SCHOLARSHIPS
A number of scholarships programmes are handled by the Ministry including those offered by other countries with a view to equalising educational opportunities as also providing facilities for higher and specialised education and training to Indian nationals. The Ministry also provides scholarships to nationals of other countries on a bilateral basis or otherwise. These could be grouped in three broad categories :
A. Scholarships for Indian Students for Study in India.
B. Scholarships for Indian Students for Study Abroad.
C. Scholarships for Foreign Students for Study in India. A brief account of these programmes is given below.
A. SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INDIAN STUDENTS FOR STUDY IN INDIA
1. National Scholarships The Scheme has been continuing since 1961 with the objective that no brilliant student should be deprived of assistance on the grounds of poverty for pursuing academic career. In pursuance of the Seventh Finance Commission's recommendations, the State Governments meet the expenditure reached up to the level reached in 1978-79. The expenditure over and above this level is met by the Centre. In 1979- 80, 22,000 fresh scholarships were awarded on merit-cum-means basis.
2. National Loan Scholarships The scheme was started in 1963-64 with the objective of providing financial assistance to needy and deserving students to complete their education. Twenty thousand fresh scholarships are awarded every year. The scheme is being implemented through the State Governments. Scholarships are awarded on merit-cum-means basis.
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3. National Scholarships for the Children of Primary and
Secondary School Teachers This scheme was started in 1961-62 as a token of recognition of the services rendered by the school teachers to enable their meritorious children to pursue higher education. Seven hundred and fifty fresh scholarships are awarded every year from the year 1976-77. It has now been decided that expenditure on this scheme will be met by the State Governments themselves.
4. National Scholarships at the Secondary Stage for Talented
Children from Rural Areas The scheme, started in 1971-72, is intended to achieve greater equalisation of educational opportunities and to provide fillip to the development of rural talents. In pursuance of the Seventh Finance Commission's recommendations, the State, Governments meet the expenditure reached up to the level reached in 1978-79 and the expenditure over and above this level is met by the Centre. Under this Scheme, 21,000 scholarships are awarded every year amongst States and Union Territories at the rate of four scholarships per Community Development Block and two additional scholarships for each Tribal Community Development Block.
5. Scholarships for Students from Non-Hindi Speaking States for
Post-Matric Studies in Hindi The scheme is implemented to encourage study of Hindi in non- Hindi speaking States and to make available to the Governments of these States suitable personnel to man teaching and other posts where knowledge of Hindi is essential. Under this scheme, scholarships are awarded to students pursuing post-matric studies provided Hindi is studied as one of the subjects in that course. During 1979-80, 2,500 fresh awards were made. The scheme has become 'Grants-in-aid Scholarships Scheme' to be administered by the States and Union Territories with effect from 1979-80.
6. Scholarships in Approved Residential Secondary Schools The scheme is intended to provide educational facilities to meritorious children of low-income groups, who are otherwise unable to avail themselves of the opportunities to study in good residential schools. Five hundred candidates in 11-12 years age-group whose parental income does not exceed Rs. 6.000
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per annum are selected for scholarships every year. During the cur- rent academic year, about 2,050 scholars are studying in 73 approved residential schools. The scholarships are tenable up to the secondary education including + 2 stage of education in the New Pattern.
B.SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INDIAN STUDENTS FOR STUDY ABROAD
1. National Scholarships for Study Abroad The scheme is intended to provide financial assistance to such meritorious students who do not have the means to go abroad for further studies. Fifty scholarships are awarded every year under the scheme which are available for post-graduate studies leading to Ph. D and Post-Doctoral research or specialised training. Only those candidates whose parental income from all sources is less than Rs. 1,000 per month are eligible for scholarships under this scheme.
2. Partial Financial Assistance The scheme provides for grant of loan towards international passage costs to such academically good scholars as have obtained admission in foreign universities, institutions, etc., for study in subject-fields suitable for the developmental needs of the country. During 1979-80, such loans were granted to five students.
3. Scholarships under Commonwealth Scholarships/Fellowships
plan One candidate has been selected for the scholarships offered by the Government of New Zealand.
Nominations have also been sought by the following Commonwealth countries-the U.K. (67), Canada (2), Trinidad (1), Malaysia (2), and Jamaica (1).
4. Scholarships/Fellowships offered by the Foreign Government-
/Organisations/Institutions For the year 1979-80, Austria has accepted 4 candidates, Belgium 3, Czechoslovakia 2, Denmark 6, France 12, Finland 1. G.D.R. 6(PG)- 6(Coaches), Greece 2, Italy 6, Japan 8, Netherlands 21, Poland 5, Sweden 1, South Korea 1, the U.S.A. 6, and
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Norway 8. Sixteen candidates have been nominated under German Academic Exchange Service (Bonn).
Approval to nominations from the following countries is awaited : Egypt 8, Hungary 8, Italy 16, Mexico 4, Poland 3, Turkey 4, and Yugoslavia 5.
