25% increase in CEA for Ex-servicemen also ? Know the Reality

25% increase in CEA for Ex-servicemen also ? Know the Reality

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You have already got the good news that the DA and DR of all central Govt Employees and pensioners  have been increased and from January 2024, you will get the revised rate of DA / DR @ 50% on your basic pay and other component of Pay, pension and transport allowance. Approval of cabinet committee has already been published in the PIB this week.  

Moreover, alongwith this, many other allowances have also been increased by 25%.   Such an allowance is your Children Education allowance.  From 01 January 2024, all Central Govt Employees will get the revised rate of CEA i.e 25% more on the CEA approved rate of 7th CPC.

Queries have been received from the Ex-servicemen that whether CEA of the ex-serviceman also be increased ?

Children Education Allowance will be increased for all the serving personnel of central Govt. As far as the Exservicemen are concerned, they are not entitled to get CEA after retirement.  Yes, a financial grant is awarded to  the Armed Forces pensioners up to the rank of Hav/equivalent

This scheme has been introduced to provide financial assistance to Exservicemen and their widows for helping them in educating their wards.  It  was started in 1981 with an amount of Rs 15/- per child per month for a maximum of three children up to Class XII. This scheme was last revised in Oct 2011 into a monthly grant of Rs 1000/- per month per child (for maximum two children*) up to graduation and also for widows to pursue Post Graduation degree. This grant is not applicable for any of the professional or technical courses/degrees.  This is funded from RMWF.  PMSS Scholarship is applicable for professional and technical degree courses.This f

So the financial Grant awarded to the Exservicemen for the education purpose of the children/widows is not a CEA at all.  Hence this has no link with the increase of DA/DR to 50%. 

However, you should note that with 50% DA and DR ceiling, all allowances are not to be increased. There are some definite allowances in which the additional 25% to be added. Those allowances to increase, which have recommended by 7th CPC and approved.

Eligibility Criteria for Financial Assistance for Education of children/widows of  ESM

 The eligibility criteria for availing financial assistance under this scheme are as follows:-
(a) Applicant must be an ESM/ widow/Orphan dependent.
(b) Should be of rank Havildar/equivalent and below.
(c) The scheme is applicable for classes 1 to 12 of school and undergraduate classes of a degree college. This grant is also admissible to widows who wish to pursue 2-year post graduate degree. The ward/widow shall complete the course successfully.
(d) The applicant should not be drawing education allowance or similar benefit from the State or is employer.

(e) The scheme is eligible for only first two children. However, in case of twin children, below mentioned condition shall be applicable:-

(i) In case the 1st and 2nd children are twins only twins will be eligible as maximum two children are permitted.
(ii) In case 2nd and 3rd children are twins, both will be eligible for this financial assistance alongwith 1st child. In such cases, ESM can avail this grant for three children subject to fulfillment of above mentioned criteria. In such cases, applicant MUST first fill the application for the two children who are twins (same date of birth). Thereafter, the applicant will be able to fill a separate application for the remaining child, irrespective of whether the remaining child is elder /younger to the twin children

(f) In case of unfortunate demise of 1st or 2nd child. In case of unfortunate demise of 1st child, 2nd and 3rd children as mentioned in discharge book will be eligible. Similarly in case of demise of 2nd child, the 3rd child will be eligible as mentioned in discharge book. The death certificate will be uploaded as supporting document with online application for scrutiny.

Education Grant to be Paid for Rs 36,000/-

Queries have also received in this regard that  “ When will the CEA of ex-servicemen be paid in 2023?”

As I said, the CEA is not applicable to Exservicemen it is the Children’s Education Grant. When will it be paid in 2023? Those who have filled online application for Education Grant should check it through the KSB official website after login using your user ID Password.

This is informed through your email ID also.  So, you should keep checking your mail and checking your messages on mobile also.  At every steps, KSB send information to your email and mobile number.  Like this – “your application has been approved by KSB Administrator”.

As per information received from sources,  the application you have submitted for 2023 for the Children’s Education Grant is in its final stage.   Your application, if have been approved by the KSB Administrator. You may check it from your profile after log in to KSB portal.

You will find , if your application has been approved and forwarded it for further approval to the competent authority. Once it has been approved ny the final authority, then your application will be processed in batches for payment to be credited in your account soon.

Friends, if your profile is showing approved in KSB portal, within two months, your children’s education grant will  be credited in your account as per the progress showing. Accordingly, payment details will be updated in your KSB account dashboard. You will also see the payment details there.

Kindly check your bank passbook account details after 2 months. So you can check your bank passbook and account details.   Since this is year ending for the FY 2023-24, if fund is available for this FY, payment will be made within this month.  Either the Grant will be paid in April, after allotment of grant afresh.

How much amount will it be paid?   You may know that from Rs 12,000 to Rs 36,000 will be paid to you in the account of the ex-servicemen soon, depending on the eligible children.

Now, how much do you get here, friends? You are saying Rs 36,000. Friends, let me tell you that the children’s education grant of one child is up to Rs 12,000 per month for the pre-graduation class. Friends, two children’s education grant is up to Rs 12,000 to Rs 24,000.

And friends, it is also available in the case of the third child. If the twins are born in the second birth, then three children get it. But if the first birth is twin, then the second birth is not be applicable to get Children Grant.

So in this case, all three children will not get it. But in the case of the second birth, the children’s education grant will be available for all three children. Which is a total of Rs 36,000.

It is approved by the district soldiers board first. After that, it goes to the state military board and it is approved there. Then it goes to the Kendriya Sainik Board.

It is approved there. After being approved, it is applied for batch-wise payment. And for batch-wise payment, as and when it is approved, seniority is applied there.

As and when the availability of the fund continues here, the payment process continues according to the batch. So , you should check whether your application has been approved by the ZSB, RSB or KSB. If you are being sent messages by anyone that it has been approved. Or there are also such messages that you have not been approved here, take action accordingly to rectify the application as per instructions.

You should log in to it. There is an observation given here for you. So when you clear its observation, then it is forwarded again by saying OK to the next level. It takes minimum 30 days. So that’s why keep checking your mail. Whenever you get a mail from KSB, ZSB, RSB, your application approved there, be assured that you will get paid. If there is no approval, there is an observation, then clear it within 30 days. Otherwise, ZSB, RSB or KSB, whoever has put the observation in it, will be rejected by them. And you will not get any money.

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