Open category students to get aid to study abroad

Nagpur: For the first time in history, the state government on Tuesday launched foreign education scholarships for open category students. Twenty such scholarships have been made available through the directorate of higher and technical education for 40 different professional courses under engineering/architecture, management, science, arts, commerce, law and pharmacy streams. One seat each has been allotted for PG and PhD programmes in each stream, except engineering/architecture, where there are four seats each.
The universities where the scholarships will be approved must be in the top 200 of Times Higher Education (THE) or Quacquarelli Symonds Ranking list, while the annual family income of applicants must be less than 20 lakh.

The sops are modelled on the lines of schemes already run by the government for SC/ST and OBC candidates since some 15 years. The income criteria, seats and university rankings are higher for the reserved categories. Seventy-five scholarships are allotted to SC community students while there is no income limit if applicants chose universities within the top 100 THE rankings. For the 20 OBC scholarships, income limit is Rs8 lakh and the foreign universities have to be within 200 THE rankings.

The Government Resolution dated October 4 says the proposal for open category was cleared in the state cabinet on August 21, following the Maratha reservation stir. The government has earmarked Rs20 crore for the scheme, and this outlay can be increased to Rs80 crore in phases.

The scholarship would cover entire tuition fee, stipend as per rate fixed by department of personnel and training, expenses towards health insurance, and return air fare for economy class for every student.

Joint director of technical education Gulab Thakre told TOI that not just those in application process but also students already enrolled, or those already pursuing PG and PhD programmes in the academic year 2018-19 can also apply through the directorate’s website till October 30. “Students can authorize anyone from their family or friends for the document verification process, and our office will forward the application,” he said.

Asked about the funds allotted for each student, Thakre said given the dollar versus rupee variation, no particular amount has been fixed but all selected students will get the full course fee amount in scholarship.

The applications would be scrutinized by a four-member committee comprising the directorate’s higher authorities. The scholarship selection committee would have six members including bureaucrats and expert member.

The merit order under each stream would be prepared on applicants’ scores on a scale of 10. However, the applicant needs to have scored at least 60% in the undergraduate degree to be eligible for applying. In case of a tie, the THE/QS world ranking would be considered and the applicant with a higher-ranked university would be selected.

Emerging areas of science and technology, such as atmospheric sciences, adaptation and mitigation of climate change, automation and artificial intelligence, renewable energy etc would get preference beside the total scores achieved by an applicant, the GR states.

SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS

Approved Courses | 40

Total Seats | 20

Reservation | 30% seats for girls

Funds | Rs20 crore

Income limit | Rs20 lakh

Scholarship | Course tuition fee, stipend, health cover, return economy air fare

Mode | Only full time courses

Age limit | 35 for PG, 40 for PhD

STREAMS AND COURSES

Engineering/Architecture | Civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, computer, production, industrial engg., environmental engineering, mining engg, petrochemical, electronic & TC, information technology/ system/ science, computer engineering, bio-technology, genetic engineering, nano technology, industry internet of things (IIOT), cyber law/ security, biomedical engg, climate change, artificial intelligence, architecture

Management | MBA with finance/ marketing/ HR/ system analysis, hotel management

Science | Agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, general science, maths, science, physics, chemistry, botany, zoology

Arts & Commerce | Sociology, psychology, philosophy, economics, commerce

Law | Law

Pharmacy | Pharmacy

MERIT ORDER

Assessment scale | 10 marks

Educational qualification | 10 for 80% above, 5 for 60 to 80%

THE, OS World Ranking | 50 marks for 1-50, 20 marks for 159-200 rank

APPLICATION

website | www.dtemaharashtra.gov.in/foreignscholarship2018/index.html

Online form | October 16 to 30

Verification | Oct 19 to Nov 6