Scholarships for Indian Diaspora Children

Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) for the Academic Year 2007

The Government of India have decided to institute a Scholarship Program for Diaspora Children (SPDC) to pursue undergraduate courses in higher and technical institutions in India for the academic year 2007.

  1. Broad guidelines of the SPDC are as follows:
    1. Children of Overseas Indians from 39 countries (list attached) covering Africa, Asia, Gulf and the Caribbean, which represent over 12.5 million of overseas Indian population, will be covered under the SPDC Scheme. Children of NRIs who are studying in India will not be eligible for the scheme.
    2. Children of NRIs studying abroad for a minimum of 5 years with XI and XII schooling abroad will be covered under the SPDC scheme as is done under Direct Admissions of Students Abroad (DASA).
    3. The scholarship will be a partial scholarship to fund the tuition fees for the course concerned.
    4. Short listing for scholarships will be based on the basis of qualifying marks of 60% in Class XII and score in the entrance test. Candidates who have scored 60% aggregate marks in their XIIth grade will be eligible to appear in the entrance test. Students who are appearing for XII grade examination this year will also be eligible to appear in the test, but their selection will be confirmed subject to their fulfilling the eligibility criteria of 60% marks in Grade XII.
    5. The proposed entrance test will be on the lines of SAT i.e. objective type comprising English language proficiency and general awareness being common for both technical and non-technical courses and Reasoning Ability/Quantitative Abilities. The duration of the test will be two hours and will be conducted by the Missions. Transparency and objectivity in conducting the test should be maintained by the Missions concerned.
    6. Continuation of scholarship for the second and subsequent years of study shall depend upon student passing each year of study as per criteria of NCERT.
    7. Ed.CIL will receive original applications by post directly from the candidates. Last date for receipt of applications at Ed.CIL is 23rd March, 2007.
  2. Information booklet and application form for the scheme may be seen at http://moia.gov.in
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