The Madhya Pradesh government has announced the ‘Bhagwan Shri Krishna Medhavi Chhatravritti Yojana’, offering Rs 1 lakh scholarships to 102 students to connect Gen Z with Lord Krishna’s legacy, triggering a political clash with the Congress party.
MP Govt Announces ‘Shri Krishna’ Scholarship for Students
In a bid to connect with Gen Z through the teachings and legacy of Lord Krishna, the Madhya Pradesh government has announced the launch of the ‘Bhagwan Shri Krishna Medhavi Chhatravritti Yojana’, under which 102 meritorious students across the state will be awarded scholarships of Rs 1 lakh each.
The state government said the initiative aims to promote Indian knowledge systems, traditions, arts and holistic learning among the youth.
According to the government, the scholarship is intended not only to reward academic excellence but also to encourage students to develop skills inspired by the concept of Lord Krishna’s 14 Vidyas (branches of knowledge) and 64 Kalas (arts). The scheme will cover students studying at the school, college and university levels. Its detailed framework, including eligibility criteria, selection process and evaluation parameters, will be prepared by the Shri Krishna Pathay Nyas.
‘Lord Krishna as the first Gen Z’
Chief Minister’s Cultural Advisor Shriram Tiwari said the initiative seeks to connect the younger generation with India’s cultural heritage by drawing inspiration from Lord Krishna’s life. “If we try to understand Lord Krishna in today’s context, we can identify him as the first ‘Gen Z’. By the age of around 11 years, he had accomplished extraordinary feats in Mathura. Later, under the guidance of Maharishi Sandipani in Ujjain, he mastered the 14 Vidyas and 64 Kalas, which enabled him to transform society. The scholarship reflects Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s vision of promoting India’s traditional knowledge systems alongside modern education,” Tiwari said.
Application and Selection Process
Tiwari said 102 scholarships would be awarded every year, including 51 scholarships for school students studying in government, central government, tribal welfare, aided or private schools. The remaining scholarships will be open to Higher Education students pursuing higher education, including those in ITIs, IITs, medical, technical and journalism courses, as well as eligible private candidates and researchers.
He further said applicants would have to register through a dedicated website and answer an online questionnaire containing more than 30 questions based on the prescribed themes. Different applicants would receive different sets of questions, and if the number of successful candidates exceeds the available scholarships, the final selection would be made through a lottery among eligible candidates.
Political Row Erupts Over Scheme
The announcement of the scheme, however, triggered a political row, with the Congress accusing the state government of using the name of Lord Krishna for political purposes. Congress Media Department Chairman Mukesh Nayak said that instead of introducing such schemes, the government should focus on addressing issues affecting students. “If the government wants to connect with the youth, it should stop paper leaks, end irregularities in examinations, ensure schools and colleges function on time, teachers attend classes regularly, examinations are conducted on schedule and results are declared on time. Why are you misusing the name of Lord Krishna? Why are you turning educational institutions and campuses into centres of ideological conflict? There should be a healthy campus culture and discipline. Only then will Gen Z accept you,” Nayak said.
The Congress leader further took a swipe at the ruling party, alleging that it had shifted from invoking Lord Ram to Lord Krishna for political reasons. Meanwhile, the BJP hit back at the Congress over its allegations, accusing the opposition of having a problem with the Sanatan tradition and opposing every positive initiative of the government. “The Congress has always had a problem with Sanatan Dharma. Earlier it objected to Lord Ram, and now it has started objecting to Lord Krishna as well. This scheme is an initiative to honour meritorious students and promote India’s cultural heritage,” said Pankaj Chaturvedi, BJP spokesperson. (ANI)
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