One year after the Karnataka government ordered refunds for Scheduled Caste students in management and NRI quota seats, no payments have been made despite budget releases.
The state issued the order on May 9, 2025, covering SC students with family incomes up to ₹10 lakh who secured seats in private engineering and medical colleges. The Social Welfare Department released ₹20 crore from an ₹80 crore first-quarter allocation under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan, but the funds have not reached beneficiaries.
Parents have described hardships caused by the delay. Suresh from Vijayapura district said his son paid ₹12 lakh for a management quota seat at Ambedkar Medical College in Bengaluru last year using a bank loan. He noted that additional loans were taken for the second-year fees with no reimbursement received despite repeated requests.
Students allege the released amount was diverted to hostel purchases such as cots and beds. Venugopal Maurya, state convener of the Democratic Dalit Student Federation, warned that protests would begin if refunds are not processed immediately. The Social Welfare Department commissioner was unavailable for comment.
