PRESS RELEASE
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India has announced the
Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children ( SPDC-2009) for the children of
PIOs / NRIs to pursue undergraduate courses in several disciplines in India.
The educational Consultants India Limited (Ed. CIL), A Government of India
Enterprise, has been designated as the Nodal Agency for implementation of the
SPDC.
The following are the highlights of the SPDC-2009:
100 scholarships are being offered for undergraduate courses in several
disciplines including Engineering / Architecture/Technology, Humanities/Liberal
Arts, Commerce, Management - BBA/BBM, journalism, Hotel Management,
Agriculture/animal Husbandry, sciences, Law, etc.
The programme is open only to PIOs/NRIs from the specified 40 countries,
including Kuwait, having a larger concentration of Indian Diaspora.
50% of the scholarship would be reserved for PIOs. However, in the event of
non-availability of suitable PIO candidates, the unfilled slots could be
assigned to NRI candidates.
NRI candidates would be eligible for the grant of scholarship only if their
total family income per month does not exceed an amount equivalent to US $2,250
(US dollars two thousand two hundred and fifty only)
Children of NRIs should have pursued at least three years of education
inclusive of 11th & 12th or equivalent (not beyond), in a foreign country
during the last sex years, and should have passed the qualifying examination
abroad.
The last date for receipt of duly filled-in application forms in the prescribed
format by Ed.CIL is 9th September 2008.
PIO/NRI students already studying in India on a self-financing basis or under
any other arrangement will not be eligible under this scheme, which is open
only for fresh admissions in the first semester/year of undergraduate courses.
Candidates would be selected on the basis of a common entrance test to be
conducted by Ed.CIL on 26th October 2008 in Kuwait by the Embassy of India,
Kuwait. Exact timings would be intimated by Ed.CIL. The candidates would also
have to fulfill all the criteria prescribed for the purpose.
The amount of scholarship admissible would be 75% of the Institutional Economic
Cost (IEC) or US $3,600 (US dollars three thousand six hundred), whichever is
less. IEC includes Tuition fee, Hostel fee and other institutional charges.
The announcement details, guidelines and the application form can be downloaded
from the Ed.CIL websites www.edcil.co.in; and www.educationindia4u.nic.in.
