The 'Pre-matric Scholarship for Minorities' Scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs has been allocated a sum of Rs. 400 crore in the Central Budget for the next financial year. During the current fiscal the scheme had been allocated Rs. 176.99 crore. The proposed allocation is thus an increase of more than Rs. 223 crore.

It is worth mentioning here that Pre-matric scholarship is provided to students from the minority communities who fulfill the eligibility criteria for studies up to class X in schools recognized by an appropriate authority.

The Budget has also proposed to increase the allocation for 'Post-matric Scholarship for Minorities' Scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs by Rs. 101.71 crore. In the Budget presented to the Parliament recently an amount of Rs. 234.50 crore has been earmarked for this scheme, whereas during the current financial year 2009-10 the allocation is Rs. 132.79 crore.

Post-matric scholarship is provided to those students from the minority communities who fulfill the merit and means criteria for studies in class XI & XII levels including technical and vocational courses and to such eligible students for general courses at undergraduate and post- graduate levels - up to Ph.D. - in schools/colleges/institutes/universities recognized by an appropriate authority.

The Central Budget has also proposed to increase the allocation for 'merit-cum-Means Scholarship for professional and technical courses of undergraduate and post-graduate level' Scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs by Rs. 31.07 crore. In the Budget presented to the Parliament recently an amount of Rs. 119.82 crore has been earmarked for this scheme, whereas during the current financial year 2009-10 the allocation is Rs. 88.75 crore. It is thus an increase of over 35% in the next fiscal.

Merit-cum-Means scholarship is provided to those students from the minority communities who fulfill the eligibility criteria of merit-cum- means for pursuing professional and technical courses at undergraduate and post- graduate levels in institutions recognized by an appropriate authority.

The Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) for minorities in selected Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs) has been allocated a sum of Rs. 1,223.20 crore in the Central Budget for the next financial year 2010-11. During the current fiscal the Programme had been allocated Rs. 873 crore. The proposed allocation is thus an increase of more than Rs. 350 crore.

MsDP is a special area development scheme. The objective of the Programme is to address the 'development deficits' identified by a baseline survey in the 90 identified districts across the nation (MCDs) having a substantial concentration of minority population which are relatively backward.