New Delhi, 5 May 2022: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) has invited applications from students belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities. The objective of the scheme is to provide good quality coaching for economically disadvantaged Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) candidates. This has been planned to enable them to appear in competitive examinations and succeed in obtaining a suitable job in the public/private sector. Candidates can apply for assistance from the ministry till 31 May 2022 on the coaching.dosje.gov.in.
Note:
- A scheme for providing free coaching to students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SCs) was started during the 6th Five-Year Plan.
- Similar schemes were also being implemented to provide free coaching to students belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and minorities.
- Separate coaching schemes for SCs, OBCs, and minorities were amalgamated and a combined scheme, namely, ‘Coaching and Allied Assistance for Weaker Sections’ including Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, and minorities was introduced with effect from September 2001.
- The aim of the combined scheme was to ensure effective implementation, monitoring, and assistance of the students in a better manner.
Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC Students: Overview Table
| Free Coaching announcement date | 1 May 2022 |
| Last date for receipt of applications | 31 May 2022 |
| Tentative date for declaration of merit list | 5 June 2022 |
| Tentative date for declaration of merit list for others | 30 June 2022 |
| Last date for joining of students in
coaching institutions and uploading fee receipts |
4 December 2022 |
| Last date for others joining the coaching institutions | 29 December 2022 |
| Last date for the release of the coaching fee | Within one month of submission of fee receipt |
| Last date for uploading of exam hall ticket | 30 days from the date of the entrance exam for which coaching has been taken |
| Last date for the release of the stipend | 30 days from uploading of the exam hall ticket and self-certification regarding taking the exam. |
Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC Students: Eligibility Criteria
- Only students belonging to SC and OBC categories, having a total family income from all sources of Rs. 8 lakh or less per annum, will be eligible for benefits under the scheme.
- For competitive exams for which the qualifying exam is Class 12, benefits under the scheme will be available to a candidate only if the candidate has passed Class 12 or is studying in Class 12 as of the date of receiving the benefit under the scheme.
- Students will be required to declare the marks obtained in Class 10 in the application form.
- Students having less than 50% marks in their Class 10 exam will not be considered under the scheme.
- Further, in case of competitive exams for which the qualifying exam is at bachelor level, only students/candidates having completed the bachelor level course or studying in the final year of the bachelor degree course at the time of receiving the benefits under the scheme will be eligible.
- Students will be required to declare the marks obtained by him/her in Class 12 in the application form.
- Students having less than 50% marks in their Class 12 exam, shall not be considered under the scheme.
- Benefits under the scheme can be availed by a particular student, not more than twice, irrespective of the number of chances he/she may be entitled to take in a particular competitive examination, and irrespective of the number of stages in the exam.
- The student will be required to provide a declaration that he/she has not taken benefit more than twice under the scheme.
- The candidate shall be prevented from availing of the benefits under any other coaching scheme of the government and will be required to provide a declaration to this effect.
Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC Students: Selection Process
- Merit lists shall be drawn up for each category with a number of candidates equal to the number of slots in that category.
- A waitlist of candidates equal to the allocated slots for that category shall also be drawn up for each category.
- In each category, applicants who are recipients of the Post/Pre Matric Scholarship for SCs, Post/Pre Matric Scholarship for OBCs, or top-class scholarship schemes for SCs and OBCs in the immediately preceding year will get priority in selection.
- The eligibility of these candidates would be auto-verified from the databases already available with the ministry/NSP/state governments.
- All the selected applicants will be sent a computer-generated letter intimating their selection for the coaching scheme, with a request to join the institution of their choice and upload the fee receipt on the portal.
- The selected applicants shall join the coaching institute of their choice within 6 months of the declaration of the merit lists.
- Thereafter, the students will be required to upload the digitally paid fee receipt along with a copy of the relevant bank entry of the passbook showing the payment to the institute on the portal.
TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SCHEME, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the objective of giving a free coaching stipend to SC and OBC students?
The objective of the scheme is to provide coaching of good quality for economically disadvantaged Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations and succeed in obtaining an appropriate job in the public/private sector.
When is the last date for applying for the scheme?
The last date of applying for the scheme is 31 May 2022.
When can the selected applicants join the coaching institute of their choice?
The selected applicants shall join the coaching institute of their choice within 6 months of the declaration of the merit lists.
For which courses will the free coaching be imparted?
The free coaching will be given for - Group A and B examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission(UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC); Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs); Group A and B examinations conducted by the State Public Service Commission; Officers’ Grade examinations conducted by Banks, Insurance Companies and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs); Premier Entrance Examinations for admission in Engineering like IITJEE and NEET, professional courses like CAT and CLAT; eligibility tests/examinations like SAT, GRE, GMAT, IELTS, and TOEFL, entrance examination tests for CPL courses/National Defence Academy and Combined Defense Services.
