New Delhi – The Indian government has announced a significant simplification in the application process for central scholarships targeting Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) students. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has eliminated the mandatory requirement of a domicile certificate, effective immediately.
This policy change, confirmed by the Ministry, is part of a broader initiative to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and make scholarship access more student-friendly. Previously, applicants for both Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Schemes for SCs and OBCs were required to furnish a domicile certificate, an official document certifying permanent residency in a particular state or Union Territory.
Easing Access for Millions of Students
The Ministry estimates that approximately 1.2 crore students benefit from these scholarship schemes each year. The removal of the domicile certificate requirement is expected to significantly ease the application process, reducing documentation and compliance costs for eligible beneficiaries.
“The removal of this requirement is expected to make the application process more student-friendly by reducing documentation, lowering compliance costs, and facilitating smoother access to scholarship benefits for eligible students,” the Ministry stated.
Introducing the SETU Platform
In parallel with this simplification, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has also launched the Scholarship for Educational Transformation and Upliftment (SETU) platform on UMANG. This digital initiative aims to create a single-window system for all scholarship-related services.
The SETU platform will enable students, Institutional Nodal Officers, District Nodal Officers, and state officials to register applications, track their status, and carry out validation processes through a unified interface. This is designed to improve transparency and efficiency in the administration of scholarships.
What is a Domicile Certificate?
A domicile certificate is an official document issued by a state government to certify that an individual is a permanent resident of that state or Union Territory. It is distinct from a residence certificate, which merely confirms a current address. Domicile certificates are commonly used to access state-specific benefits, including educational quotas, government jobs, and various welfare schemes. They are typically issued by authorities such as a Tehsildar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), or District Magistrate.