What is the ruling on scholarships that allow a specific group to enter public universities with lower grades than other students, and exempt them from tuition fees, because they are children of certain families, or employees in government departments, or officers?

The shepherd's disposition over the flock is tied to the public interest. Allocating grants to a specific group is permissible if it serves a legitimate, recognized Sharia (definition) interest, such as encouraging them to work in certain fields. However, if the grants are from public funds and do not observe the public interest, but rather are due to mediation or bribery, then it is not permissible to accept them.