Ahmedabad: The scheduled caste welfare department has issued strict instructions to all universities in Gujarat after complaints that several institutions were forcing scheduled caste (SC) students with valid freeship cards to pay tuition fees. Under the state govt’s post-matric scholarship scheme, SC students are entitled to freeship cards, obtained from district offices, which allow them to secure admission to self-financed colleges without paying fees upfront.The fee amount is later transferred directly into students’ bank accounts through the direct benefit transfer mechanism.However, multiple complaints alleged that some universities and self-financed colleges refused to honour the cards and demanded fees at the time of admission, placing a financial burden on economically disadvantaged students and defeating the purpose of the welfare scheme.The department has directed institutions to refrain from collecting any fees from eligible students until the scholarship amount is credited to their accounts. Colleges have also been warned against pressuring students during the admission process or at the start of the academic year.Authorities also flagged concerns about the alleged misuse of the scheme, with some institutions claiming benefits fraudulently by showing fake admissions or enrolling non-attending students to claim benefits. Universities have been asked to monitor such practices and take corrective action. The govt has stated its intent to ensure eligible students face no financial barriers to education and that the scheme is implemented transparently across all institutions.
