Embassy of India, Riyadh

            The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs launched a scheme called the  “Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children” (SPDC) in 2006-07, to assist children/wards of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indian (NRIs) in pursuing under graduate courses in several disciplines in India. Under this scheme, over 290 PIO/NRI students have benefited during the last four academic years.

            The following are the highlights of the SPDC-2010-11, 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, Science, 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 slots would be reserved of PIOs. However, in the event of the non-availability of suitable PIO candidates, the unfilled slots could be assigned to NRI candidates.

·        NRI candidates would be eligible for the grant of the 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 11^th & 12^th 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 10^th June 2010.

·        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 their performance in the qualifying examination (equivalent to plus 2 stage in India) which decides the eligibility to apply for the scholarship scheme. The candidates would also have to fulfill all the criteria prescribed for the purpose.

·        The amount of scholarship admissible would be 75 % of the total Institutional Economic Cost (IEC) or US $ 3,600 (US dollars three thousand six hundred) per annum, whichever is less. IEC includes Tuition fee, Hostel fee & other institutional charges.

For further details you may like to log on the ED.Cil website www.edcilindia.co.in

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