Latest news with #DNT
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Scholarships: July 19, 2025
Free Coaching for DNT Students under the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) An initiative by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. Eligibility: Students belonging to De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes willing to pursue coaching for competitive exams such as NEET, JEE Main, CLAT, NDA, TOEFL, SAT, CA-CPT, RRB, Banking, Insurance, State Police, and CPL Courses and have passed Class 12 and have an annual family income must be less than or equal to ₹800,000. Reward: Up to ₹120,000 plus benefits Application: Online Deadline: August 3 Kotak Kanya Scholarship An initiative of the Kotak Education Foundation Eligibility: Girls who have scored 75% or more in Class 12 and have been admitted to the first year of UG programmes for 2025-26 in NIRF/NAAC accredited institutions and have an annual family income of less than ₹600,000 Rewards: ₹1,50,000 a year Application: Online Deadline: August 31 Infosys Foundation STEM Stars Scholarship Programme An initiative of Infosys Foundation. Eligibility: Girls who have completed Class 12 and are enrolled in the first year of UG STEM courses at recognised institutions; second-year students and those pursuing five-year Integrated or Dual Degree programmes; Annual family income must not exceed ₹800,000. Rewards: Up to ₹100,000 a year Application: Online Deadline: September 15 Courtesy:
Hindustan Times
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Govt withholds overseas scholarships due to ‘fund crunch'
The ministry of social justice and empowerment has issued provisional scholarship awards to 40 of the 106 candidates selected for its National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) for the 2025-26 academic year, with a notice saying that letters for the remaining 66 candidates 'may be issued… subject to availability of funds'. The scheme has 125 slots, but the allotment depends on the availability of funds.(Unsplash ) According to the July 1 announcement, the ministry placed 106 candidates on its selected list and 64 on the non-selected list and rejected 270 candidates. '106 candidates have been placed in the Selected list. Out of these, initially, the provisional award letters will be issued to the candidates from serial number 1 to 40,' the ministry said. It received 440 applications for the 2025-26 academic year between March and April. Non-selected means the students have not been considered in the list due to a cap of 10% state and other quotas. These students may be considered in the next list if those selected for provisional scholarships get rejected for failing to provide the required documents. While in previous years, all students in the selected lists received provisional scholarship letters at the same time, this year the ministry has decided to disburse the letters in a phased manner dependent on availability of funds, leaving students in a lurch. Also Read | UP CM Yogi Adityanath assures fee waiver to Class 7 girl, RSS-run school refuses: 'No such provision' 'Provisional award letters to the remaining candidates (from serial number 41 to 106) in the selected list may be issued in due course, subject to availability of funds,' it said. To be sure, the scheme has 125 slots, but the allotment depends on the availability of funds. This means the rejections are not absolute or that the students won't get the scholarships at all. The NOS program, started in 1954-55, provides critical financial support to students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Denotified Nomadic Tribes (DNT), semi-nomadic tribes, landless agricultural labourers, or traditional artisan categories, with a family income under ₹8 lakh per annum. It funds master's or PhD degrees at the top 500 global universities (according to QS rankings), offering up to $16,920 annually for a maximum of three years (master's) or four years (PhD). The scheme nominally provides 125 scholarships annually, capped at 10% per state. The ministry, however, said that the award of scholarships needs approval from the cabinet committee on economic affairs. 'It is an issue with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs not approving the money allocated to these scholarship schemes. We have the money, but we also need the green signal from above to give it out,' an official of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The uncertainty has come despite a significant increase in the budgetary allocation. Also Read | Best emerging courses for science students in 2025: AI, biotechnology and more In the Budget announced in February this year, the government allocated ₹130 crore to NOS for the FY 2025-26 — a 36.84% rise from the ₹95 crore in 2024-25. By December 19, 2024, the ministry had disbursed ₹56.29 crore to 80 beneficiaries for the current academic year. A Delhi-based candidate, ranked outside the top 40 and holding an offer for an MA in economics from a UK-based university, said: 'Without issuing any communication to students before announcing the results, the ministry said it will issue provisional letters to the top 40 students. I am not among the top 40 and will not be able to get the letter even after they issue letters to the next 40 students on the list. I feel stuck and confused about whether I should apply for other scholarships or wait. Even after being selected for the scholarship, I might not be able to study abroad if I do not have enough funds, which will affect my academic career.' Earlier, a similar disruption was reported in the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) under which over 1,400 PhD scholars have faced stalled stipend payments since January 2025. Similarly, there was confusion over the National Fellowship for Scheduled Castes (NFSC) for June 2024, for which the list was published in April 2025. The National Testing Agency initially released a selection list of 865 scholars in March 2025 and issued award letters, only to publish a revised list in April, drastically reducing selections to 805 and removing 487 previously chosen candidates. Also Read | DU panel clears move to drop papers on Pakistan, China, Islam Opposition leaders, including Congress's Rahul Gandhi, have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging resolution for various scholarships, but no government response has been reported. 'Post-matric scholarships for students from marginalised communities are plagued by delays and failures. While I have cited examples from Bihar, these failures are widespread across the country,' the letter had said. Experts expressed concerns about the situation. 'On one hand, India is emerging as the world's fourth-largest economy; on the other, it lacks sufficient funds to support just 125 scholars from historically marginalised communities in pursuing overseas education. This reflects the current government's approach to investing in the future of Dalit and Tribal scholars—the nation-builders of tomorrow. Instead of expanding opportunities, the government appears to be reducing funds and scholarships, which is deeply concerning. Our students who have admission offer letters from top foreign universities are worried about their future,' Raju Kendre, founder of Eklavya India Foundation which coaches marginalised students for scholarships, said.
