While central government-sponsored Sanskrit Scholarship Scheme was introduced for encouraging the use of Sanskrit language by giving incentive to students, the scheme has failed to motivate the student community and school authorities in Gujarat. According to the state education department’s Administrative Report for 2007-2008, the scheme had no beneficiary and the total expenditure on the same was zero.

According to teachers, no state government Resolution in the matter inviting applications has reached schools.

Anil Tripathy, who had been a rank-holder student in the subject and now a teacher of the language, said: “The students simply don’t know about the scheme. Even if someone knows and wants to apply, they don’t know where to go or whom to approach. In fact, I have not seen a GR for the Sanskrit Scholarship Scheme in schools since I joined five years ago.”

As per a 2005 circular, under the scheme, the top 10 students from standard IX and X scoring above 50 per cent marks in Sanskrit language as well as in aggregate are eligible for the scholarship. The monthly scholarship money in 1990-91 was Rs 30 and Rs 100 since 1998-99. It has been revised to Rs 250 since 2003-04. However, the schools across the state have been unable to avail of the benefit for their students due to delay in administrative procedures.

Yogesh Mishra, the vice-president of the Ahmedabad City Secondary and Higher Secondary School Administrative Staff Federation, said: “Not a single student has received the scholarship since it has been introduced across the city. While schools are required to send the details of the students in July, the circular asking for the information reaches the schools in December each year. In the whole process, the students lose the opportunity to get the scholarship money.”

... contd.