(1.) The present petition is maintained by the petitioner seeking the following substantial relief:
(2.) As per the petitioner, she is being denied the benefit of scholarship under "INSPIRE (SHE)" (hereinafter referred to as "the Scheme"), wherein she is to get Rs. 80,000/- (rupees eighty thousand) per annum for five years to pursue higher education, being meritorious student. However, the benefit of the above mentioned centrally sponsored scheme is being denied to her wrongly and illegally despite recommendation of respondent No. 4/Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education.
(3.) Brief facts giving rise to the present petition are that the petitioner in 10+2 examination, in the year 2013, appeared in Nonmedical stream and scored 86.4% marks with distinction in all the subjects. Thereafter, the petitioner got admission in B.Sc (Physics) in Government Degree College, Daulatpur Chowk, Tehsil Amb, District, Una, H.P. Respondent No. 1 started a scheme, namely INSPIRE (SHE), which provided that the students, who secured position by virtue of their performance within 1% of the School Board at Plus 2 level in the examination held by the concerned Board are entitled for Scholarship. Top 1% performers automatically qualified for scholarship for higher education of Government of India, annual amount whereunder is Rs. 80,000/- (rupees eighty thousand) for five years. As per the list, prepared by respondent No. 4, the petitioner with 86.4% marks in plus two (+2) examination is figuring at serial No. 531, therefore, automatically entitled for the benefit under the Scheme. The Scheme further provides that the concerned Board of School Education (herein respondent No. 4) has to send a communication to the concerned candidate, depicting his/her status in the merit list with roll No and date of birth with further advise to the candidate to apply online to the Government of India for availing the benefit of scholarship for pursuing higher studies, provided a candidate has got admission in higher classes. As per the petitioner, respondent No. 4 did not issue such advisory to her. However, respondent No. 4 sent a list under the Scheme to respondent No. 1/Government of India on 16.07.2013, wherein name of the petitioner is figuring at serial no. 531 (Rank 50). On the basis of the said list scholarship was granted to the students other than the petitioner. The petitioner, by way of a representation, foregrounded her grievance to respondent No. 4, but to no avail and she was advised to take up the matter with Ministry of Science and Technology, New Delhi. Subsequently, the petitioner raised her claim before respondent No. 1, vide representation dated 28.02.2015, wherein she specifically alleged that due to inaction of respondent No. 4, in not issuing an advisory, she is being deprived scholarship. Lastly, the petitioner prays for issuance of writ of mandamus directing the respondents to release the benefits of the Scheme.