The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment implements the Central Sector ‘Scheme of National Fellowship for SC Students’ to provide financial assistance to students belonging to SC category, in the form of fellowship, to pursue higher studies leading to M.Phil/P.hD in Indian Universities/Institutions/Colleges recognized by University Grants Commission (UGC). This is a Central Sector Scheme directly implemented by the Ministry without involvement of the State Governments and since the year 2018-19 the selection of students is done on the basis of merit determined through the National Eligibility Test (NET) examination of the UGC and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Therefore, district-wise data of beneficiaries is not maintained. However, the details of the number of awardees across the country, and in the State of Odisha, during the last five years, are as under:
| Statement showing No. of selections under National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste | ||
| Year | No. of awardees across India | No. of awardees in Odisha |
| 2017-18 | 2000 | 75 |
| 2018-19 | 2315 | 50 |
| 2019-20 | 2366 | 62 |
| 2020-21 | 4841 (including backlog slots) |
132 |
| 2021-22 | 1932 | 71 |
This information was given by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri A. Narayanaswamy in the Lok Sabha in a written reply today.