Executive Summary:
This document contains the response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4352 regarding the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) scheme for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Denotified Tribes, and other eligible communities. It provides details on the number of applicants awarded, funds allocated and disbursed, awareness initiatives, and grievance redressal mechanisms. The data spans the last five years, until 2024-2025, with some provisional data for 2025-2026.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Application and Enrollment Statistics:**
* Annexure I provides State/Union Territory-wise data on the number of applicants awarded, selected, enrolled, and benefited under the NOS scheme over the last five years.
* District-wise data is not maintained.
* **Financial Allocations and Disbursements:**
* The NOS Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme; funds are not allocated State/Union Territory-wise.
* Annexure II details total funds allocated, released, and the number of beneficiaries under the NOS scheme for the last five years.
* Funds are released to Indian Missions abroad through Letters of Authorization (LoA), who then disburse funds to students/universities/institutes according to scheme guidelines.
* **Award Letters:**
* Annexure III provides details regarding the number of award letters issued each year and the total funds released.
* **Awareness and Publicity:**
* The government raises awareness of the NOS scheme through newspaper advertisements.
* Letters are sent to Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of Social Welfare Departments of State Governments and Union Territories for wider publicity.
* **Grievance Redressal and Support:**
* Embassies are contacted for immediate Embassy Verification Reports (EVR) after provisional award letters are issued.
* District Collectors and Revenue Officers are contacted for document verification.
* Department officers are deputed for spot verification of documents.
* Selected scholars receive reimbursement for to and fro airfare (economy class, shortest route) and local journey fare on an actual basis.
Impact Analysis:
* **Students/Scholars:**
* Impact: Selected students benefit from financial assistance for overseas studies. The scheme aims to support their education and alleviate financial burdens.
* Action Required: Students should ensure timely submission of required documents and verifications and adhere to scheme guidelines to facilitate fund disbursement.
* **State Governments/Union Territories:**
* Impact: Responsible for publicizing the NOS scheme to eligible communities within their jurisdiction.
* Action Required: Ensure widespread publicity of the scheme through their Social Welfare Departments.
* **Indian Missions Abroad:**
* Impact: Responsible for disbursing funds to students/universities/institutes as per the scheme guidelines.
* Action Required: Provide funds to the Students/Universities/Institutes as per the Scheme guidelines.
* **Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:**
* Impact: Oversees the implementation of the NOS scheme, including fund allocation, monitoring, and grievance redressal.
* Action Required: Continue efforts to enhance awareness, streamline processes for award letter issuance and fund release, and address grievances effectively.
Key Entities Referenced
National Overseas Scholarship: A central sector scheme providing financial assistance to selected students from Scheduled Castes, Denotified Tribes, and other eligible communities for pursuing higher studies abroad.
Scheduled Caste: A group of historically disadvantaged communities in India recognized by the government for specific protections and affirmative action measures.
Denotified Tribe: Communities in India that were previously classified as criminal tribes under British rule and have since been denotified, often facing social stigma and requiring specific support.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India, specifically mentioned in the context of state-wise data collection for applicants and fund allocation under the NOS scheme.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question regarding the National Overseas Scholarship was raised.
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment: The Indian government ministry responsible for the National Overseas Scholarship scheme and the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Denotified Tribes, and other marginalized communities.
SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE: Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question regarding the NOS scheme.
Indian Missions abroad: Embassies and consulates of India in foreign countries, responsible for disbursing funds to students and universities under the National Overseas Scholarship scheme.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4352
TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.08.2025
NATIONAL OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIP FOR SCs
4352. SHRI DAGGUMALLA PRASADA RAO:
Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the details regarding the total number of applicants who have been awarded and enrolled in
the National Oversees Scholarship (NOS) scheme during the last five years, year, State and
district-wise, including Andhra Pradesh;
(b) the details regarding total funds allocated, released and disbursed under the NOS scheme
during the last five years, State-wise including Andhra Pradesh;
(c) the details regarding the number of award letters issued each year and the total funds
released;
(d) whether the Government is collecting data regarding the average time taken to disburse funds
to the scholars;
(e) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
(f) the steps taken by the Government to enhance awareness of the NOS scheme among
Scheduled Caste, Denotified Tribe and other eligible communities in the country, State and
district-wise; and
(g) the measures and grievance redressal mechanisms in place to ensure timely processing of
award letters, release of funds and travel support to the selected scholars?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE)
(a): Details regarding total number of applicants who have been awarded (selected) and enrolled
(availed benefit) under the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme during the last 5 years,
State/Union Territory-wise is at Annexure I. However, district-wise data is not maintained.
