FAQs
1. What is Umang Collection?
Right to Education is a fundamental right of every student, and we at Umang believe that money shouldn't be the barrier between a student and his quality education. Umang Collection is a college-wide fundraiser entirely funded by the students of BITS Pilani. The collection drive aims to increase the level of education by providing scholarships to meritorious students coming from the economically backward sections of the society living in and around Pilani.
2. How many students benefit out of this collection drive and how do we hand out scholarships?
The previous year we were successfully able to sponsor the education of more than 100 students across 13 schools. The scholarships are decided by a meticulous formula that factors in 10+ variables spread across academics, financial health, and the academic growth from the previous semester. Our volunteers bi-annually visit these underprivileged student's houses to verify the genuineness of a case and to assess the financial distress of the family. This makes sure that the scholarships are being handed out to people who are actually in dire need of the same.
3. How can a student donate?
All the donations are routed via a student's SWD account to maintain complete transparency in the process. A google form would be floated, which can be filled by the students, and the donated amount would directly be deducted from the SWD account, which would be reflected in a student's account by the end of the semester.
4. What is the guarantee that the donated money is not misused by Umang/ NSS volunteers?
The donated amount is directly transferred from the SWD to Umang's bank account, which is managed by our professor in charge. He is the sole signatory of the same. No transaction can proceed without the requisite ratification from the professor's end. Moreover, all transactions with the schools are done using cheques, leaving no scope for the volunteers to misplace or misuse the funds. A detailed report is submitted to the professor in charge, which is thoroughly scrutinized to fill out any grey spots and make sure that a case truly deserves the scholarship being given.
A point to reiterate here is that the cheques are handed directly to the school principals rather than the parents to avoid any misuse of money.
5. What is the need to conduct such an exhaustive collection drive every year?
Each year we try to add as many students to the Umang Scholarship Programme as possible. There is a constant outflow of money from our end as the aim is to sponsor the education of all the existing students and add other students to this list and keep it growing. BITS Pilani is not reflective of the financial distress of the residents of Pilani. There are several financially deranged families residing in Pilani, and the number has only risen due to the ongoing pandemic. As students of BITS Pilani, we feel that it is our responsibility to support the people of Pilani in whatever capacity we can as these are the same people who aid us marginally better our stay away from our homes.
Over the years, the number of students under our scholarship program has steadily risen so much so that we are proud to say, the last semester; we handed out scholarships to 101 students. We wish to maintain this upward slope of the number of students even during these financially strenuous times, which iterates to a further increase in the cash outflow. To support this, we do need BITSians to donate to this cause each year.
6. Is the money donated under Umang Collection used for any other activity of NSS?
Blood Donation Camp, Junoon, or any other NSS activity receives its funds from specific sponsors or the government. All the money donated in Umang Collection is used only for the purpose of handing out scholarships to these necessitous students. Moreover all the other t-shirt/ mess-signings held by NSS go to a separate account to sponsor other NSS events. Umang Collection receives it’s fund only from this annual collection drive.