Shillong: Shillong Lok Sabha MP and Meghalaya Congress leader Vincent H Pala has called on the centre to introduce a scholarship scheme worth Rs 10 crore per annum for Northeastern students who wish to appear in the UPSC exams.
In a letter addressed to Union DoNER Minister, G Kishan Reddy, Pala highlighted that the representation of Northeastern states in IAS/IPS/other central civil services is very low, with only a few successful candidates from Manipur and Assam.
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Pala suggested that lack of guidance and adequate facilities are responsible for the low success rate, and that there is an immediate need for the Ministry of DoNER to identify deserving and needy civil services aspirants to undergo coaching in Delhi or respective state capitals.
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The scholarship amount, according to Pala, can be evenly distributed among the eight states of the Northeast.
Pala also recommended that a coaching institute of national repute with a good success rate and a presence in the region should be identified immediately through this scheme.