Lok Sabha Question No. 3756 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-12
Subject: Foreign Scholarship to SCs
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Dr. Alok Kumar Suman

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3756 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.08.2025

## FOREIGN SCHOLARSHIP TO SCS

3756. DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that Scheduled Castes (SCs) are getting foreign scholarship for higher study in the abroad reputed academic institutions;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the total number of students got scholarship for foreign studies during the last ten years;
- (c) whether it is a fact that the total number of seats for foreign scholarship to SCs have not increased since long period;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) Whether it is a fact that the Government has proposed any awareness programme to concerned sections of Scheduled Castes about the foreign scholarship available for them; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and measures taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE)

- (a) & (b): Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment administers National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme for SC etc. candidates to obtain higher education viz. Master's degree or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) by studying abroad in top 500 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking Universities/Institutions. Total slots allotted under the Scheme is 125 annually. Out of these slots, 115 are reserved for Scheduled Castes, 06 for De-notified Nomadic and SemiNomadic Tribes and 04 for Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans candidates.

Details of students who got scholarship under NOS Scheme for foreign studies during the last ten years is at Annexure.

- (c) & (d): The total number of seats under the NOS Scheme were increased in the Year 2021-22 from 100 to 125.
- (e): To raise awareness about the NOS Scheme among students, advertisements are published in newspapers, and letters are sent to the Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of Social Welfare Departments of State Governments and Union Territories to ensure widespread publicity of the Scheme.

## Annexure referred to part (a) and (b) of reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3756 to be answered on 12.08.2025.

Number of students who got scholarship under the NOS Scheme for foreign studies during the last ten years:

| S. No.   | Year    | Number of beneficiaries (Gone abroad)   |
|----------|---------|-----------------------------------------|
|          | 2015-16 | 20                                      |
| 2        | 2016-17 | 46                                      |
| 3        | 2017-18 | 64                                      |
| 4        | 2018-19 |                                         |
| 5        | 2019-20 | 41                                      |
| 6        | 2020-21 | 71                                      |
| 7        | 2021-22 | 98                                      |
| 8        | 2022-23 | 98                                      |
| 9        | 2023-24 | 114                                     |
|          | 2024-25 | 79                                      |

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