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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

India offers scholarship for NRI children

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April 20 - Since the academic year of academic year 2006-2007, India has been offering a scheme called 'Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children' (SPDC)  for the children of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to assist them in .


Under SPDC scheme financial assistance for specific undergraduate courses in Professional and Non-Professional courses (except Medical and related courses) is provided towards tuition fee, admission fee and post admission


services.


The scheme is applicable to NRIs and PIOs/OCI living in 66 select countries as listed at Appendix-A.


Scholarship shall be provided to 150 selected students, without earmarking NRIs/ PIOs. 50 out of these 150 scholarships are earmarked for Children of Indian workers (CIWG) in the 17 Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries subject to fulfilling eligibility conditions. Of these 50 scholarships 1/3rd shall be reserved for children who are pursuing studies in India, subject to fulfilling eligibility conditions. If any of these seats are not filled up, they will be made available to applicants from other categories under SPDC and vice-versa.


ECR countries are: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.


ELIGIBILITY:


4.1 Nationality:


(a) SPDC is awarded to following four categories:


(i) Children of Person of Indian Origin/OCI


(ii) Children of Non-Resident Indian


(iii) Children of Indian Workers in ECR countries studying outside India


(iv) Children of Indian Workers in ECR countries studying in India


Definitions about these four categories are given below:


(b) Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) shall mean the Persons who are citizens of other countries (except Pakistan and Bangladesh) who at any time held an Indian Passport, or who or either of his/her parent or any of his/her grandparent was a citizen of India by virtue of provisions of the Constitution of India or Section 2 (B) of


Citizenship Act, 1955 (Act No. 57 of 1955).


Applicants are required to provide documentary evidence towards proof of Indian nationality or Indian origin.


Persons of India Origin (PIOs) applicants are expected to submit proof of Indian origin, preferably a valid PIO card or OCI card issued by the Government of India.


Those who cannot submit documentary evidence of Indian origin are required to submit declaration about Indian origin. Format is at Appendix B.


In the absence of any documentary evidence about Indian origin, an affidavit from the applicant attested by the Head of Indian Mission concerned verifying the Indian Origin status of the applicant may be submitted.


NRI in this context means Non -Resident Indians as defined in Income Tax Act, 1961 with the following clarifications:


An individual is Non-Resident, when he/she is "not a resident" or who is "not ordinarily resident". A person is treated as "not ordinary resident" when any of the following conditions is satisfied.


(1) If he/she has not been resident in India in nine out of ten preceding years; (OR) (2) If he/she has not been in India for a period of 730 days or more during the preceding seven years.


(d.) Candidates from all the categories must have passed grade 11 and grade 12 from abroad. However To apply under the quota under category of Children of Indian Workers in ECR countries, who are left behind in India, the candidate must have passed the Senior Secondary (10+2) or equivalent examination from a system of education recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).


The SPDC is open to applicants in the age group of 17 to 21 years as October 1,  2018. Date of birth as recorded in the Secondary Education Board/University Certificate of Class 10th or equivalent, or as mentioned in a


certificate for this purpose issued by appropriate Government authorities of respective countries will be taken as authentic for this purpose.


Qualifying Examination: The candidate must have passed the Senior Secondary (10+2) or equivalent examination from a system of education recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), with requisite subjects.


Minimum Marks in qualifying Examination: The candidate must have secured a minimum of 60% aggregate marks or equivalent grades in aggregate of all the subjects in the qualifying examination.


Subjects of Study in Qualifying Examination: The candidate must have studied the prescribed essential subjects at the qualifying examination level to pursue a particular course of study. Details of Institutions and Courses offered are as given at Appendix-C.


Applicants/candidates who passed the qualifying examination (10+2) and has secured admission in an undergraduate course in the designated Institution in India (as per Appendix E) and fulfill other eligibility criteria can apply for SPDC. Such candidates will be shortlisted on the basis of marks/score obtained at 10+2 level


along with submission of proof of Admission Letter issued by the Institution, duly stamped and signed by Authorized Signatory of that Institution and other required documents submitted online (on SPDC portal).


It shall be the responsibility of the candidates to ascertain whether they meet the eligibility criterion for application under SPDC Scholarship scheme. Eligibility of candidates, in doubtful cases, would be decided by Ministry of External Affairs.


The total monthly income of the parent(s) of the candidate should not exceed an amount equivalent to US Dollars Four thousand (US$ 4000). The applicants’ parents will provide a self attested salary certificate from the employer based in a foreign country. In case information about family income is found incorrect, scholarship will


be revoked and the amount already disbursed will be recovered. Legal action may also be initiated against the defaulter.


After obtaining admission in selected course in any of the institutes as mentioned in Appendix ‘C’, students who fulfill all other eligibility conditions can complete and submit the online application form on the SPDC portal


(http://spdcindia.gov.in).


A List of candidates awarded scholarship in each category of candidates would be drawn up by the selection committee.The decision of Committee in this regard shall be final and binding on all concerned.


Candidates shall give their consent about acceptance of scholarship through e-mail to Ministry of External Affairs within 7 days of publication of the 1st list of shortlisted candidates.


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