Maharashtra Cabinet Approves Higher Allowance for SC, ST Students

The Maharashtra Cabinet approved revised financial support for Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste students who pursue higher education but are unable to secure admission to government hostels.

The decisions were approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday (October 6, 2026), along with measures covering hostel staff honorariums and other policy areas.

Revised support for Scheduled Tribe students

The revision applies to the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Swayam Yojana, which supports Scheduled Tribe students pursuing higher education after class 12.

The Chief Minister’s Office said the number of Scheduled Tribe students enrolling in various courses has been increasing, while the admission capacity available in government hostels has fallen short.

The government operates hostels for Scheduled Tribe students at divisional, district, taluka and rural levels, enabling boys and girls to pursue higher education while staying outside their native villages.

Under the scheme, students who cannot obtain admission to government hostels receive a lump-sum annual amount for food, lodging and maintenance at fixed rates.

The amount is credited directly to their bank accounts through DBT, or Direct Benefit Transfer.

The scheme has been implemented since the academic year 2016-17 for Scheduled Tribe students pursuing higher education after class 12 who could not get admission to government hostels.

Students studying in Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur will now receive ₹80,000 a year, up from ₹60,000.

The revised ₹80,000 allowance includes ₹42,000 as food allowance, ₹28,000 as lodging allowance and ₹10,000 as maintenance allowance.

For students studying in other locations, the annual amount has been increased to ₹50,000 from ₹38,000.

At other revenue divisional headquarters and in ‘C’ category municipal corporation areas, the allowance will rise to ₹68,000 from ₹51,000.

Medical and engineering students will also receive a one-time amount of ₹8,000 per year for educational materials.

Students in other streams will receive ₹4,000 per year for educational materials.

Grants for Scheduled Caste and Navbuddha students

The Cabinet also approved revised assistance under the Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Swadhar Yojana.

The scheme covers students from Scheduled Castes and Navbuddha categories who are eligible for government hostels but could not obtain admission and are pursuing higher education.

Students studying in Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Nagpur will receive a total annual grant of ₹80,000.

Students attending colleges and educational institutions in other district locations, as well as within a 5-kilometre radius of municipal corporation limits, will receive a total annual grant of ₹57,000.

Students pursuing higher education at taluka-level locations will receive a total annual grant of ₹50,000.

The taluka-level grant comprises ₹30,000 as food allowance, ₹13,000 as lodging allowance and ₹7,000 as maintenance allowance.

Higher honorarium for hostel staff

The government also approved an increase in the honorarium for staff working in 2,388 hostels for Scheduled Caste students.

These include 1,804 hostels for boys and 584 hostels for girls, with a total student capacity of 99,852.

In hostels located in metropolitan areas and in ‘A’ and ‘B’ category municipal corporation areas, the honorarium for superintendents will increase from ₹10,000 to ₹20,000.

The honorarium for cooks in these hostels will rise from ₹8,500 to ₹17,000.

Helpers and watchmen will each receive ₹15,000, up from ₹7,500.

In hostels located in the remaining areas of the state, superintendents will receive ₹15,000, cooks ₹12,000, helpers ₹10,000 and watchmen ₹10,000 under the revised honorarium structure.

Other Cabinet decisions

The Cabinet approved the announcement of the Chief Minister Shaurya Medal for officers and police personnel who risk their lives in the line of duty.

The award includes ₹50,000 in cash, a medal and a certificate.

Awardees will be selected annually through a three-tier committee system and announced on the eve of Maharashtra Day, May 1, every year.

The other decisions listed by the Cabinet included a hike in royalty relief for the Wadar community in stone quarrying and a compensation policy for custodial deaths.

Source: The Hindu