Bengaluru: Karnataka Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa on Thursday said that the state government has issued an order to increase the incentive fund for SC/ST students studying in national institutes like IT/IIM/IISC/NIT from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.

This will lead to higher educational achievements of students from scheduled communities, he said in a official release.

"The government has also decided to provide Rs 25 lakh as one-time aid to SC students who score more than 95 per cent marks in the PUC examination and get a management quota seat in MBBS course through NEET entrance examination," said Mahadevappa.

Scheduled caste students pursuing MBBS degree who pass first year with more than 60 per cent marks will be given an incentive of Rs 25 lakh again.

Mahadevappa added that SC/ST students of educational institutions like IIT-IIM should be actively involved in nation building, thereby building a prosperous and powerful nation.