The Wire
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Wire
Intercaste Marriage Support Scheme, Key To Social Change, Is Floundering
As we said earlier, this scheme provides financial assistance to intercaste couples who marry under the Hindu Marriage Act or the Special Marriage Act (SMA). One of the partners has to be from a Scheduled Caste, leaving out other marginalised groups. 'Dr. Ambedkar argued intercaste marriage is an important tool to annihilate caste. So people from other marginalised caste groups such as NT, DNT, ST should be included in such schemes,' said Milind Awad, modern India caste scholar and associate professor at JNU. Within a year of the marriage, couples had to submit their Aadhaar cards, marriage certificate, joint bank account details, and a letter from the district collector/ social justice department certifying that the couple is not already availing the scheme's benefits, central or state. Beneficiaries receive this grant in three chunks – an initial Rs 50,000 within a few months of the wedding, followed by Rs 1 lakh a year later and then the remaining Rs 1,00,000 after five years. As we said, the grant is critical in helping many couples start their married lives because of the social and familial complications of an inter-caste marriage in India. In his experience of facilitating intercaste and inter faith marriages for over a decade now, Pune activist Abhijit Alka has seen couples being thrown out by their families, not supported or protected by the police and in financial distress. 'Those who marry [outside their caste] face strong opposition from families, and have to leave their homes. They need it [the support] most,' said Abhijit Alka, who runs the 'Right to love campaign' started by the Anhad social foundation, a non profit that works to facilitate intercaste and interfaith marriages. In a country like India, where caste discrimination and caste atrocities are a part of everyday life, intercaste marriage, as Ambedkar said, can be a radical anti-caste tool. Jyotiba and Savtribai Phule, and Sahu Maharaj encouraged and supported the intercaste marriages within their families. Despite a long history of anti-caste movements, Maharashtra continues to report 'honour' killings of men and women who enter intercaste marriages. As many as 19 murder cases have been reported in just two years in the state (16 in 2017 and 3 in 2018). Acknowledging the need for safe spaces for intercaste couples, the Sneh Aadhar Foundation and the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) started a safe house in Satara five years ago. Shankar Kanase has been managing this space which provides free stay with protection, food and other basic necessities to the intercaste couples for up to one year. 'Patriarchal families, blinded by false ideas of caste pride, can torture and kill couples. So schemes that support and encourage inter-caste marriages should be implemented and made accessible,' said Kanase, joint secretary of the anti-caste division of MANS. So far, 17 couples have sought shelter in the Satara safe house. Recently, the Bombay High Court, in reference with a Shaktivahini's (a non profit) petition in the supreme court, directed the Maharashtra government to establish such safe houses for the protection of inter-caste couples and interfaith couples. Until these homes are built, the court has ordered that such couples be accommodated either in government guest houses or rented premises with adequate police protection. Following this, the home department of Maharashtra issued a notification on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on May 13, 2025. This SOP says a special cell should be formed at the district level, involving the superintendent of police, a social welfare official and the district women and child development officer to ensure the safety of these intercouples. If couples – both intercaste or interfaith and married as well as unmarried – approach the police with safety concerns, they should be immediately provided police protection and safe house for up to six months. For this, couples will be charged a minimal sum. They will also be provided support for marriage registration and offered free legal aid from the district or state legal services. According to the National Crime Record Bureau's 2022 report, 18 cases of honour killings and 27 of murders traceable to caste issues were reported in India.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man who sold diet pills made from poison jailed
A man who sold diet pills on the internet which were actually poison has been jailed for three years. Kyle Enos, 33, had only been out of prison for a few months for selling fentanyl online when he bought the drug 2, 4 Dinotrophenol, or DNP, on the dark web from suppliers in India and China. He pressed it into pills in his bedroom in Maesteg, Bridgend. Cardiff Crown Court heard DNP is a regulated substance classed as both a poison and a secondary explosive that has caused at least 34 deaths in the UK. Judge Simon Mills told Enos his website gave the impression that the tablets were produced in "some sort of professional laboratory by people in white coats and qualifications and expertise". Officers raided Enos' property on Station Road in Maesteg on 25 July 2024 and found 2.5kg of orange powder and a machine used to press it into pill form. Enos admitted a total of eight charges at Cardiff Magistrates Court including possessing 2, 4 DNP, supplying the drug and supplying a regulated poison. He had also admitted five charges of failing to comply with a Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO) handed to him following his fentanyl convictions. In 2018 he was sentenced to eight years in prison for supplying "significant amounts" of the