Office of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities

The main purpose of the Scheme of Scholarships for the Disabled Persons is to assist them to secure such education, academic, technical or professional training on the shop/floor of the Industrial establishment as would enable them to earn a living and to become useful members of the society.

The Scheme will be applicable to all categories of the disabled person viz. the blind, the deaf and the orthopaedically handicapped, mentally retarded, leprosy cured and others.

1. Total absence of sight;
2. Visual acquity not exceeding 6/60 or 20/200 (Snellen) in the better eye with correcting lenses.
3. Limitation of the field of vision substanding and angle of 20 degree or worse.

The deaf are those in whom the sense of hearing is non-functional for ordinary purposes of life. They do not hear/understand sound at all even with amplified speech. The case included in this category will be those having hearing loss more than 70 decibels in the better ear (profound impairment) or total loss of hearing in both ears.

The orthopaedically handicapped are those who have a physical defects or deformity which cases interference with the normal functioning of the bones, muscles and joints.

The multiply handicapped are those who suffer from more than one disability.

A person shall be deemed to be Mentally Retarded if his mental retardation refers to sub-average general intellectual functioning which originates during the developmental period and is associated with impairment in adaptive behaviour.

A person with cerebral palsy is one whose motor function is impaired due to brain damage during the perinatal period or early infancy.

A person suffering from a disability not covered under the definitions mentioned above, which is certified by a registered medical practitioner to have the effect of permanently reducing considerably such persons capacity for normal work or engaging in a gainful employment.

1. Nationality : A disable person who is a citizen of India may apply for Scholarship under this Scheme.
2. Scholarship will be provided to all categories of disabled persons defined earlier for pursuing general, technical and professional education from 9th class onwards.
3. 1. Educational requirements : A disabled candidate will be eligible for the award of Scholarship for study from Ninth Standard onwards. The candidate should have secured at least 40% mark at the pervious annual examination.
   2. Music Course : A disabled person should have passed Madhyamik or its equivalent examination at least in second division for a college affiliated to a university or to an institution of All India character approved by the Central Government.
   3. Vocational Course : A disabled person should be undertaking a vocational training course in any vocational training centre/workshop/ITI or any other centre run by the Central/State Government/Local body or any voluntary organisation or institution recognised by Central/State Government. This will also include apprenticeship or training in a recognised institution or in industries. Lack of academic qualification need not be a bar to vocational training.
   4. Income : No Scholarship will be admissible if the combined monthly income of the parents/guardian of the candidate is more than Rs. 2,000/- (Rupees Two Thousand). ( A certificate to this effect will have to be submitted in Appendix-VII).

1. Course: A disabled person must be studying a full-time course or correspondence course in an educational institution affiliated to a Board/University, Music course in an institution affiliated to a University or an organisation approved by the State or Central Govt. or working as trainee in a recognised institution or commercial industrial establishment approved by the Central or State Govt. in this regard.
2. A disabled person student who under any Scheme of the Central/State Govt., has received craft training free of cost or undergone a course of general education, free or cost will be eligible for consideration for Scholarship for higher technical training or higher education. The Students who want to go in for academic courses after doing craft training and vice versa shall not however, be considered for Scholarship.
3. A disabled person in receipt of assistance from any other Voluntary or State source either in cash or by way of free board or lodging shall have the option to accept either that or the Scholarship offered by the Dte of M.E.E., W.B. under the Scheme. A candidate will have to furnish an undertaking duly counter-signed by his/her parent/guardian stating that he/she is not in receipt of assistance from any other source. In the event of the undertaking being found false the granting of further scholarship will be stopped and amount already pain will be recovered from the parent/guardian or from the Candidate himself if he/she is an adult.
4. Scholarship will not be awarded:
   1. For pursuing a parallel course of study e.g. Scholarship will not be awarded to an M.A. in Economics to pursue study in M.A. Politics.
   2. For study outside India.
   3. For pursuing academic/technical course if candidate has already completed a conventional course/training.
   4. For undertaking any training course for the second time.
5. A candidate who have received any vocational training in any Institution including any Central or State Govt. organisations shall be considered for the award of Scholarship to work as trainee in any establishment approved by the Central or State Government.

