Lok Sabha Question No. 4351 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: National Overseas Scholarship to SCs
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4351 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.08.2025

## NATIONAL OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIP TO SCS

## 4351. DR. D RAVI KUMAR:

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

- (a) the number of students provided scholarships under the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme for Scheduled Castes and other eligible categories, year-wise during the last seven years;
- (b) the number of beneficiaries under the NOS Scheme from 2019 onwards, State-wise;
- (c) whether any States have consistently received more than 500 eligible applications per year, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether it is a fact that despite high demand, only 125 total slots are sanctioned annually under the NOS Scheme, with just 115 for SC students, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government will consider raising the annual quota of scholarships under NOS to at least 1,000, particularly for States that have a large number of meritorious applicants, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): The number of students provided scholarships under National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme for Scheduled Castes and other eligible categories during the last 7 years is at Annexure I.
- (b) State/ Union Territory-wise details of students who got scholarship under NOS Scheme from 2019 onwards is at Annexure II.
- (c) to (e): Applications under the Scheme are invited online by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and not through the States/Union Territories. Some States/Union Territories also run their own scholarship Schemes for Overseas studies. The total number of seats under the NOS Scheme were increased in 2021-22 from 100 to 125. Out of these, 115 are reserved for Scheduled Castes, 06 for De-notified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes and 04 for Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans candidates.

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Annexure referred to part (a) of reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.4351 to be answered on 19.08.2025.

Number of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and other category students provided scholarships under the NOS Scheme during the last 7 years:

|        |         | Number of beneficiaries (Gone abroad)   | Number of beneficiaries (Gone abroad)                 | Number of beneficiaries (Gone abroad)                    | Total   |
|--------|---------|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|---------|
| S. No. | Year    | Castes (SCs)                            | Scheduled De-notified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes | Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans | Total   |
| 1      | 2018-19 | 44                                      | 1                                                     |                                                          |         |
| 2      | 2019-20 | 39                                      | 1                                                     | 1                                                        | 41      |
| 3      | 2020-21 | 63                                      | 5                                                     | 3                                                        | 71      |
| 4      | 2021-22 |                                         | 2                                                     | 1                                                        | 98      |
| 5      | 2022-23 | 93                                      | 3                                                     | 2                                                        | 98      |
| 6      | 2023-24 | 107                                     | 3                                                     | 4                                                        | 114     |
| 7      | 2024-25 | 70                                      | 5                                                     | 4                                                        | 79      |
|        | Total   | 511                                     | 20                                                    | 15                                                       | 546     |