CM Yogi To Distribute Scholarships To Over 4.83 Lakh OBC students

The Uttar Pradesh government under the direction of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has started scholarship distribution for the financial year 2025–26 earlier than ever before, beginning in September, officials said on Thursday.

In the first phase, the government distributed around Rs 62.13 crore, benefiting more than 2.5 lakh students belonging to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) from classes 9 to 12. The second phase of the scholarship distribution will take place on Friday, during which Rs 126.68 crore will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of over 4.83 lakh students.

According to an official statement, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will personally oversee the direct transfer of scholarships during a ceremony organised by the Backward

Class Welfare Department at the Lok Bhavan Auditorium in Lucknow.

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Backward Class Welfare and Divyangjan Empowerment, Narendra Kashyap, said the vision of “Viksit Bharat-Viksit Uttar Pradesh” could be achieved only by ensuring education for the state’s youth.

He said the government’s goal is to ensure that no talented student is deprived of education due to financial constraints.

Kashyap informed that the process of scholarship and fee reimbursement for students from disadvantaged and economically weaker sections has been made faster, transparent, and fully digital.

He added that under the new system, scholarship distribution began in September for the first time in a financial year.

Kashyap further stated that the budget of the Backward Class Welfare Department has increased from Rs 1,295 crore in 2016–17 to Rs 3,124.45 crore in 2025–26, an increase of more than 2.5 times.

He also highlighted that the allocation for scholarship and fee reimbursement schemes has grown significantly. In 2016–17, during the Samajwadi Party regime, it stood at Rs 1,092.36 crore, he added.

Kashyap said scholarships are now distributed entirely online through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency.