Lok Sabha Question No. 1718 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-05
Subject: Fellowships for Tribal Students
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Rajkumar Roat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- †1718

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 05/12/2024

## FELLOWSHIPS FOR TRIBAL STUDENTS

## † 1718.  SHRI RAJKUMAR ROAT:

## Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the fellowship amount of 15,400 dollars per year given in the year 2013 is still same in the year 2024 under the National Overseas Scholarship to the Scheduled Tribe students;
- (b)  whether  Junior  Research  Fellowship  amount  being  provided  to  domestic  students  have  been increased to Rs. 37000 per month in 2024 from Rs. 16000 per month in the year 2013;
- (c) whether students studying abroad have also been adversely affected by inflation due to no-hike in annual fellowship amount, if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (d) whether the Central Government proposes to increase the annual fellowship amount from the current 15,400 dollars keeping in view of the prevailing standards of living abroad; and
- (e) whether Government proposes to increase the number of seats for ST studying  pursing higher studies abroad to the same level as provided to SC students to at least 70 and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI DURGADAS UIKEY)

(a) And (c): Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been implementing National Overseas Scholarship for Scheduled Tribe students for pursuing studies abroad. The Fellowship amount paid has 2 two broad components;  the  Fee  and  the  Stipend.   The  fee  comprises  of  tuition  fee,  which  being  the  major component  of  the  fellowship,  is  paid  as  per  actual  along  with  other  non-refundable  fee  which  is required to be compulsorily paid by the student for completion of the course.

The stipend comprises of 8 components, 3 components namely Annual maintenance allowance ($15,400/£ 9,900), Annual Contingency and Equipment Allowance ($ 1532/ £ 1116) and Incidental Journey Expenses (USD 18.70) are fixed components. The other 5 components namely Poll Tax, Visa Fee, Incidental Journey Expenses, Medical insurance Premium, Cost of Air Passage and Local Travel are paid on actual basis.

As major components of the Overseas scholarship including fee are paid as per actual so are not impacted by inflation. The annual maintenance amount of 15,400 US dollars per has remained same since  2013.  The  Ministry  had  done  evaluation  study  of  the  NOS  scheme  in  2019-20  before  the finance cycle (2021-26), where in detailed feed back of the students was taken with regard to amount of scholarship.  Based on the feedback and deliberations, the rates of scholarship were decided for

Finance Cycle 2021-26.  Further as the scholarship is paid in dollar and is not impacted with the change in rupee per dollar rate, which has increased from Rs 56 in 2013 to Rs 84 in 2024.

(b): Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been implementing National Fellowship Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Tribe students.  Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) scholars is currently paid Rs. 37,000 per month in 2024, up from Rs. 16,000 per month in 2013. This revision aligns with the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

(d) & (e): Currently there is no such proposal under consideration in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

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