The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs had introduced a Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) in 2006, to assist Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in pursuing under graduate courses in several disciplines in India. Under this programme, over 220 PIO/NRI children have benefited during the last three academic years.

The Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children – 2009 has been announced.  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 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 1st 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 at this Consulate. Exact timings would be intimated subsequently. 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 & other institutional charges.

A copy of the announcement, information booklet and application form for the Programme can be downloaded from the Ed.CIL websites www.edcil.co.in and www.educationindia4u.nic.in.

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