PIB News Update: Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Naik has informed that There is no exclusive scheme to provide scholarship to the wards of deceased defence personnel. The wards of deceased defence personnel are already covered under the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) under National Defence Fund which is meant for wards of Ex-servicemen.
The details of the scheme are as follows:-
- Initially the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) was started from Academic Year (AY) 2006-07 wherein students were awarded Prime Minister’s Scholarship annually @ Rs. 15,000/- for boys and Rs. 18,000/- for girls.
- With effect from AY 2012-13 the rate of scholarship under Prime Minister’s Scholarship was revised annually at the rate of Rs. 24,000/- for boys and Rs. 27,000/- for girls.
- With effect from AY 2019-20, the existing rate of scholarship has been increased annually at the rate of Rs. 30,000/- for boys and Rs. 36,000/- for girls.
- The allotment of scholarship is made on merit among the wards of Ex-servicemen including deceased defence personnel who have applied each year. No separate data of state-wise distribution of deceased personnel is maintained. However, during the last three financial years, scholarship disbursed to wards of Ex-servicemen of Rajasthan as under:-
| Financial Year | No. of Beneficiaries | Amount disbursed |
| 2016-17 | 198 | Rs. 50,83,500/- |
| 2017-18 | 221 | Rs. 56,57,875/- |
| 2018-19 | 335 | Rs. 80,52,320/- |
The ambit of PMSS has been extended to the wards of State Police officials also who are martyred during terror/naxal attacks. The quota of new scholarships for wards of state police officials will be 500 in a year from Academic Year 2019-20. Ministry of Home Affairs will be the nodal Ministry in this regard.