LUCKNOW, Jan. 12 -- In an important decision to ensure that only eligible students benefit from the Post-Matric Scholarship and Fee Reimbursement Scheme run by the social welfare department, the Uttar Pradesh government has made amendments to the Post-Matric Scholarship and Fee Reimbursement Scheme Regulations-2023. These amendments will apply equally to students from Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes as well as the general category. This step by the Yogi government is seen as an effective effort to bring transparency to the admission processes in private educational institutions while safeguarding the interests of genuinely eligible students. Deputy director, social welfare, UP, Anand Kumar Singh said the main objective of the amendment is to make the admission process in private educational institutions technically transparent and clear, so that only eligible students can avail the benefits of scholarships and fee reimbursement. This will effectively curb the misuse of the scheme through management quota, spot admissions, and other non-transparent admission processes, he added. Under the amended rules, SC/ST students studying in vocational or technical courses in private educational institutions will be eligible for the scheme's benefits only if their admission was through a fully transparent process. This includes the institution issuing public advertisements to invite applications, preparing a rank list, and publishing a selection list, all of which are now mandatory. Additionally, fees collected from students must be only those approved by the competent authority or the fee regulatory committee. General category students will also receive fee reimbursement benefits, provided their admission was through a transparent process and only approved fees were charged from them. Singh clarified that students admitted through management quota, spot admissions, or any other non-transparent process will not be eligible for the scheme's benefits. Similarly, no benefits will be provided if the institution charges fees exceeding the prescribed amount....