Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced the release of the second and final instalment of the Umbrella Post Matric Scholarship, amounting to ₹130 crore, for nearly 70,000 students for the 2024-25 academic year on Friday.
The event took place at the district auditorium and was attended by Education Minister Lakhmen Rymbui, Commissioner and Secretary of Education Vijay Kumar Mantri, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Vibhor Aggarwal, and Director of Higher and Technical Education Hazel D. B. Sangma.
During his address, Sangma explained that the state government is releasing the full scholarship amount using its own resources, as it has not yet received funds from the central government. He emphasised that the decision to provide the funds in advance was made to alleviate difficulties faced by students.
Previously, rules prevented the advance transfer of scholarships; however, the state has now established a mechanism with the central government to facilitate earlier disbursement. Once the Rs 130 crore is transferred to the Meghalaya Rural Bank, processing and account verification will take a few days before students receive their funds. He urged students to ensure their bank accounts are linked to Aadhaar.
Sangma reiterated that education remains a top priority for the government. He announced that reforms to address long-standing issues faced by ad hoc and SSA teachers are nearing completion and could be implemented in the next financial year.
The program also included participation from thousands of students virtually joining from 200 locations across the state. Sangma took this opportunity to outline the government’s long-term vision, which features youth-focused initiatives such as CM Elevate, YESS Meghalaya, PRIME, MGMP, STAR, and Hello Meghalaya.
“Entrepreneurship and skilling of the youth is critical for the state’s growth story,” he said.
He said the government had planned economic growth not just for the coming years but till 2047, with policies and programmes designed to position the youth as key drivers.
“You will be in the driver’s seat to take us into that phase of 2047 where Meghalaya should become one of the best states in the country,” Sangma said.
In his remarks, Education Minister Lakhmen Rymbui described the day as a “red-letter day” for the student community, marking the fulfilment of commitments made by the government to strengthen and expand access to education.
The programme was attended by heads of institutions, teachers, students and officials of the education department, with around 7,000 students participating online.
