for the H.S.-level or the UG-level scholarships, or 55% marks in the Honours subject in graduation for the PG-level scholarships.
In order to extend relief to the poor and meritorious students admitted into Govt. Engineering and Technology colleges, the State Govt, has taken measures to grant the benefit of full and half free studentship. 10% students selected on merit cum means basis will come under the purview of the scheme each year. Private self financing colleges have also been brought under such facilities extent of minimum 5%.
* Rs. 8,31,76,800/- for fresh cases and Rs. 6,62,57,250/- for renewal cases have been sub-alloted to 5 (Five) Directors for disbursement of Scholarship money.
Source : Department of School Education (Annual Report)
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