Full form, administrative mandate, and background
- Full Form: Other Eligible Communities (OEC).
- Administrative mandate: Administered by the Backward Classes Development Department and SC/ST Development Department, Government of Kerala.
- Social objective: To uplift socially and educationally backward communities facing historical disadvantages comparable to Scheduled Castes.
- Categorization: Divided into OEC (SC) and OEC (OBC) categories based on community origins and statutory government orders.
Key educational concessions and welfare entitlements
- Tuition fee waiver: Complete reimbursement and exemption of tuition, examination, and special fees in recognized educational institutions.
- Post-matric scholarships: Financial stipends covering study materials, boarding, and book grants for higher education students.
- Hostel facilities: Subsidized or free accommodation in government-run post-matric hostels and designated welfare facilities.
- Professional courses: Financial assistance for students admitted under merit or reservation quotas in engineering, medical, and agricultural colleges.
Eligibility criteria and online application procedure
- Community certificate: Valid community and non-creamy layer certificate issued by the competent revenue authority (Tahsildar/Village Officer).
- Income limits: Annual family income limits as notified periodically by the state government for specific scholarship schemes.
- E-Grantz portal: Applications for educational concessions must be submitted through the official E-Grantz portal (egrantz.kerala.gov.in).
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): Approved scholarship grants are credited directly to the student's Aadhaar-seeded bank account.
Official source
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Kerala Backward Classes Development Department ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What is the full form of OEC?
OEC stands for Other Eligible Communities.
Which state government implements the OEC scholarship scheme?
The Government of Kerala primarily implements OEC educational concessions through the SC/ST and Backward Classes Development Departments.
What benefits do OEC students receive?
Benefits include complete tuition fee exemption, examination fee waivers, post-matric scholarships, and subsidized hostel facilities.
Where can students apply for OEC educational assistance?
Students can apply online through the Kerala E-Grantz portal at egrantz.kerala.gov.in.
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