Pre Matric Scholarship for OBC, EBC and DNT Students

7195 GI/202 3 (1) EXTRAORDINARY PART II —Section 3 —Sub-section ( ii) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 4745] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY , NOVEMBER 17 , 2023/ KARTIKA 26, 1945 CG-DL-E-17112023-250112 MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (Department of Social Justice and Empowerment ) NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 16th November , 2023 S.O. 4954(E).—Whereas, the use of Aadhaar as identity document for delivery of services or benefits or subsidies simplifies the Government delivery processes, brings in transparency and efficiency, and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly to them in a convenient and seamless manner and Aadhaar obviates the need for producing multiple documents to prove one’s identity; And whereas, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India ( hereinafter referred to as the Ministry/Department) is administering the Pre - Matric Scholarship for Other Backward Classes(OBC), Economically Backward Class(EBC) and De -notified Tribes (DNT) Students (PM YASASVI) (hereinafter referred to as the Scheme) with an objective of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Pre -Matric Scholarship for OBC, EBC and DNT (who are not covered under Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes) Students by providing financial assistance at pre -matriculation or secondary stage, which is being implemented through the States or Union territories (hereinafter referred to as the implementing Agency) And whereas, under the Scheme, Scholarship ( hereinafter referred to as the 'benefit ) is given to the OBC, EBC and DNT Students ( hereinafter referred to as the beneficiaries ) by the implementing Agency as per the Scheme and extant guidelines issued thereunder. And whereas, the implementation of the Scheme involves recurring expenditure incurred from the Consolidated Fund of India. Now, therefore, in pursuance of section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the Central Government hereby notifies the following, namely: - 1. (1) an individual desirous of availing the benefit under the Scheme shall be required to furnish proof of possession of the Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication; (2) any individual desirous of avai ling the benefit under the Scheme, who does not possess the Aadhaar number or, has not yet enrolled for Aadhaar, shall be required to make application for Aadhaar enrolment subject to the consent of his parents or guardians (in case of child beneficiaries ), provided he is entitled to obtain Aadhaar as per Section 3 of the said Act, and such children shall visit any Aadhaar enrolment centre (list available at the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) website www.uidai.gov.in to get enrolled for Aadhaar. (3) As per regulation 12 of the Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016, the Ministry or Department through its Implementing Agency, is required to offer Aadhaar enrolment facilities for the bene ficiaries who are not yet enrolled for Aadhaar and in case there is no Aadhaar enrolment centre located in the respective Block or Taluka or Tehsil, the Department through its Implementing Agency shall provide Aadhaar enrolment facilities at convenient loc ations in coordination with the existing Registrars of UIDAI or by becoming a UIDAI Registrar themselves: Provided that till the time Aadhaar is assigned to the individual, benefit under the Scheme shall be given to such individuals, subject to the produc tion of the following documents, namely : – 1. for children below eighteen years of age: (a) (i) if the beneficiary was enrolled after the age of five years (with biometrics collection), his Aadhaar Enrolment Identification slip, or of bio -metric update identification slip; or (ii) a copy of the request made for Aadhaar enrolment by the beneficiary: and (b) any one of the following identity documents of the beneficiary, namely: - (i) Birth Certificate or record of birth, issued by the appropriate authority; or (ii) School identity card, duly signed by the Principal of the school containing parents name and (c) any one of the following documents as proof of relationship of the beneficiary with the parent or legal guardian as per the extant Scheme guidelines, namely: - (i) Birth Certificate or record of birth, issued by the appropriate authority or (ii) Ration Card, or (iii) Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme Card, or Employees’ State Insurance Corporation Card or Central Government Health S cheme Card; or (iv) Pension Card, or (v) Army Canteen Card, or (vi) any Government Family Entitlement Card, or (vii) any other document as specified by the Ministry/Department; II. For beneficiaries of 18 years of age and above (a) if he has enrolled, his Aad haar Enrolment Identification slip; and (b) any one of the following documents, namely : - (i) Bank or Post office Passbook with Photo; or (ii) Permanent Account Number Card; or (iii) Passport; or (iv) Ration Card; or (v) Voter Identity Card; or (vi) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act card ; or (vii) Kisan Photo passbook; or (viii) Driving license issued by the Licensing Authority under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (59 of 1988); or (ix) Certificate of identity having photo of such person issued b y a Gazetted Officer or a Tehsildar on an official letter head; or (x) any other document as specified by the Ministry/Department Provided further that the above documents may be checked by an officer specifically designated by the Ministry or Department fo r that purpose. 2. In order to provide benefits to the beneficiaries under the Scheme conveniently, the Ministry or Department through its Implementing Agency shall make all the required arrangements to ensure that wide publicity through media shall be given to the beneficiaries to make them aware of the requirement of Aadhaar under the Scheme. 3. Where Aadhaar authentication fails due to poor biometrics of the beneficiaries or due to any other reason, the following remedial mechanis ms shall be adopted, namely: - (a) in case of poor fingerprint quality, iris scan or face authentication facility shall be adopted for authentication, and the Ministry or Department through its Implementing Agency shall make provisions for iris scanners or face authentication along with finger -print authentication for delivery of benefits in seamless manner; (b) in case the biometric authentication through fingerprints or iris scan or face authentication is not successful, wherever feasible and admissible authentica tion by Aadhaar One -Time Password or Time - based One -Time Password with limited time validity, as the case may be, shall be offered; (c) in all other cases where biometric or Aadhaar One -Time Password or Time -based One -Time Password authentication is not po ssible, benefits under the Scheme may be given on the basis of physical Aadhaar letter whose authenticity can be verified through the Quick Response (QR) code printed on the Aadhaar letter and the necessary arrangement of QR code reader shall be provide d at the convenient locations by the Ministry or Department through its Implementing Agency. 4. Notwithstanding anything contained herein above no child shall be denied benefit under the Scheme in case of failure to establish his identity by undergoing authentication, or furnishing proof of possession of Aadhaar number or in the case of a child to whom no Aadhaar number has been assigned producing an application for enrolment, the benefit shall be given to him by verifying his identity on the basis of ot her documents as mentioned in clauses (b) and (c) of Clause 1 of the proviso to sub paragraph (3) of paragraph 1 and where benefit is given on the basis of such other documents, a separate register shall be maintained to record the same which shall be re viewed and audited periodically by the Ministry or Department through the implementing Agency. 5. In order to ensure that no bona fide beneficiary (other than children) under the Scheme is deprived of his due benefits, the Department through its Implem enting Agency shall follow the exception handling mechanism as specified in the Office Memorandum of Direct Benefit Transfer Mission, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India No. D -26011/04/2017 -DBT, dated the 19th December 2017 (available on https://dbtbharat.gov.in/ ). 6. This notification shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette in all the States and Union territories. [F. No. 14017 /7/ 2023 -DBT] BISWARANJAN SASMAL , Jt. Secy. Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring R oad, Mayapuri, New Delhi -110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi -110054.