Social Affairs Ministry Accelerates DTSEN Data Update for KIP Kuliah Scholarship

Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf, alongside Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Chief Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, is strengthening coordination to accelerate the updating of the National Socio-Economic Single Data (DTSEN). This move comes amid public attention on changes to the welfare rankings (desil) of some recipients of the Smart Indonesia Card for Higher Education (KIP-K).

Minister Yusuf explained that changes in community welfare data are normal, as DTSEN is continuously updated to reflect real-world conditions, including births, deaths, and migration. He clarified that a shift in a student’s desil ranking does not necessarily indicate an improvement in their family’s economic status, but rather the result of comprehensive data updates.

To ensure accuracy, the government is providing two data updating mechanisms. The first is a formal route through the Next Generation Social Welfare Information System (SIKS-NG) application, managed by village or sub-district data operators. The second is a participatory route, allowing the public to update their data independently via the Cek Bansos application.

Minister Yusuf emphasised that DTSEN status is not the sole determinant for KIP-K eligibility, as stipulated in the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Regulation No. 2 of 2026. Affected students can still access educational assistance through alternative pathways. BPS Chief Amalia added that a special channel is being prepared to speed up the desil update process through the Cek DTSEN application, urging students to utilise the service for faster verification.