Lok Sabha Question No. 237 (STARRED), answered on 2025-12-16
Subject: National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for SC/ST/DNT Students
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Smt. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

•

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO.237 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2025

## NATIONAL OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME FOR SC/ST/DNT STUDENTS

*237. SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that only 44 out of 106 selected students under the National Overseas Scholarship for SC/ST/DNT students have received their award letters for the year 2025-26;
- (b) if so, the reasons for not issuing award letters for the 66 selected students;
- (c) the number of SC/ST/DNT students from Tamil Nadu and other States who have availed scholarships under the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme, State and year-wise during the last eleven years;
- (d) the total funds allocated and disbursed under this scheme and the average scholarship amount availed per student during the last eleven years, State and year-wise in Tamil Nadu; and
- (e) the measures taken by the Union Government to ensure that sufficient funds are allocated for this scheme and the measures taken to improve awareness and accessibility of this scheme among the SC/ST/DNT students?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the house.

*****

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (E) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 237 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2025 REGARDING "NATIONAL OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME FOR SC/ST/DNT STUDENTS" ASKED BY HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI

(a) & (b) Department of Social Justice and Empowerment implements National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Castes (SCs), De-notified Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), SemiNomadic Tribes (SNTs), Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans. and Ministry of Tribal Affairs for Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Provisional award letters have been issued to all the 106 candidates who have been selected in the first round of selection Year 2025-26 under the National Overseas Scholarship scheme (NOS) for Scheduled Castes etc. Out of these 106 candidates, final award letters have been issued to 67 candidates and 13 have taken deferral for next intake. Further, 23 candidates have withdrawn themselves from the scholarship and 3 candidates' awards were cancelled on account of exceeding upper limit of annual family income prescribed under the scheme.

(c) The details of SC/DNT/SNT etc. and ST students, State/Union Territory (UT)-wise including from Tamil Nadu who have availed scholarship during last eleven years are at Annexure 1 and II respectively.

(d) NOS being Central Sector Scheme, funds are not allocated State-wise. However, the total funds allocated, disbursed including the students of domicile of Tamil Nadu under both the schemes during the last eleven years are at Annexure III, IV respectively. The scholarship amount available per student during last eleven years in the schemes for SC etc. and ST students is at Annexure V. The average expenditure incurred on the students of domicile of Tamil Nadu is Rs. 0.73 Crore. The expenditure incurred per student may differ Country, University and Course-wise.

(e) To ensure availability of sufficient funds under the Scheme, additional funds are allotted in Revised Estimate (R.E.) and funds are re-appropriated from other Schemes/ Sub-Schemes.

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.

<!-- image -->

|       | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   | State/UT-wise number of students who availed scholarship under NOS for STs etc. during last 11 years   |
|-------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No. | STATE/UT                                                                                               |                                                                                                        | 2015-16                                                                                                | 2016-17                                                                                                | 2017-18                                                                                                | 2018-19                                                                                                | 2019-20                                                                                                | 2020-21                                                                                                | 2021-22                                                                                                | 2022-23                                                                                                | 2023-24                                                                                                | 2024-25                                                                                                | Total                                                                                                  |
|       | Andaman & Nicobar                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 2     | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 2                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        | ANO                                                                                                    |
|       | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 2                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 4     | Assam                                                                                                  |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        | 8                                                                                                      |
|       | Bihar                                                                                                  |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      |
|       | Chandigarh                                                                                             |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      |
| 7     | Chhattisgarh                                                                                           | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 3                                                                                                      |
| 8     | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu                                                                   | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      |
| 9     | Delhi                                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      |
| 10    | Goa                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 1                                                                                                      | 2                                                                                                      |
| 11    | Gujarat                                                                                                |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | 2                                                                                                      |
| 12    | Haryana                                                                                                |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |
| 13    | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                       |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 14    | Jammu & Kashmir                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | a-                                                                                                     |
| 15    | Jharkhand                                                                                              |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 2                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 16    | Karnataka                                                                                              | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 6                                                                                                      |
| 17    | Kerala                                                                                                 |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      | • 0                                                                                                    |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 18    | adakh                                                                                                  |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 19    | Lakshadweep                                                                                            |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 20    | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                         |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 21    | Maharashtra                                                                                            |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 22    | Manipur                                                                                                |                                                                                                        | 2                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 23    | Meghalaya                                                                                              |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | •UNTONON                                                                                               |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 24    | Mizoram                                                                                                |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 25    | Nagaland                                                                                               | 2                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 26    | Odisha                                                                                                 |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 27    | Puducherry                                                                                             |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 28    | Punjab                                                                                                 |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 29    | Rajasthan                                                                                              |                                                                                                        | 1                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 30    | Sikkim                                                                                                 |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 31    | Tamil Nadu                                                                                             |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 32    | Telangana                                                                                              |                                                                                                        | 3                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 33    | Tripura                                                                                                |                                                                                                        | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 36    |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 0-00-00008                                                                                             |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | 00N                                                                                                    |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 35    | Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand                                                                              | 0                                                                                                      |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        | --—O                                                                                                   |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
| 36    | West Bengal                                                                                            |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |
|       | TOTAL                                                                                                  | 12                                                                                                     |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |                                                                                                        |

