SVMCM Utilization Certificate: Big Change in Swami Vivekananda Scholarship Renewal! This New Certificate is Mandatory to Get Money, Know Details
SVMCM Utilization Certificate: The West Bengal state government is always proactive in facilitating higher education for meritorious but financially disadvantaged students. With this aim, the ‘Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-Means Scholarship’ (SVMCM), popularly known as the Bikash Bhavan Scholarship, is operational. The new and renewal application process for the 2024-25 academic session has already commenced. However, a significant change has been introduced in the rules for renewal applicants this time. According to the new guidelines from Bikash Bhavan, submitting a specific certificate has been made mandatory to receive the scholarship amount.
Thousands of students from schools, colleges, and universities across the state receive scholarships ranging from Rs 12,000 to Rs 96,000 annually through this scheme. Until now, submitting the marksheet and admission receipt was sufficient for renewal. But from the current academic session, uploading a ‘Utilization Certificate’ has been made compulsory to maintain transparency and ensure the grant reaches the genuine students.
What is the Utilization Certificate?
In simple terms, the Utilization Certificate is a document that certifies that the student has utilized the scholarship money received last year for educational purposes. Additionally, this certificate is crucial to verify whether the student is attending regular classes at the respective educational institution and whether they are availing benefits of any other government scholarship simultaneously. Although it was not mandatory in previous years, the Higher Education Department has taken strict measures this time to prevent fraud.
Why Was This New Rule Introduced?
Sources from Bikash Bhavan reveal that in many cases, students are found pursuing courses from multiple institutions or have discontinued their studies after receiving the scholarship money. Some also try to avail benefits from multiple government schemes simultaneously, which is against the rules. To prevent such irregularities, this certificate signed by the Head of the Institution (HOI) has been made mandatory from now on. If this is not submitted, the renewal application will not be accepted, and the money will not be credited to the bank account.
Process to Download and Upload the Certificate
For the convenience of the students, the step-by-step process of collecting and submitting the Utilization Certificate is discussed below:
| Step | Action Required |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | First, log in to the SVMCM portal with your ID and password. |
| Step 2 | Go to the document upload section. You will see the ‘Download Utilization Certificate’ option at the top. |
| Step 3 | Download the certificate in PDF format and take a printout. |
| Step 4 | Fill out the form and take it to the Headmaster or Principal of your school or college. |
| Step 5 | Get the signature and stamp (Attestation) from the Head of the Institution. |
| Step 6 | Scan the signed form, upload it to the specific place on the portal, and submit it. |
Students are advised to complete this process as soon as possible to avoid the last-minute rush and server issues. Failure to submit the correct documents on time may result in your scholarship money being withheld.
