Question

The CM's Prathibha Scholarship Award targets which group of students?

• A. All students pursuing higher education.
• B. Only top-performing students from affluent families.
• C. Talented students who are economically backward.
• D. Students specializing in arts and humanities only.

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Talented students who are economically backward.

CM's Prathibha Scholarship Award

• The CM's Prathibha Scholarship Award is a significant financial aid initiative launched by the Government of Kerala.
• Its primary objective is to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder the academic aspirations of meritorious students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
• This scheme underscores Kerala's commitment to universal access to quality education and social equity.

Key Features and Eligibility Criteria

• Target Group: The scholarship specifically targets talented students who have excelled academically but face economic hardships. This means both academic merit and financial need are crucial criteria.
• Implementing Body: The scheme is typically managed by the Higher Education Department of the Government of Kerala, ensuring its proper administration and reach.
• Academic Requirement: Applicants are generally required to have secured high marks or specific grades (e.g., A+ in all subjects) in their qualifying examinations, such as the SSLC (Class 10) and Plus Two (Class 12) examinations.
• Economic Criterion: A crucial aspect of eligibility is the annual family income limit. This threshold, which varies periodically (e.g., historically around ₹1 lakh or ₹2.5 lakh), ensures that the scholarship benefits genuinely economically backward families.
• Course Eligibility: The scholarship primarily supports students pursuing higher education, particularly professional degree courses like Medicine (MBBS), Engineering (B.Tech), Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Law, and other allied fields. The studies must generally be undertaken in government or government-aided institutions within Kerala.
• Award Amount: The scholarship provides financial assistance, often in the form of an annual lump sum or recurring payments, to cover educational expenses.

Relevance to Kerala Model of Development

• The CM's Prathibha Scholarship aligns perfectly with the core tenets of the Kerala Model of Development. This model emphasizes high public investment in social sectors, particularly education and healthcare, to achieve high human development indices.
• Such scholarship schemes are instrumental in fostering inclusive growth and reducing educational disparities, which are hallmarks of Kerala's development strategy.
• By investing in human capital, the state aims to create a skilled and educated workforce, contributing to long-term socio-economic progress.

Competitive Exam Relevance

• For competitive exams, candidates should be aware of state-specific scholarship programs like the CM's Prathibha Scholarship.
• Questions may focus on the target beneficiaries (e.g., talented and economically backward students), the implementing department, or the criteria for eligibility (academic merit, income limits, domicile).
• Understanding the context of such schemes within broader development models (like the Kerala Model) is crucial for analytical questions in General Knowledge, Economics, and Public Administration sections.