This Annexure referred to in part (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question no. 237 due for answer on 16.12.2025

## Total funds disbursed under NOS for SCs etc. during last 11 years including the State of Tamil Nadu

| S. No.   | Year    | Funds allocated   |   Funds disbursed |   (Rs. in crore) Funds disbursed to the students of Tamil Nadu domicile |
|----------|---------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | 2014-15 | 6                 |              8.78 |                                                                    1    |
| 2        | 2015-16 | 6.12              |             13.45 |                                                                    0.32 |
| 3        | 2016-17 | 15                |             14.02 |                                                                    1.96 |
| 4        | 2017-18 | 15                |              4.59 |                                                                    0.36 |
| 5        | 2018-19 | 15                |              5.97 |                                                                    1.72 |
| 6        | 2019-20 | 20                |             28.56 |                                                                    0.81 |
| 7        | 2020-21 | 30                |             32.92 |                                                                    6.04 |
| 8        | 2021-22 |                   |             49.07 |                                                                    4.96 |
| 9        | 2022-23 | 50                |             86.59 |                                                                    1.04 |
|          | 2023-24 | 85                |             88.56 |                                                                    3.4  |
| 11       | 2024-25 | 95                |             74.17 |                                                                    2.37 |
| Total    | Total   | 372.12            |            406.68 |                                                                   23.98 |

Annexure IV

This Annexure referred to in part (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question no. 237 due for answer on 16.12.2025

## Total funds allocated and disbursed under NOS for STs during last 11 years including the State of Tamil Nadu

| S. No.   | Year    |   Funds allocated | Funds          | (Rs. in crore) Funds disbursed to the students of Tamil                                                                        |
|----------|---------|-------------------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | 2014-15 |              1    | disbursed 1.00 | Nadu domicile 0.00                                                                                                             |
| 2        | 2015-16 |              0.72 | 0.39           | 0.00                                                                                                                           |
| 3        | 2016-17 |              0.39 | 0.39           | 0.00                                                                                                                           |
| 4        | 2017-18 |              1    | 1.00           | 0.00                                                                                                                           |
| 5        | 2018-19 |              2    | 2.00           | 0.00                                                                                                                           |
| 6        | 2019-20 |              2    | 2.00           | 0.00                                                                                                                           |
| 7        | 2020-21 |              4.76 | 4.76           | 0.00                                                                                                                           |
| 8        | 2021-22 |              4.95 | 4.95           | 0.00                                                                                                                           |
|          | 2022-23 |              4    | 4.00           | 0.00                                                                                                                           |
| 10       | 2023-24 |              7    | 7.00           | Information not available as a consolidated bill/voucher of all students is submitted by M/o External Affairs to the Ministry. |
| 11       | 2024-25 |              6    | 6.00           | 0.00                                                                                                                           |
| Total    | Total   |             33.82 | 33.49          | -                                                                                                                              |

...

Annexure V

This Annexure referred to in part (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question no. 237 due for answer on 16.12.2025

|                                                    | Funds available per student under NOS for SCs and STs candidates from 2014-15 to 2024-25 SCs   | Funds available per student under NOS for SCs and STs candidates from 2014-15 to 2024-25 SCs   | STs                                                         | STs                                                         |
|----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No. Type of Assistance                           | United States of America (USA) & other countries except UK                                     | United Kingdom (UK)                                                                            | United States of America (USA) & other countries except     | United Kingdom (UK)                                         |
| 1. Annual Maintenance 15400 US Dollars Allowance   |                                                                                                | 9900 Great Britain 15400 US Dollars Pounds                                                     |                                                             | 9900 Great Britain Pounds                                   |
| 2. Annual Contingency Allowance                    | 11500 US Dollars                                                                               | 1100 Great Britain Pounds                                                                      | |1532 US Dollars                                       | 11116 Great Britain Pounds                                  |
| 3. Tuition Fees                                    | Actual as charged by the Institute                                                             | Actual as charged by the Institute                                                             | Actual as charged by the Institute                          | Actual as charged by the Institute                          |
| 4. Visa Fees                                       | Actual as charged (in Indian Rupees)                                                           | Actual as charged (in Indian Rupees)                                                           | Actual as charged (in Indian Rupees)                        | Actual as charged (in Indian Rupees)                        |
| 5. Medical Insurance Premium                       | Actual as charged                                                                              | Actual as charged                                                                              | Actual as charged                                           | Actual as charged                                           |
| Incidental Journey Allowance & Equipment Allowance | 20 US Dollars for each or its equivalent in Indian Rupees                                      | 20 US Dollars for each or its equivalent in Indian Rupees                                      | 20 US Dollars for each or its equivalent in Indian Rupees   | 20 US Dollars for each or its equivalent in Indian Rupees   |
| 7. Air Passage                                     | To and fro journey from the shortest route in economy class                                    | To and fro journey from the shortest route in economy class                                    | To and fro journey from the shortest route in economy class | To and fro journey from the shortest route in economy class |

*****