CHENNAI: With only fewer applications received last year, the Ministry of Education has instructed the Tamil Nadu government to create awareness about the PM-USP central sector scheme of scholarship for college and university students this year.

A senior Higher Education Department official, seeking anonymity, said that the deputy secretary (scholarship), Department of Higher Education under the Ministry, have sent an email and a circular to the official concerned here about the poor response from the students for applying to the PM-USP central sector scheme of scholarship.

Quoting the circular, he said that the allocated quota for the students, who could avail the scheme for Tamil Nadu was 4,883. “However, only 6,616 applications were received during last year (2023-2024),” he added.

The official said as per the request from the Ministry, a detailed order was issued to the Directorate of Technical Education, to create awareness among the students about the PM-USP scholarship scheme.

The State’s communication to the management of the colleges here also pointed out that students, who were in top twenty percentile in higher secondary from Tamil Nadu State Board and the parent’s annual income up to Rs 4.5 lakh are eligible to apply for this scholarship.

“Fewer applications from them will deprive the deserving students of Tamil Nadu from benefits of this scheme,” the additional secretary of Higher Education department said in his circular.