The Ministry of Labour and Employment has decided to revise the guidelines under the Labour Welfare Scheme’s education component. The amendment will allow students who receive welfare-based scholarships from the Ministry to also apply for and receive merit-based scholarships offered by Central or State government agencies.

According to the Ministry, the change addresses a long-standing issue where students from unorganised worker families were forced to forgo merit scholarships due to overlapping eligibility conditions. The revised provision ensures that deserving students are not denied financial assistance simply because they are already covered under a welfare scheme.

The move is expected to directly benefit the children of Beedi, Cine, and Non-Coal Mine workers. By expanding access to financial support, the Ministry aims to improve higher education enrolment and reduce dropout rates among these groups.

With the amendment in place, eligible students will now be able to combine welfare assistance with merit-based scholarships, easing financial pressure and enabling them to pursue higher studies with greater stability.