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 six 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.

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