Context:
Despite its goal to support meritorious students from low- and middle-income families through financial aid for higher education, the PM Vidyalaxmi Scheme is witnessing low application clearance rates, with 76% of applications still pending. Public Sector Banks (PSBs) have raised serious concerns over technical and operational hurdles impeding the scheme’s rollout.
Key Issues Identified by PSBs:
1. Technical Challenges:
- Login failures due to server-level errors
- Frequent auto-logouts from the portal
- Incomplete migration of old leads to the new platform, obstructing tracking of historical applications
- Lack of comprehensive MIS (Management Information System) data access for better reporting and monitoring
2. Operational Limitations:
- No provision to download detailed application data
- Inability to track earlier submissions or progress
3. Application Processing Concerns:
- PSBs advised to reduce turnaround time (TAT) for processing to 3–5 days
- Banks instructed to allow application rectification instead of outright rejections due to minor errors
- Students may now submit college-issued certificates instead of freshly validated documents
Loan & Subsidy Features:
- Collateral-free and guarantor-free loans up to ₹7.5 lakh, backed by 75% credit guarantee
- 3% interest subvention for families earning up to ₹8 lakh/year
- Full interest subsidy for students from families with annual income up to ₹4.5 lakh under the PMUSP CSIS scheme
Current Performance (As on April 1, 2025):
- Total applications received: 2,963
- Pending: 76%
- Sanctioned: 20%
- Rejected: 4%
Next Steps Suggested by the Finance Ministry:
- Awareness campaigns to boost outreach and trust
- Clear timelines on the portal for transparency
- Flexible documentation norms to ease student burdens
The PM Vidyalaxmi scheme has strong potential to democratize access to higher education financing in India. However, technical failures and process inefficiencies are currently hindering its success. With the government’s renewed push and corrective action from PSBs, the scheme could soon meet its goals—provided operational and digital infrastructure is promptly improved.
BS
