The Tribal Welfare Department has issued a detailed clarification regarding news reports published in various newspapers on January 10, 2026, alleging deprivation of scholarships for tribal students. The department stated that these reports do not reflect the actual facts and realities.
For the academic year 2024–25, a total of 33,375 scholarship applications were submitted through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). As of December 31, 2025, scholarships had been disbursed to 32,530 students, which is about 97 percent of the total applicants, involving an expenditure of ₹53.55 crore. In April 2025 alone, scholarship amounts were credited to 28,163 students, covering nearly 85 percent of the target, with an expenditure of ₹28.03 crore.
The department highlighted that Tripura became the first state in the North-East and the second in the country after Goa to complete scholarship disbursement within one month of the close of the financial year, marking a significant achievement at the national level.
The delay in disbursing the remaining amount was primarily due to the introduction of the new mandatory SNA-SPARSH payment system by the Union Ministry of Finance. Initial technical issues in this system affected not only Tripura but also several other states across the country. To resolve the matter, a special team from the Tribal Welfare Department visited Delhi and held discussions with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), requesting one-time permission to use the earlier SNA-PFMS system. After receiving approval, the remaining funds were released on October 29, 2025, and accordingly, on November 6, 2025, scholarship amounts were credited to the accounts of another 4,367 students.
Out of the total applicants, 613 students faced difficulties in receiving scholarships due to bank–Aadhaar linkage issues. The department extended deadlines seven times through official notifications and provided necessary assistance to help students complete the linkage process. Meetings were also held with all tribal student organizations, seeking their cooperation in spreading awareness and ensuring that affected students complete the required formalities.
Additionally, field-level investigations in educational institutions outside the state, conducted under the leadership of senior officers, detected serious irregularities in 148 applications. Following this, the concerned institutions themselves cancelled and declared those applications invalid after their own inquiries.
In another 84 cases, multiple irregularities were found, including students applying from more than one institution in the same academic year, applying after completion of courses, applying for first-year scholarships while studying in the second year, and other violations of the NSP norms and Post-Matric Scholarship guidelines. The concerned students and institutions were informed and cautioned accordingly.
The department expressed serious concern over an incident that occurred on January 9, 2026, when some students linked to these 84 irregular applications created a highly unruly, tense, and dangerous situation inside the Tribal Welfare Department office in the name of protest. They allegedly intimidated officers, attempted to forcibly obtain scholarship funds, blocked all entry and exit points, unlawfully confined officials and staff for a prolonged period, and severely disrupted official work. The miscreants also reportedly assaulted government officers, interfered with official duties, created fear and insecurity, and indulged in vandalism. The department described these acts as grave criminal offences that are completely unacceptable.
Strongly condemning this pre-planned violence and hooliganism, the department stated that it cannot remain a silent spectator when government employees are attacked, unlawfully detained, and threatened under the guise of student agitation. It was also alleged that the miscreants used obscene, derogatory, and insulting language against officials and even spread false propaganda against the Hon’ble Minister of the department. Consequently, the department has decided to file FIRs and initiate strict legal action against all those involved in threats, physical assaults, vandalism, and obstruction of government work.
The department further expressed regret that certain sections of the media published misleading and completely false reports alleging delay and misappropriation of scholarship funds. Such allegations have been categorically rejected. It was reiterated that Tripura is among the leading states in the country and the first in the North-East to achieve near-complete disbursement of scholarships for the 2024–25 academic year. All financial transactions are fully documented and digitally secured, and are open for inspection by the Accountant General of the state, the state government’s internal audit, and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India.
Finally, the Tribal Welfare Department appealed to the media to acknowledge and support its continuous efforts in ensuring timely scholarship distribution and preventing irregularities. These measures are essential to ensure that government funds reach genuinely deserving, needy, and meritorious students, and that no dishonest individuals or middlemen are able to misuse or siphon off money meant for this welfare scheme.
