Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (April 14, 1891 to December 06, 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the Constituent Assembly debates, served as Law and Justice Minister in the first cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru, and inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement after renouncing Hinduism.

Dr Ambedkar Foundation, an autonomous body was set up on March 24, 1992, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment is the Chairperson of the Foundation.

The Centenary Celebration Committee of Babasaheb Dr B.R. Ambedkar headed by the then Prime Minister of India decided to set up Dr Ambedkar Foundation to carry out the programs and activities for furthering of Dr Ambedkar's ideology and spread his message of social justice to the masses not only in the country but also abroad.

The Foundation has been entrusted with the responsibility of managing administering and carrying on the important and long-term schemes and programs identified during the Centenary Celebrations of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

The main objectives of the Foundation inter alia include implementation of programs and activities for furthering the ideology and message of Babasaheb Dr B. R. Ambedkar among the masses in India as well as abroad.

The Foundation has been entrusted with the responsibility of managing, administering and carrying on the important and long-term schemes and programs identified during the Centenary Celebrations of Dr B. R. Ambedkar.

It has two aspects one is Dr Ambedkar Scholarship for pre-matric and post-matric students and another is welfare schemes and programs for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Dr Ambedkar Scholarship:

Dr Ambedkar Scholarship for pre-matric and post-matric students is a scholarship scheme which is implemented by the BC Department of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. This scheme is specifically for those students who belong to Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs). Under this scheme, the government intents do promote education among DNTs to bring them at par with the other sections of the society.

To fulfil this purpose, Dr Ambedkar Scholarship for pre-matric students of DNTs offers a scholarship amount of up to INR 1500 per annum and up to INR 1200 is given to post-matric DNT students.

Dr Ambedkar Scholarship for Pre-& Post-matric Students:

Under this scholarship scheme, the candidates belonging to the category of DNTs receive financial assistance which funds their education and helps them complete their studies without worrying about monetary concerns.

The fund transfer is done through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode for the beneficiaries’ bank accounts must be linked with Aadhaar Card. Also, the scholarship is renewed every year provided the candidates fulfills the terms and conditions required for the renewal of the scholarship.

Eligibility:

Every scholarship scheme keeps certain terms and conditions for students to fulfil in order to avail its benefit. Similarly, you need to make sure that you fulfil the eligibility conditions of Dr Ambedkar scholarship for pre-matric and post-matric students before filling the application form.

The applicants must belong to the denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) that are not included in the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. The annual family income of the applicants must not be more than INR 2 Lakh from all the sources.

The applicants must be studying in class 1 to 10 and class 11, 12 (including general, vocational stream, ITI courses, 3-year diploma courses in Polytechnics, etc.), graduation, postgraduation, M.Phil, Ph.D. and Post-doctoral programs.

Though Dr Ambedkar scholarship scheme has been started by the BC Division of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the financial assistance under this scheme is released by the State Governments/UT Administrations/Universities/Colleges to cater to the needs of the eligible students. Under this scheme, the share of funding by the State and Central Government is 25:75.

Therefore, those who are eligible to apply for this scholarship can contact the education department of their state if they wish to apply for the Dr Ambedkar Scholarship for pre-matric and post-matric students of DNTs.

Dr Ambedkar Foundation has been entrusted with the responsibility of managing, administering and carrying on the schemes and programs for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Dr Ambedkar Medical Aid Scheme:

The scheme is meant to provide financial assistance to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes patients suffering from serious ailments for surgery related to kidney, heart, cancer, brain, spinal surgery or any other life-threatening conditions. The scheme is meant for families whose annual income is not more than Rs 3 lakhs.

The scheme is implemented in all hospitals fully funded either by the Central Government or the State Governments. It also applicable in all government hospitals in districts or major towns where surgery or treatment facility for kidney, heart, liver cancer, brain and any other life-threatening disease including organ transplant and spinal surgery is available.

Dr. Ambedkar National Relief for SC/ST victims of Atrocities:

The scheme is in the nature of contingency arrangement to provide instant monetary relief to victims of relatively heinous offences of atrocities under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The relief amount under this Scheme would be directly provided to the victims or their family members or dependents by the foundation.

The State/UT Government or the District Administration may, in the cases of falling under the categories of atrocities identified under the scheme, prepare proposal for financial assistance to the SC/ST victims of atrocities in a prescribed format and forward to the Foundation for its consideration.

The Foundation may also take suo-motto cognizance of any case of atrocity and depute an officer for visiting the place of atrocity for taking necessary action under the scheme.

The victim should belong to ST/SC who has suffered atrocities committed by other communities on the grounds of his/her caste, community or identity in the society. The atrocity should be heinous in nature under the POA ACT, 1989 like murder, rape, arson, etc.

The relief amount up to Rs 5 lakhs would be paid to each victim, with the approval of the Chairperson of the Foundation for its consideration. The amount of relief will be in addition to the relief amount given by the respective State Governments.

This scheme is meant for providing financial assistance to SC victims of atrocities or their family members or dependents in order to compensate them financially.

The scheme has been formulated keeping in view the growing atrocities against the SCs and with an aim to financially assist SC/ST victims of atrocities.

Dr. Ambedkar Scheme for Social integration through caste marriages:

Sociologists have argued that caste system is a hierarchical system in which castes are placed one above another on the basis of social status and prestige. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar defined Indian caste system as a system based on graded inequality.

Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights ACT (PCR) and Prevention of Atrocities (POA) Act, Central assistance to State Governments and Union Territory Administrations is provided towards incentive for inter-caste marriages where one of the spouses belongs to Scheduled Caste.

Inter-caste marriages can be one of the significant steps to reduce the caste-prejudices, abolish untouchability and spread the values of liberty, equality, fraternity etc. in the society.

The objective of the scheme is to appreciate the socially bold step, of an inter-caste marriage, taken by the newly married couple and to extend financial incentive to the couple to enable them to settle down in the initial phase of their married life.

It shall be the discretion of the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment and Chairman of Dr. Ambedkar Foundation to sanction the incentive to the couple.

Under the scheme, district authorities and State Governments are persuaded to be more proactive in supporting inter-caste marriage by organizing mass inter-caste marriages in the Districts/States.

The proposal to seek incentives under the scheme should be recommended by the Welfare Department of the State/UT Government/District Magistrate/ District Collector/ Deputy Commissioner. The incentive of a legal inter-caste marriage shall be Rs 2.50 lakhs per marriage.