National Overseas Scholarship Funds Frozen, Selected Candidates Have Offers From Global Varsities, Can't Go

Time of India

2 days ago

Nagpur: Many bright students, including 29 girls from underprivileged communities — scheduled castes, denotified tribes, landless labourers and minorities — could lose their opportunity to study in premier foreign universities with the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment failing to issue award letters to majority selected candidates under the govt's prestigious National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) scheme for 2025–26.
The ministry has cited insufficient funds.
Though 106 students were officially selected after a rigorous process in the first round, only 40 received provisional award letters. The others — many of whom hold offers from top global universities — are left in the lurch. These 106 students, including 29 girls hail from Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
They gained admissions to master's and PhD programmes in universities in Singapore, Australia, USA, and the UK. The scholarship is granted for only QS-ranked institutions like Johns Hopkins, University of Cambridge, University of Leeds, University of Sydney, National University of Singapore.
In its July 1 notification, the Union ministry stated that 440 online applications were received while publishing the list of selected candidates.
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"Of these, provisional award letters will be issued to candidates from Serial Number 1-40. Provisional award letters to the remaining candidates (41-106) may be issued in due course, subject to availability of funds." However, the notification goes on to state the "candidature of selected candidates is provisional, subject to being found eligible and availability of funds during the 2025-26 fiscal.
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Yogesh Taneja, undersecretary in the ministry, told TOI that the five-year budget allocated for NOS was exhausted in the last three years.
"We require additional funds, and this will be arranged soon," he said. Taneja mentioned that total allocation of funds for each student varies, as per university's fee, course duration, and country's living expenses. The govt incurs expenses anywhere from Rs40 lakh to Rs 2.5 crore.
To a query on why all 106 were not given provisional letters if funds were being arranged and a rider 'subject to availability of funds' put for even selected candidates, Taneja didn't respond.
Rajiv Khobragade, president, The Platform for Justice & Human Rights, said, "This is the first time the central govt is short of funds for NOS. Generally, we have to pursue state govts to get scholarship funds released," he said. Though the scheme was allocated ₹130 crore this year — its highest ever — bureaucratic delays, pending clearances, and possible fund diversions have halted implementation, he said. Khobragade, who raised the issue with Union minister Ramdas Athawale, said, "Funds meant for marginalised communities are quietly diverted to other purposes such as tourism or schemes with far less impact, compared to education.
How will this country develop if we continue to shift educational funds elsewhere?"
In its letter, The Platform has put forward a five-point proposal. It said all selected candidates must be issued award letters even if fund release happens in phases. Formal confirmation will allow students to proceed with visa and admission processes. Temporarily reallocate unused welfare funds to support NOS scholars. Facilitate public sector bank loans with govt undertaking. Place a supplementary demand in the monsoon session of parliament to approve additional education-specific funds.
Engage CSR support from PSUs and corporates.