Scholarship Scandal: Fake Certificates Uncover Deception in Tripura

The Tripura government's Tribal Welfare Department identifies 34 ST students who used fraudulent income certificates to obtain post-matric scholarships. The discovery has led to show cause notices issued to the students, demanding explanations before potential legal actions are taken.

The Tripura government has responded sternly against academic fraud as 34 ST students were caught using false income certificates to claim post-matric scholarships, according to a senior official's statement on Wednesday.

Director of the Tribal Welfare Department, Subhasish Das, confirmed that during the 2023-24 academic year, a significant number of 35,665 ST students applied for scholarships on the National Scholarship Portal. Out of these, 34,436 students were legitimately granted a total of Rs 68.13 crore.

Investigations revealed that 34 students submitted fabricated documents to misappropriate funds, which is considered document forgery and fraud, prompting authorities to issue show cause notices. These students must respond by April 16 to avoid potential criminal charges.

(With inputs from agencies.)