Meghalaya will disburse scholarships before Christmas: Conrad K Sangma

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has announced that all pending scholarships under both state and central schemes will be released before Christmas, promising to end delays that have affected thousands of students across the state.

Addressing students on October 31, Sangma stated that the government had taken a firm decision to disburse the Chief Minister’s Scholarship Scheme by December and to advance funds for the Centrally Sponsored Scholarship, even before the state receives sanction from the Government of India.

“We recognised that delays in disbursing scholarships have significantly impacted our students,” he said, adding that a mechanism has now been created to allow the state to release money in advance and later adjust it once central funds arrive.

The Chief Minister explained that the state had initially expected around 70,000 applications for the CM Scholarship Scheme but received nearly 1,00,000. The screening process, he said, is in its final stages and should be completed in a few weeks.

Sangma emphasised that both scholarships — the state’s own and the 90:10 centrally funded scheme — would be released before Christmas. “We will not wait for the Government of India to release the amount,” he remarked, describing the decision as a proactive measure to ensure timely assistance.

He said the move was aimed at ensuring that financial constraints do not disrupt students’ education or morale. The government hopes that the early release of scholarships will provide much-needed support and “motivate students to work harder and study in a more committed way.”

The announcement comes amid growing concern among students and parents over repeated delays in scholarship disbursement. The Chief Minister’s assurance, if implemented as planned, could mark a significant shift towards faster, more efficient delivery of educational aid in Meghalaya.