Under the USSR Government Scholarships Scheme, 1979-80 for post- graduate studies/research/higher specialisation, 68 scholarships were offered by the Soviet Government. Out of these, 10 scholarships were allocated for the children of Indian nationals in the USSR. Out of 34 candidates nominated by the Ministry for the award of scholarships, 13 candidates have so far been approved by the Soviet authorities. Approval of the remaining candidates is still awaited. Twelve candidates were selected for scholarships in the Peoples Friendship University, Moscow, of whom nine have left for Moscow.
Under the British Technical Co-operation Training Programme, 40 nominations were made against an allocation of 40 awards, for educational training, research and development. Against another offer of 16 scholarships by the U.K. Government for Educational Links for those in Technical Teachers Training Institutes and Regional Colleges of Engineering, necessary nominations have been made. One candidate has been nominated for the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Trust (UK) Scholarship. Against the 1979-80 offer of British Council Scholarships, 11 nominations have been made. Under the Confederation of, British Industry Scholarships, and under Science Research Scholarships of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, eight and six nominations respectively have been made.
C. SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FOREIGN STUDENT: FOR STUDY IN INDIA
1. General Cultural Scholarships Under the scheme, 180 scholarships are awarded every year to nationals of selected African, Asian and other foreign countries to provide them with facilities for higher education in India. The scheme is designed to promote friendly relations between India and other developing countries. Scholarships under the scheme are awarded in the fields of Agriculture, Engineering and Technology, Medicine, Pharmacy, Arts and Humanities and Basic Sciences at under-graduate and post-graduate levels.
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2. Scholarships/Fellowships for Bangladesh Nationals Under the scheme started in 1972-73, the Government of India awards 100 scholarships every year to Bangladesh nationals for studies in certain specialised subjects in India like, Engineering and Technology, Agriculture, Medicine, Cinematography, Journalism, Education, Management, Sports, Dance and Music at under-graduate and post-graduate levels.
3. Special English Course for Foreign Students Under this scheme a special English Course is arranged at the Regional Institute of English, Chandigarh every year from April to June for such selected foreign students as are not proficient in English. During 1979-80, 25 scholars selected for the General Cultural Scholarships from countries like Afghanistan, Jordan, Kuwait, Iran, Southern Yeman, took advantage of this course.
4. Scholarships for Foreign Students for Study/Training in
India (i) Commonwealth Scholarship/Fellowship Plan 1979-80
Out of 50 scholarships, 41 were approved for the award of scholarships. Out of these 23 scholars have since joined the insti- tutions, six have withdrawn their candidature, one candidate had joined but left, and the admissions of remaining scholars are being finalised.
(ii) Indo-French Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Against the offer of ten scholarships under the above programme, 11 scholars are studying in India. This includes, one scholar who has been given scholarship against an unutilised award under the Cultural Exchange Programme.
(iii) Indo- F.R.G. Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Against the offer of ten awards under the above programme, five have joined various research projects in Indian universities.
(iv) Indo-Senegalese Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Against the offer of five scholarships, one nomination was received and the scholar has arrived in India.
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(v) Indo-Soviet Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Sixteen Soviet students joined Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru Universities.
(vi) Indo-Japan Mixed Commission 1979-80
Three Japanese students were awarded scholarships.
(vii) Indo-ARE Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Six Egyptian students joined different universities/institutions for post-graduate studies and research in various disciplines.
(viii) Indo-Iraqi Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Five Iraqi students joined different institutions in India.
(ix) Indo-Afghan Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Out of 20 scholarships offered to Afghan nationals, four students are studying in India.
(x) Indo-Yugoslav Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Out of three scholarships offered to Yugoslav Government, one Yugoslav student is studying in India.
(xi) Indo-PDRY Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Out of seven scholarships offered, six PDRY students are studying in India.
(xii) Indo-Polish Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Out of eight scholarships offered, six Polish students are studying in India.
(xiii) Indo-Turkish Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Out of four scholarships offered, one Turkish student is studying in India.
(xiv) Indo-Czech Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Out of five scholarships offered, two Czech students are studying in India.
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(xv) Indo-Mexican Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Against four awards offered, only one nomination was made. The student had joined the Jawaharlal Nehru University.
(xvi) Indo-Belgian Cultural Exchange Programme 1979-80
Admission of four students has been arranged.
(xvii) Commonwealth Education Cooperation Plan 1979-80
Out of ten scholarships offered, eight students are studying in India.
(xviii) Reciprocal Scholarships Scheme 1979-80
Out of 30 awards, 13 nominations have been received. Out of them nine have been awarded scholarships and the remaining four are under process.
(xix) Special Indian Scholarships for an African National to mark Africa Day in Memory of late Dr. Amilcar Cabral-1980.
One scholar, a Zimbabwian is studying in India.
(xx) Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation
This Ministry, on the recommendations of Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs 'arrange placements of Zimbabwian and Namibian candidates for admission to under-graduate course in Humanities/Social Sciences in Indian Educational Institutions on behalf of the Commonwealth Secretariat, London.
(xxi) T.C.S. of the Colombo Plan 1979-80
Sixty-eight Nepalese and other nationals under T.C.S. of the Colombo Plan have joined the different institutions and universities.
(xxii) Special Commonwealth African Assistance Plan 1979-80
Three scholars under SCAAP have joined the different uni- versities/institutions.