Centre's Free Coaching Scheme for SC, OBC students benefitted them in NEET, JEE and other exams

More than 74 crores were spent in the last five years under the Central Sector Scheme of Free Coaching Scheme (FCS) for SC and OBC students. As many as 8761 students benefited under the Free Coaching Scheme (FCS) for SC and OBC students during the last 5 years in various exams including NEET, JEE, UPSC, SPSC, SAT and GRE Examinations etc.

The 'Central Sector Scheme of Free Coaching Scheme (FCS) for SC and OBC students' is implemented for providing coaching for competitive examinations to economically disadvantaged Scheduled Castes and OBC students in the country, including in the states of Odisha and Rajasthan.

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Sushri Pratima Bhoumik apprised the Lok Sabha through a written reply that a total of 8761 students have benefited under the scheme during the last 5 years for the competitive examinations covered under the scheme including UPSC, SPSC, JEE, NEET, SAT and GRE Examinations etc. Under the Free Coaching scheme, 30% of the total available seats are reserved for female students. However, there is no reservation of seats for disabled students under the scheme.

Being a Central Sector scheme, there is no provision for State wise/district-wise funds allocation under the scheme.

As per the details of the total expenditure given under the scheme during the last 5 years, INR 19.84 crore was spent in the year 2017-18, INR 14.87 crore in 2018-19, INR 13.26 crore in 2019-20, INR 11.96 crore in 2020-21, and INR 14.98 crore in 2021-22.

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