opioid, fentanyl to a total of 166 contacts. Four of those contacts, including Jack Barton, 23, a Cardiff University student, and Arran Rees, 34, from Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, died. No charges were brought in relation to their deaths as it could not be said with certainty Enos had supplied the fentanyl. Having served some of his eight-year sentence, he was released on licence, in 2021, but was recalled to prison in June 2022, before being released again in August 2022. Organised crime group sentenced after drugs bust Drug production booming in UK's empty high streets £250m drug bust warning to criminals, say police Under the terms of his SCPO he was not allowed to sell products online or in a virtual marketplace; he was not allowed to access the dark web and had to notify a National Crime Agency (NCA) officer about possessing mobile phones and laptops and creating his own internet page. Enos pleaded guilty to five failures to comply with his SCPO having used a laptop to access the dark web to set up a Proton email account with end-to-end encryption and creating up a website selling DNT. The court was shown screengrabs of his online marketplace which included suggestions of products customers "may also like" giving the impression of it being a legitimate pharmacy. He took payment for the drugs by bank transfer, bitcoin and other cryptocurrency from customers around the world, including as far away as New Zealand. Enos has refused access to police to some of his devices. DNP is the drug which led to the death of Eloise Parry, 21, at hospital in Wrexham, in 2015. The Glyndwr University student, died after taking eight capsules. In bodycam footage shown to the court the powder can be seen in a washing up bowl on his bedroom floor next to an empty pizza box. Underwear can also be seen next to his bed by the pill press machine and another washing up bowl filled with pills. Judge Simon Mills said he wanted the footage to be released to the media for members of the public to be made aware of the unsanitary conditions in which the pills were made. "You were selling poison to the general public," said Judge Mills. "Your pharmacy was in fact your house or flat and you were preparing and pressing the pills you were selling to the general public on a filthy piece of equipment amongst training shoes and discarded underwear." He was sentenced to a total of 36 months in prison. "You have a propensity for selling dangerous substances to people," said Judge Mills, adding: "This is a habit that you must stop." "The court doesn't know the full extent of the harm that you did by peddling this horrendous substance. "If any of your product is still out there in the community and it can be shown to have killed someone, you should face an investigation for manslaughter, but hopefully that will not happen." A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing will be held later this year.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Political leaders pay homage to Perumpidugu Mutharaiyar
Leaders from across the political spectrum paid tributes to Emperor Perumpidugu Mutharaiyar in Tiruchi on Friday, marking his 1,350th birth anniversary. A steady stream of visitors from various political parties, organisations and youth groups from Tiruchi and neighbouring districts gathered near the Mutharaiyar statue on Bharathidasan Salai to offer floral tributes. Deputy Chief Minister and DMK Youth Wing Secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin led the party's delegation, accompanied by Ministers K.N. Nehru (Municipal Administration), S. Regupathy (Law), and Siva V. Meyyanathan (Backward Classes Welfare). Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi paid his respects earlier in the day. From the BJP, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan, and State President Nainar Nagendran also paid their respects along withformer Minister Natham R Viswanathan from the AIADMK, and AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran and visited the memorial complex near the Central Bus Stand. Addressing the media, Mr. Murugan said a memorial for Mutharaiyar would be constructed at a location worthy of his legacy once the National Democratic Alliance forms government in Tamil Nadu. He also announced that the Centre would release a commemorative postal stamp next year in Mutharaiyar's honour. Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, Naam Tamilar Katchi chief coordinator Seeman and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam general secretary were also among those who paid homage. Traffic snarls were reported across several parts of the city, including, Head Post Office junction, Bharathidasan Salai, TVS Tollgate, Sanjeevi Nagar, Cauvery Bridge, Chathiram Bus Stand, and Ponmalai G Corner as a large number of people converged in the city for the occasion. More than 1,200 police personnel were deployed for security. As per the order of District Collector M. Pradeep Kumar, 26 TASMAC liquor outlets and three recreation clubs in and around the city were closed until 6 p.m. to maintain law and order. Meanwhile, Mutharaiyar Ezhuchi Sangam, has welcomed the Union government's decision to conduct a caste-based census. In a press statement, the organisation's honorary president, S. Pannerselvam, urged the government to hold prior consultations with caste-based organisations, citing complexities in classification. He alleged that the State government was issuing caste certificates to Mutharaiyars under various names and demanded that they be issued under the Denotified Tribes (DNT) category. He further urged that DNTs, who currently fall under the Most Backward Classes (MBC) category, be given a separate reservation quota based on their population.
