“Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children” (SPDC) has been made available by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, for the academic year 2022–2023 in order to support children of NRIs, Person of Indian Origin (PIO)s, and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)s who wish to enrol in undergraduate programmes in a variety of fields in India. For the duration of the undergraduate course, only first-year freshmen will be eligible for the scholarship.
Now, qualified applicants from the NRI, PIO, and OCI communities in all nations throughout the world can apply for the SPDC Scheme. As of July 31, 2022, the programme is available to two types of candidates who are between the ages of 17 and 21. The offspring of PIOs, OCIs, or NRIs who have gone to school outside of India in any of the world’s nations.
Indian immigrants’ children living in Emigration Clearance Required (ECR) nations (who have studied in India or abroad). One hundred and fifty (150) seats are available for scholarships, with a hundred (100) of them designated for the category at (ii)(a) and the remaining fifty (50) for the category at (ii) (b).
The students who studied in India would be given a third of the available places. Additionally, subject to meeting other eligibility requirements, 50% of the available spots in all categories are designated for female applicants. If any of the categories’ openings remain unfilled, candidates from other SPDC categories may apply, and vice versa.
Children of NRIs, PIOs, and OCIs must have completed grades 11 and 12—or a comparable program—in a foreign nation. Candidates would be chosen to use a merit-plus-means system. The grades received on the exam for the 12th grade or an equivalent level will be evaluated. The candidates would also need to meet all the requirements set forth for the position.
This programme covers NITs, IIITs, schools of planning and architecture, and other institutions. Institutions with an “A” grade have been approved by the UGC and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). Additional institutions are protected under the Direct Admission of Students Abroad (DASA) programme.
75% of the entire Institutional Economic Cost (IEC) would be eligible for a scholarship, up to a maximum of US$ 4,000 each year. IEC consists of tuition fees, hostel fees, and other institutional costs (Food charges are excluded).
The parent(s) of applicants who fall under the NRI, PIO, or OCI categories should not have a total monthly income greater than US$ 5000 and applicants who fall under the Indian Workers in ECR categories should not have a total monthly income greater than US$ 3000.
Students who meet all other eligibility requirements can fill out and submit the online application form on the SPDC portal (https://spdcindia.gov.in) after being admitted to specific courses at any of the institutes stated in the guidelines. November 30, 2022, is the deadline for submitting properly completed application forms in the required format.