1. In the case of severely disabled persons who requires special arrangements for transport an additional monthly allowance of Rs. 50/- or actual expenditure whichever is less may be sanctioned. Each case will be examined on its own merits on the recommendation of the head of institution/establishment and on the basis of medical certificate.
2. In the case of blind readers’ allowance shall be paid if it is certified by the head of the institution/establishment that candidate has employed a reader during the period the allowance is claimed. (APPENDIX – IX)
3. No transport allowance will be paid to the student who resides in the hostel stituated in the premises of the institution where studying or taking training.

The scholarship will be tenable for a particular stage of study and is renewable from year to year within the stage of education and it will depend on promotion to the next class. The stage of study is as given below :-

1. From Ninth standard leading to pre-degree or its equivalent examination.
2. For the course after pre-degree or its equivalent examination up to First Degree Examination viz. B.A./B.Sc./B.Com./Medical Engineering, etc.
3. For Post graduate course i.e. M.A./M.Sc./M.Com./LL.B./B.Ed./Chartered Accountancy/C&W Accountancy/Company Secretaryship, etc.
4. For research course e.g. Ph.D. etc. in any subject.
5. For the following courses in Vocational/Technical Professional Apprenticeship.
   1. for the certificate course.
   2. for the Diploma Course.
   3. for the Postal Diploma Course.
6. The period of training in commercial or any establishment or other training shall in each case be decided by the establishment in consultation with the State Deptt. Of Mass Edn. Extn. Provided that this period shall not exceed one year, say, with the specific approval of the Department on the basis of exceptional circumstances set down in writing.

(Note : Scholarship will also be available for the courses in Music)

1. Applying should be made to the State Deptt. Of Mass edn. Extn. in the prescribed form (Appendix – I/II through the head of the institution where the candidate is admitted as a Student/apprentice/trainee.
2. Documents to accompany application : Each application shall be accompanied by the following documents :
   1. Medical Certificate :
      A certificate in the prescribed form (Appendix – III, IV, V and VI) that the candidate permanently disabled with in the meaning of the definition given in Rule – 3 from a Registered Eye Specialist/E.N.T. Specialist/Orthopaedic Surgeon/Registered Medical Practitioner/Clinical Psychologist or Psychiatrist.
   2. Photograph :
      A recent Photograph in case of orthopaedically handicapped candidate showing deformity.
   3. Audiogram :
      An audiogram chart in respect of a deaf candidate.
   4. Statement of marks :
      Statement of marks indicating the maximum marks and those obtained at the previous annual examination passed indicating percentage of marks duly attested by a gazetted officer of the Central or State Govt. or head of the institution concerned or a Member of Parliament or State legislature.

1. All application shall be considered by the State Department of Mass Edn. Exten. in consultation with such experts as it may consider necessary to consult. The decision of the Directorate of Mass Ed. Exten. in regard to the selection or rejection shall be final.
2. Every selected candidate shall be informed of the course for which scholarship has been awarded through the head of the Institution/establishment/Voluntary Organisation.
3. The expenditure incurred on providing scholarships/Stipends to the disabled persons under this Scheme should be borne by the State Government.

The payment of Scholarship will start from the month which admission is taken and will be payable upto the month of examination/conclusion of training provided that –

