Cash Award to the Meritorious Visually Impaired Students Obtaining First Three Ranks at the State Level in the SSLC and HSC Examination

Cash Award to the Meritorious Visually Impaired Students Obtaining First Three Ranks at the State Level in the SSLC and HSC Examination provides cash prizes to visually impaired students who secure the top three ranks at the state level in the SSLC and HSC examinations. Department of Social Welfare, Government of Puducherry offers this award to students studying in government and private schools across the Union Territory.

Under this scheme, students who secure the first, second or third rank in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations get cash prizes of ₹20,000, ₹15,000 and ₹10,000 respectively. The prize amount depends on the rank secured in the final result.

This scheme is a way to appreciate the hard work of visually challenged students and push them to keep performing well in their studies. The award money helps with future education expenses and related needs, so the student can continue the academic journey without money problems.

Students from all regions of Puducherry, including Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam, can come under this scheme if they meet the eligibility conditions. Ranks are decided on the basis of total marks in the qualifying examination, and the award is given after the exam results are announced.

Cash Award to the Meritorious Visually Impaired Students: Key Information

Benefits

Students who top the state level results among visually impaired candidates in SSLC and HSC receive the following cash awards:

Students with disabilities in Puducherry can also check related support schemes such as Award of Scholarship to Differently Abled Person Students and Scheme for Reimbursement of Educational Expenses to Hearing Impaired Students Pursuing Special Higher Education Courses for additional help from the same department.

Eligibility

To get this award, a student must meet the following conditions:

• Resident of Puducherry: Student must be a native or resident of the Union Territory of Puducherry for at least 5 years. A residence cum nativity certificate is needed as proof.
• Visual impairment certificate: Student must have a valid Disability Certificate proving the visual impairment, and a self attested copy must be attached with the application form.
• Medium of study: Student must have completed SSLC or HSC in either Tamil or English medium.
• Rank in board exam: Student must have passed the qualifying SSLC or HSC examination and secured one of the first three ranks at the state level.

Application Process

The application for this cash award is done offline. Students or their parents need to visit the Directorate of Social Welfare office and follow the steps given below.

STEP 1 - Visit the nearest Sub Office of Social Welfare Department during working hours and ask for the prescribed application form for this cash award scheme.

STEP 2 - Fill the form with correct personal and academic details. Paste a recent passport sized photograph and attach self attested copies of all required documents. Make sure the details in every document match the entries in the school records.

STEP 3 - Submit the completed application to the authority for your region. For Puducherry, submit to the Deputy Director, Differently Abled Section, Directorate of Social Welfare. For Karaikal, submit to the Assistant Director, Social Welfare Department (Sub Office). For Mahe and Yanam, submit to the Welfare Officer (i/c), Social Welfare Department (Sub Office).

STEP 4 - Collect the acknowledgement receipt from the office. It mentions the date and time of submission and is useful for future reference and follow up.

Documents

Keep these documents ready before applying so that the form can be completed in one visit:

• Aadhaar card for identity and address proof
• Residence cum nativity certificate issued by a competent authority
• Recent passport sized photograph
• Bank passbook for fund verification
• Address proof and age proof
• Ration card
• Disability certificate for the visual impairment
• Study certificate showing SSLC or HSC pass with rank details

References

More details and official documents are available on these pages:

• Directorate of Social Welfare, Puducherry official website
• Citizen's Charter
• Official Guidelines for Cash Award
• Sub Offices of Social Welfare Department
• Contact Us page
• National Grievance Redressal Portal

FAQ's

Who can apply for this cash award?

Visually impaired students who are residents of Puducherry for at least 5 years and have secured the first, second or third rank at the state level in SSLC or HSC examination can apply.

How much award is given for each rank?

First rank gets ₹20,000, second rank gets ₹15,000 and third rank gets ₹10,000.

Is the application process online?

No. Applications are submitted offline at the Directorate of Social Welfare office or its sub offices in Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam.

Which documents are required?

Aadhaar card, residence cum nativity certificate, passport sized photograph, bank passbook, address proof, age proof, ration card, disability certificate and study certificate.

Who should I contact in Karaikal?

The Assistant Director at the Social Welfare Department Sub Office in Karaikal handles the submissions.

Can the award be canceled?

Yes. If the award is sanctioned based on false information or mistaken grounds, the authorities can recover the prize money along with interest.

Where can I file a grievance?

Any issue can be raised on the National Grievance Redressal Portal of the Government of India.