Maratha students in Maharashtra to get educational benefits on par with OBCs

The Maharashtra government has announced that students from the Maratha community will be eligible for a range of educational concessions and welfare benefits currently available to the Other Backward Classes OBC category according to a government resolution GR issued on FridayThe decision is expected to expand access to scholarships fee reimbursements vocational training and other educational support schemes for Maratha students across the state beginning from the 202627 academic yearGovernment Issues Resolution Extending Educational BenefitsThe government resolution directs all concerned departments to implement the benefits and make adequate budgetary provisions in the current and upcoming financial years to support the schemesThe move comes shortly after Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange ended his hunger strike following discussions with a government delegation that reportedly presented a 12point proposal addressing several demands raised by the communityOfficials said the objective of the policy is to improve educational opportunities skill development and access to financial assistance for students from the Maratha communityScholarships and Fee Reimbursements IncludedUnder the new policy Maratha students will become eligible for postmatric scholarship schemes currently available to OBC studentsScholarship programmes covering primary secondary and higher secondary education will also be extended to Maratha beneficiaries In addition vocational training fee reimbursement schemes applicable to OBC students enrolled in Industrial Training Institutes ITIs and private vocational institutions will now be available to Maratha studentsThe government has also approved the extension of educational assistance covering various academic expenses incurred by students pursuing higher education in aided and unaided institutionsBenefits for Professional Courses and OutofState EducationAccording to the GR Maratha students pursuing professional courses outside Maharashtra will be eligible for the same educational concessions currently available to OBC students from the stateThe policy further states that Maratha students will be entitled to benefits for all courses covered under existing OBC educational assistance schemesStudents admitted to vacant seats after the completion of the Centralised Admission Process CAP will also be eligible for educational concessions on the same basis as OBC candidatesDriver Training and Skill Development Schemes ExtendedThe government has also extended skill development initiatives to Maratha students The Motor Vehicle Driver and Conductor Training Scheme currently implemented for OBC candidates will now be made available to eligible Maratha applicants through the states SARTHI portalOfficials said the measure is intended to improve employment opportunities and vocational skills among young people from the communityFuture OBC Educational Benefits to Apply AutomaticallyOne of the significant provisions in the government resolution states that any educational concession or facility available to OBC students at present or introduced in the future will automatically apply to the Maratha community until further ordersThis provision is expected to ensure that Maratha students continue to receive educational benefits without the need for separate government notifications whenever new schemes are introducedMahaDBT Portal to Be UpdatedTo facilitate implementation the government has directed departments to coordinate with the Information Technology Department for necessary modifications to the MahaDBT portal The changes will enable eligible Maratha students to submit online applications for scholarships reimbursements and other benefitsThe implementation process will be monitored periodically by the cabinet subcommittee constituted to examine the social educational and economic status of the Maratha community and recommend welfare measuresMove Follows Recent Talks With JarangeThe decision comes in the wake of recent negotiations between the state government and Manoj Jarange whose agitation had focused on reservation and welfarerelated demands for the Maratha communitySpeaking to PTI on Friday Jarange claimed that the government had accepted several demands raised during his protest He also stated that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had approved the proposal for creating a separate ministry dedicated to issues concerning the Maratha communityThe state government has not yet issued a formal announcement regarding the proposed ministry Meanwhile the newly announced educational benefits are set to take effect from the 202627 academic yearWith inputs from PTI