1. the period for which the Scholarship is payable should not exceed the period for which the course/training is held.
2. Scholarship is not payable for a month in which the course of study/training has not commended before the 20th of the month or the Scholar/trainee has not joined before 20th.
3. Scholarship is not payable for a month in which the course/training has terminated on or before the 8th of the month or the Scholar/trainee has left the course of study/training in the Institution/establishment before the 8th of the month;
4. if the approved course/training and the examination terminate within one month of each other, scholarship shall be payable upto the month in which the examination/training terminated. No payment shall, however, be made if the examination/training terminates before the 8th day of the month.
5. When a candidate takes a public examination and joins a subsequent course within the approved stage, he shall not be entitled to payment for the period between the date of completion of the public examination and the date of his rejoining. This will, however, be subject to the condition laid down in the proceeding sub-paras, viz.
   1. that no payment will be made for the month of which the examination terminates before the 8th day; and
   2. Similarly no payment shall be made unless a candidate rejoins before the 20th day.
6. Scholarships will be paid for the course of study extended due to abnormal circumstances.
   1. if a student continues to pay tution or other fees for the extended period; or
   2. if a student stays in an approved hostel;
   3. If a student employs a reader (in such cases only the reader’s allowances will be paid if it is certified by the head of the Institution or Central/State Government Gazetted Officer or M.P./M.L.A.

   The payment of Scholarship shall be remitted by man of a Demand Draft to the head of the Institution/establishment who shall disburse it to the scholar at suitable intervals as may be specified, and obtain scholar’s acquaintance and the progress report, further Scholarship will be drawn and remitted. In no circumstances should the payment to the scholar exceed a month’s scholarship at a time except where it relates to the past period.

7. the payment of stipend to trainees in a recognised shall be regardless of any contribution that the establishment may voluntarily make by way of incentive.

1. for continuous absence of a period not exceeding three months, the Scholarship money may be paid in full on medical grounds supported by evidence of a government/semi-government hospital and the head of the institution/establishment. The period of leave availed of on any other grounds will not qualify for payment of Scholarship.
2. Payment of Scholarship will cease on the period of leave exceeding three months.
3. The trainee in any recognised institution shall submit the medical certificate for a Government or Semi-Government hospital for any leave of absence exceeding the week. The Scholarship will be admissible for a maximum period of leave of absence on medical grounds for 30 days. No Scholarship shall be admissible for any longer period of absence on leave.

1. The head of the institution/establishment shall forward to the State Department of Mass Education separately in respect of every candidate in his/her charge on annual progress report in the form given in Appendix – VIII.
2. If the progress of a candidate is not satisfactory, it shall be the responsibility of the head of the institution/establishment where the candidate is studying/working to issue monthly warnings to the effect that unless the candidate improves, Scholarship is likely to be cancelled. In case the head of the institution/establishment is not satisfied with the progress of the candidate in spite of the warnings, the Scholarship should not be paid to him/her and the matter should immediately be referred to the State Department of the Social Welfare for decision.

1. No candidate shall change an institution/establishment or a course of study/training for which he/she is in receipt of Scholarship under these rules. Scholarship will automatically be cancelled for the date of the course or institution/establishment is changed.
2. A candidate may be required to refund to the Govt. all the money received on account of Scholarship under these rules if he/she discontinues his/her studies/training without valid reasons during the course of the year for which a Scholarship is awarded.

1. A Scholarship shall be cancelled or withheld for a particular period which could be extended if a candidate fails to pass in an annual examination or if the progress continues to be unsatisfactory or if the conduct is found to be unsatisfactory which in the opinion of the Directorate of Mass Edn. Extn., merits cancellation of Scholarship.
2. Furnishing incorrect information or suppressing material facts will automatically entail cancellation of Scholarship besides other action being taken.
3. Every trainee shall abide by such rules as may be prescribed by the head of the establishment. Failure to do so will render him/her liable to discharge at the discretion of the head of the establishment. His/her decision is this regard shall be final. No Scholarship payment shall be made from the date of discharge from the establishment.

The Ministry of Social Welfare may at its discretion, extend Scholarship for such period as it considers fit to cover an extension of the period of study/training of the candidate caused by failure in an examination provided that the candidate’s failure is due to circumstances beyond control. Such extension shall normally be made on the advice of the head of the institution/establishment where the scholar/trainee is studying/working.

1. The Directorate of Mass Edn. Exten. may at its discretion, relax the educational and other qualification.
2. The Directorate of Mass Edn. Extension reserves the right to amend the rules without notice.