THE SPM results have just been released. Many students will be busy applying for various scholarships and loans to help finance them in their studies.

Here, I would like to voice my opinion on the criteria used for awarding scholarships. According to the Webster’s Dictionary, scholarship is defined as “the position of a student, who because of merit, needs, etcetra is granted money or other aid to pursue his studies. “

This means that if a student has worked hard and excelled in his studies, he deserves to be given a scholarship despite his financial background. This scholarship should be awarded to him as he has worked hard to earn it.

Thus, I feel that it is unfair to penalise a student and deprive him of a scholarship because he comes from a wealthy family.

If a student came from a poor background, he or she has to work extra hard to secure a scholarship as otherwise he can always apply for a loan.

A scholarship should be awarded according to the student’s own merit. It should have nothing to do with the parents’ income.

The fact that the student is making an application shows that he or she needs the money for further studies.

I have gone through a number of scholarship forms and am shocked at the particulars they want. For example, they want parents’ details, race, religion, etcetra. The income of family is considered as an important criteria and this carries a certain percentage of marks.

What has that got to do with awarding the scholarships? It should be based entirely on student’s own particulars, examination results, and the activities they have participated.

I hope the various bodies offering scholarships would reconsider the set of criteria and award scholarships based on merits.

P. SAROJINI, Port Dickson.

Source: The Star – March 25, 2008