'465 Students Availed In Six Years': Ministry On National Overseas Scholarship

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on Wednesday revealed the details and features of the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS). Responding to a query seeking the data on the scheme and the number of students being benefited from, the ministry said that during the last six selection years, at least 457 out of the total 675 selected students availed the benefits from the scheme.

As a central sector scheme to facilitate low-income students belonging to scheduled castes, denotified nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes, landless agricultural laborers, and traditional artisans, the NOS supports the pursuit of higher education, such as master’s degrees or Ph.D. courses, by providing opportunities and means to study abroad.

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Explaining about the scheme, the ministry noted that to qualify under the NOS scheme, candidates should have at least 60% mark of equivalent grade in qualifying examination. The candidate’s total family income should be less than Rs 8 lakh per annum in the preceding financial year. The candidate should be less than 35 years of age on the first April of the selection year and should have an unconditional offer of admission from the top 500 QS-ranked foreign universities, the ministry added.

“Under the scheme, each selection year, 125 fresh candidates have been selected, subject to the availability of funds. Out of 125 candidates who were awarded scholarships, 115 are for scheduled castes, 6 for denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic tribes, and four are for landless agricultural laborers and traditional artisans,” the ministry underscored, highlighting that 30 percent of the scholarship for each year is earmarked for female candidates.

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Referring to the number of students who were awarded scholarships in 2021–22, the ministry said that at least 125 students have been selected, out of which 98 have proceeded to study abroad, availing of scholarships under the NOS scheme.

Responding to the question if it is a fact that in the past six years only about 50 and 70 students have been awarded these scholarships,  the ministry said during the last six selection years, 675 students have been selected, out of which 457 students have proceeded to study abroad, availing of the benefits of the scheme.