Study Abroad Scholarships Increase by 83% for Marginalised Communities in Five Years

NOS scholarships have increased by 83% in five years, but a budget shortfall of Rs 1.95 crore for 2025-26 has forced the government to seek additional funds.

There has been a significant increase in the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) over the last five years, allowing more students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Nomadic Tribes/Denotified Tribes (NT/DNT) to benefit from studying abroad. Data presented in the Rajya Sabha shows that the number of scholarship recipients has increased from 51 in 2019-20 to 126 in 2023-24, reflecting an overall increase of about 83%.

Five-Year Growth in Study Abroad Scholarships

Selection Year	SC	NT/DNT	ST	Total
2019-20	39	1	11	51
2020-21	63	5	12	80
2021-22	95	2	17	114
2022-23	93	3	18	114
2023-24	107	3	16	126
Total	397	14	74	485

The SC category recorded the highest growth, with the number of students increasing by 68 from 2019-20 to 2023-24. The ST category saw a slight increase, adding five more students during the same period. Meanwhile, the NT/DNT category fluctuated over the years but remained between 1 and 5 students annually.

Higher Spending Leads to Budget Shortfall

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs allocated ₹20 crore for the National Foreign Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Tribes from 2021-22 to 2025-26. However, the expenditure exceeded the budget, reaching ₹21.95 crore by 2024-25. As a result, the scheme now faces a funding shortfall for its final year (2025-26). To address this, the ministry has started seeking additional funds from the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC).

Scholarship Slots Expanded Over the Years

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has significantly increased the National Foreign Scholarship slots:

It doubled the slots from 30 to 60 in 2013-14.
It raised the number from 60 to 100 in 2014-15.
It further expanded the slots from 100 to 125 in 2021-22.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs increased the scholarship slots from 15 to 20 in 2012-13.

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale provided this data in a written reply to a parliamentary question in the Rajya Sabha. The increase in scholarships reflects the government’s growing commitment to supporting marginalised communities in accessing international education. However, the government must address the funding challenge for the coming year to ensure the sustainability of the programme.

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