Maharashtra extends OBC-like educational benefits to Marathas, rolls out 8 schemes
In a significant move for the Maratha community, the Maharashtra government has decided to grant Maratha students educational concessions on par with OBCs, including scholarships, fee reimbursements and skill-training programmes under eight newly-launched schemes.
The Maharashtra government on Friday extended a host of educational benefits available to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to the Maratha community, rolling out eight welfare and scholarship schemes aimed at boosting access to education and skill development for Maratha students.
The decision, approved by the Devendra Fadnavis-led government, seeks to provide Maratha students with benefits similar to those enjoyed by OBC students across various stages of education and skill development. The move is expected to benefit thousands of students from the Maratha community and comes amid the state's continuing efforts to address long-standing demands for greater educational opportunities and support for Marathas.
As part of the move, the state government decided to implement eight schemes for the Maratha community, including scholarship programmes, training initiatives and fee reimbursement facilities.
Among the key benefits are post-secondary education scholarships for students who have completed Class 10, scholarships for students studying in secondary and higher secondary classes, and motor vehicle driver and conductor training programmes.
Maratha students will also be covered under schemes offering reimbursements under 16 different categories available to eligible students. The benefits will extend to Maharashtra residents pursuing professional courses in both aided and unaided institutions outside the state.
The government has further decided that Maratha students will be eligible for all courses and educational support schemes currently available to OBC students.
MOVE COMES AFTER MANOJ JARANGE-PATIL'S HUNGER STRIKE
The announcement follows Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil's decision to end his latest indefinite hunger strike on May 31 after receiving a 12-point proposal from the state government, amid renewed pressure over reservation and welfare demands of the community.
Jarange sat under a scorching summer sun at his village in Jalna district on May 30, putting pressure on the Maharashtra government, whose representatives submitted the 12-point proposal to him with an appeal to end the strike, his ninth in the past three years.
The activist has renewed his key demands, including the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to members of the Maratha community to avail the OBC quota and withdrawal of cases registered against Maratha protesters who participated in the reservation agitation. He also sought the creation of a ministry for the Maratha community on the lines of the one for the Other Backward Classes (OBC).
ANOTHER BENEFIT FOR MARATHA STUDENTS
In another significant measure, Maratha students taking admission at the institute level against seats left vacant after the completion of the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) will receive the same educational concessions available to OBC students, subject to approval by the Admission Regulatory Committee.
Officials said all educational concessions and facilities that are presently applicable to OBC students, or may be introduced to them in the future, will automatically be extended to Maratha students until further orders.