Ministry cites ‘inadequate funds’, withholds overseas scholarships

The ministry of social justice and empowerment has issued provisional scholarship awards to 40 of the 106 candidates selected for its National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) for the 2025-26 academic year, with a notice saying that letters for the remaining 66 candidates “may be issued... subject to availability of funds”.

- Sanjay Maurya and Vrinda Tulsian

According to the July 1 announcement, the ministry placed 106 candidates on its “selected list” and 64 on the “non-selected” list and rejected 270 candidates. “106 candidates have been placed in the Selected list. Out of these, initially, the provisional award letters will be issued to the candidates from serial number 1 to 40,” the ministry said. It received 440 applications for the 2025-26 academic year between March and April. Non-selected means the students have not been considered in the list due to a cap of 10% state and other quotas. These students may be considered in the next list if those selected for provisional scholarships get rejected for failing to provide required documents. While in previous years, all students in the selected lists received provisional scholarship letters at the same time, this year the ministry has decided to disburse the letters in a phased manner dependent on availability of funds, leaving students in a lurch.