The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs 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 following are the highlights of the SPDC-2009, which is being announced today

• 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 9th 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 your Mission/Post. Exact timings would be intimated by Ed.CIL. 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.

N. B. It has been decided to complete the process of selection of eligible candidates for the grant of scholarship under SPDC for the academic year beginning July/August 2009 by November 2008 to enable the applicants to take a decision on availing the scholarship before they commit themselves for higher studies in other countries/institutions.

Countries covered under the Programme:

1. Australia

2. Bahrain

3. Canada

4. Fiji

5. France

6. Germany

7. Guyana

8. Hong Kong, China

9. Indonesia

10. Israel

11. Italy

12. Jamaica

13. Kenya

14. Kuwait

15. Madagascar

16. Malaysia

17. Mauritius

18. Mozambique

19. Myanmar

20. Netherlands

21. New Zealand

22. Nigeria

23. Oman

24. Philippines

25. Portugal

26. Qatar

27. Reunion Island

28. Saudi Arabia

29. Singapore

30. South Africa

31. Spain

32. Sri Lanka

33. Suriname

34. Tanzania

35. Thailand

36. Trinidad and Tobago

37. U.A.E

38. UK

39. USA