The Bihar government’s flagship Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana graduation scholarship scheme faces significant delays as thousands of female graduates await their ₹50,000 incentive payments, with fund shortage and verification backlogs creating uncertainty for students across the state.
Current Payment Statistics and Beneficiary Status
Total Fund Allocation and Distribution
According to official sources, the Bihar government allocated ₹990 crore for the current financial year under the Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana for graduation-pass students. Of this amount, ₹200 crore has already been disbursed in earlier phases, leaving ₹700 crore for current distributions.
Students Who Have Received Payments
Recent data indicates that approximately 60-80% of eligible students have received their payments, with over 1.98 lakh students expected to benefit from the scheme. The scheme targets around 5 lakh graduation-pass female students who completed their degrees between April 1, 2021, and December 31, 2024.
Pending Applications and Verification Status
A significant number of applications remain in various stages of processing:
Approximately 4 lakh applications are currently under verification by universities and the education department
Students with “Pending with Education Department” status are awaiting final approval after university verification
Many applications are stuck at “University Maker/Checker Pending” due to technical issues and verification backlogs
Reasons for Payment Delays
Primary Causes of Delays
1. Fund Shortage Crisis
The most critical issue affecting payments is the depletion of allocated funds. Education department sources confirm that only 20-30% of the total fund remains available, and this will be exhausted in the current payment round.
2. University Verification Backlogs
Universities are conducting verification of graduation certificates through designated agencies
Portal technical issues have disrupted verification processes for the past 7 days
Different universities are processing applications at varying speeds, creating inconsistent timelines
3. Aadhaar and Documentation Issues
Aadhaar validation failures due to name mismatches and spelling errors
Students with “Not Seeded” Aadhaar status cannot proceed with payments
Bank account linking problems affecting Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
4. Technical System Problems
Multiple status check links have been created due to portal malfunctions
OTP verification system additions have slowed down status checking processes
Finalization process disruptions affecting application completion
Timeline for Complete Payment Distribution
Immediate Payment Prospects
Based on current information from education department sources:
Current Round: Students with “In Process” status may receive payments within 24-48 hours
Next Phase: After Durga Puja festival, verification processes will resume
Final Current Fund: Remaining 20-30% funds will be distributed in October 2025
Long-term Payment Timeline
Critical Update: Sources indicate that students whose applications remain pending after the current fund depletion may have to wait until 2026 for payments. This is due to:
Assembly Election Code of Conduct implementation expected after Durga Puja
New Government Formation: Payment releases may be suspended until new government takes charge
Next Fund Allocation: Likely to occur in January-February 2026 under the new government
Government and Administrative Response
Official Statements
Education department officials have assured that 100% eligible students will eventually receive payments, though timeline uncertainty persists. The department has:
Issued instructions to all universities for expedited certificate verification
Enabled special verification processes through UIDAI permissions
Implemented multiple payment processing rounds to clear backlogs
Support Measures
Technical Support: New status check portals with OTP verification
University Coordination: Direct communication with colleges for faster processing
Student Assistance: Helpline numbers and correction windows for application errors
Impact on Students and Families
Financial Hardship
The delays have created significant hardship for students who depend on this incentive for:
Higher Education Funding: Many planned to use the amount for post-graduation studies
Family Support: Economic assistance during job search periods
Marriage Expenses: Traditional use of graduation incentive for wedding preparations
Student Concerns
Common issues reported by students include:
Confusion over multiple status check systems
Inability to track application progress due to technical glitches
Fear of missing payments due to documentation errors
Scheme Background and Achievement
Historical Performance
Since the scheme’s inception in 2018:
Total Beneficiaries: Over 6 lakh female students
Amount Distributed: ₹2,600 crore disbursed to date
Payment Increase: Incentive raised from ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 in April 2021
Current Scope
The 2025 application window, which opened on August 25 and closed on September 14, received applications from:
Students who graduated from recognized Bihar institutions
All castes and categories eligible without income restrictions
Only unmarried female graduates qualified for the scheme
Verification and Processing Challenges
University-Level Issues
Capacity Constraints: Universities struggling with large volume verification
Staff Shortage: Limited personnel for certificate authentication
Technical Integration: Portal connectivity issues between state and university systems
Administrative Bottlenecks
Document Authentication: Multiple-level verification causing delays
Inter-Department Coordination: Communication gaps between education and finance departments
Election Period Restrictions: Administrative limitations due to upcoming polls
Future Outlook and Recommendations
Immediate Actions Needed
Emergency Fund Release: Additional allocation to clear current pending cases
System Upgrades: Technical improvements to prevent future portal failures
Process Simplification: Streamlined verification to reduce processing time
Long-term Solutions
Automated Systems: Implementation of AI-based verification to speed up processing
Regular Fund Allocation: Quarterly releases instead of annual lump sums
University Integration: Better coordination mechanisms with educational institutions
The Bihar Kanya Utthan Yojana graduation scholarship scheme, while successful in supporting female education, currently faces critical challenges that affect thousands of students. With approximately 60-80% of eligible students having received payments and ₹990 crore allocated for the program, the immediate concern is fund depletion and verification delays.
Students whose applications remain pending after current fund exhaustion may need to wait until 2026 for payments, depending on new government policies post-elections. The scheme’s long-term success depends on addressing technical infrastructure, improving inter-institutional coordination, and ensuring consistent fund allocation to prevent future delays.
For students currently waiting, the recommendation is to ensure all documentation is correct, maintain updated Aadhaar seeding status, and monitor official portals for status updates while preparing for potential extended waiting periods.
