Reinstate pre-matric scholarship, Maulana Azad fellowship for minority students: Congress leader urges Centre

MUMBAI: Senior Congress leader Husain Dalwai has appealed to the Centre to reinstate the Maulana Azad National fellowship and the pre-matriculation scholarship scheme for minority community students. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Rajya Sabha member Dalwai said the pre-matric scholarship has been modified from this year and made applicable for only Classes 9 and 10 students, while the Maulana Azad fellowship scheme has been discontinued. Both these decisions will adversely affect the minority community students, he said.

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Dalwai said the literacy rate among minorities, particularly Buddhists and Muslims, is significantly lower on account of the prevailing poverty within the communities. The poor parents from these communities will be forced to pull out their children from schools. The literacy rate among Muslim girls will drastically fall, he said. Dalwai said the pre-matriculation scholarship for six minority communities should include students from Classes 1 to 8 and the Maulana Azad National fellowship should be restored.