ITANAGAR : The Education Department has disbursed Post-Matric Scholarship funds amounting to Rs 7,998.89 lakh to 27,219 students under the first installment for the academic year 2025-26. The amount was released on June 6 and is expected to be credited to beneficiaries’ bank accounts shortly.

According to the department, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, released Rs 7,199 lakh as the first installment of central assistance for the scholarship scheme. Subsequently, the Education Department received sanction for Rs 7,998.89 lakh on June 2, including the state government’s matching share.

The department stated that implementation of centrally sponsored schemes has recently shifted to the SNA-Sparsh payment mode through the Reserve Bank of India. Integration of the new payment system required coordination and technical alignment among the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), Integrated Financial Management System (IFMIS), Public Financial Management System (PFMS), the concerned ministry, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), resulting in some delay in processing payments.

The remaining 22,029 students will receive their scholarship payments after the Ministry of Tribal Affairs releases the next installment of funds. The department has already submitted the Utilisation Certificate for the first installment and requested the ministry to release the subsequent installment at the earliest.

Meanwhile, 2,157 students have been identified with Aadhaar or bank account-related issues that need to be rectified to facilitate successful credit of scholarship benefits.

The department also informed that state government-funded stipends and book grants were released in April this year.