A Useful guide for SC/ST/OBC students of West Bengal Most of us(tens of thousands of us all over West Bengal- from the tea gardens of Darjeelingto the dusty lanes of Midnapore to the concrete jungle of Kolkata)-know the immense joy of landing a seat in a good school or university. But soon after the festivities die down, reality knocks.
How am I supposed to afford the hefty fee this year? The textbook?The Hostel fees?
To save us from this financial crisis that forces promising candidates to abandon their studies midway, the West Bengal Backward Classes Welfare Department and the tribal Development Department (OASIS) introduce a portal, aptly named www.oasis.gov.in that provides a single platform for its students to apply for both Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarships in West Bengal. For every student (belonging to SC/ST/OBC) of the state who finds himself in this predicament, this article provides an authenticate guide on eligibilities of you the Scholarship,documents required, process to apply etc.
How do the schemes under OASIS Portal work?
OASIS refers to ‘Online application for 'SOCIAL INSURANCE SCHEME’ which has been specially introduced for the betterment of students from SC, ST and OBC Communities of the state of West Bengal to serve as a web-based platform that is specially created for the submission ofapplications for various welfare schemes of scholarships administered by either backward Classes Welfare Department, or tribal Development Department. The facility extends to both Pre-Matric Scholarships (for those preparing for 9th and 10th class) and Post-Matric scholarships (for higher studies). So let the process of getting these scholarships be a hassle-free one!
The process involves these simple steps:
Pre-Matric scholarship: Class 9 and 10 (including some special schemes beginning with Class 1 for some categories)
Post Matric scholarship: class 11 and 12, ITI, Polytechnic, Undergraduatedegree, Postgraduate degree, MPhil and PhD Schemes OASIS scholarship Eligibility and Income limit To ensure financial assistance reaches deserving candidates, the application for the scholarships will be screened based on age and income of the applicant. However, there are separate income guidelines in place for each category: S.T. Category & Level Income Limit (In rupees/per annual) Class I toClass X 2,00,000 Class XI to doctoral level programmes 2,50,000 S.C.
Category & Level Income Limit: (In rupees/per annual) Class X to Class XIV 2,00,000 Class XI to doctoral programmes 2,50,000 O.B.
Category & Level Income Limit(In rupees/per annual)All classes to doctoral programmes 1, 00, 000 Important Information for the S.T. Students: Now it has become mandatory for S.T. Students to complete their one-time registration (OTR) on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). The student will receive an Unique OTR number which will have to be entered while filling the OASIS scholarship Application form.
Documentation Required: Carefully check and collect these from authentic sources so you dont get a rejection from the district officer for an invalid document.
It is essential to get copies ready of the following document in scanned Format:
Caste certificate, income certificate (updated for the fiscal year),Aadhaar Card, the Students copy of Bank Passbook, the Students last Marksheet, Bonafied Certificate by the respective Institute, a copy of last Admission Fee Voucher, Passport Sizephoto (in JPEG format)
Procedure for applying for OASIS scholarship: Step-by-Step guide The procedure for the application of OASIS scholrships is as follows;
1: Online registration: Log onto the website-oasis.gov.in and search for a student Registration section. Before registering yourself with any institution, be mindful of registering for the same district where your educational institute is located rather than your natives domicile as that will lead to a direct cancellation of your scholarship application. Afterwards select your district, register and log inwith the User ID and password received by the portal, based on the details of your Caste certificate.
2. Fill in yourapplication form: Once you are successfully logged in, now you need tofill themain Application form by providing the details including Your Address, marks obtained in the previous year's examination, the institution's of which you are a part, your Bank details and so on. Make certain that you fillin your bank account details accurately so that the scholarship amount couldbe credited to your account without any interruption.
3. Verify and Lock theapplication: Ensure that you re-check every detail before locking the Application Form as it cannot be edited in future once locked. After successful verification, now the student can verify and lock the form.
4. Submit the hard copy: of the Application Form to The institution of your study. A printout of your application form along with the scancopies of your documents (mentioned above) mustbe submitted at your respective schools/ colleges/ departments or Block Development office, based onthe information provided at the website or during the online process.
5. Remind your school's scholarship desk to verify you. The application, once approved from district level, is sent for its onward to the student's institute for the FINAL VERIFICATION and APPROVAL.
Common Reasons for Rejections: Be Aware!
Most of us commit mistakes during the Application procedure which results in our rejection by the concerned departments; we've have put together the most common reasons and their possible remedies for you:
- Banks account Not Linked with Adhaar (DBT issue): Many students get all their approvals done, but later find it extremely Difficult to get the amount because of non Aadhaar-based account linked to their DB Tsystem. So, visiting your Bank branch and requesting them link your account with Aadhaar will resolve the issue.
- Incorrect District Selection: Students often select their home address or natives district instead of the region or the district where your school or institution is located, this will leads to your Rejection from the selection process.
- Out dated income proof: You must upload a fresh Income certificate (from the current fiscal year) to avoids Rejection on this score Most students, completely, forget to get back to their institutional college/school, which results in their rejection.
Therefore, be wise, after visiting the bdo office to submit your scholarship application and document and get your application form received duly Stamped, Remind your College to look for its existence online to finally approve it. The OASIS Scholarship can be your light; dont let it flicker out. If eligible, collect your necessary documents, get your application form prepared before the website starts throwing out "APPLICATION CLOSED" popups.