(b): NOS Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme. Under the Scheme, State/ Union Territory-wise
funds are not allocated. Details regarding total funds allocated, released and number of
beneficiaries under the NOS Scheme during the last five years is at Annexure-II.
(c): Details regarding the number of award letters issued each year and the total funds released is
at Annexure-III.(d) & (e): Under the Scheme, funds are released to respective Indian Missions abroad through
Letters of Authorization (LoA) as per the requisitions. Indian Missions abroad provide funds to
the Students/Universities/ Institutes as per the Scheme guidelines.
(f): 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.
(g): After issuance of provisional award letters, the respective Embassies are approached to send
Embassy Verification Report (EVR) immediately for processing the case. In parallel, letters are
sent to concerned District Collectors and Revenue Officers for verification of documents. Also,
Officers from the Department are deputed for spot verification of documents. For travel support,
to and fro airfare by shortest route in economy class and local journey fare is reimbursed on
actual basis.ANNEXURE-I
Annexure referred to part (a) in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4352 to be answered on 19.08.2025
State/UT-wise details of the number of applicants who have been awarded (selected) and enrolled (availed benefit) under the NOS Scheme during
the last five years:
S. No.|State/UT Selected 2 [ (0 B Ge2 on0 e n- f e2 i1 c A i bar ri oe as d ) Selected 2 (Be0 Gn2 oe1 nf- ei2 c 2 Ai bar ri oe as d ) Selected 2 (B0 e G2 n oe2 nf- ei2 c 3 Ai a br ri oe as d ) Selected 2 (B0 e Gn2 oe3 nf- ei2 c 4 Ai bar ri oe as d ) Selected 2 [0 (B2 Ge4 n o- e nf2 ei5 c Ai bar ri oe as d ) Selected 2 (B0 e G2 n o5 e n- f ei2 c 6 Ai bar ri oe as d)
Andaman & Nicobar 0 Oo o 0 Andhra Pradesh me
Arunachal Pradesh
[Assam
Bihar
Chandigarh
Chhattisgarh
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
and Daman & Diu
9 [Delhi
10 |Goa
11 {Gujarat
12 [Haryana
13 {Himachal Pradesh
14 Jammu and Kashmir
15 Jharkhand
16 {Karnataka
17 erala
18 jLadakh
19 {Lakshadweep
20 [Madhya Pradesh
21 [Maharashtra
22 {Manipur
23 [Meghalaya
24 izoram
25 agaland
26 |Odisha
27 {Punjab
28 {Puducherry
29 {Rajasthan
30 {Sikkim
31 |Tamil Nadu
32 ‘Telangana
33 [Tripura
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Provisional
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Total _ i—) 71 —_ LF] =]fo] 125 -)oe = —=o > _ nn —oie nNANNEXURE-II
Annexure referred to part (b) of reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.4352 to be answered
on 19.8.2025.
Funds allocated under the Scheme:
Year Funds allocated
(Rupees in crore)
2020-21
30
2021-22 35
2022-23 50
2023-24 85
2024-25 95State/UT-wise total funds released and number of beneficiaries under the NOS Scheme during the last five years
(Rupees in crore
S 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
No* . [State/UT (B Ge on ne efi Ac bi ra or ai de )s | FXPENA. UE | Beneficiaries : Beneficiaries . Beneficiaries . Beneficiaries . 2025-26 Gone Abroad)| ExPenditure | one Abroad) |EXPenditute| Gone Abroad)| Expenditure |Gone Abroad)| Expenditure
‘Andhra
1 Pradesh 4 2.26 0 0.00 0 0.00 3 1.67 3 2.98
Arunachal
2 Pradesh 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00
3 {Assam 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 1 0.80 0 0.00
4 |Bihar 0 0.00 1 0.92 1 0.11 1 0.40 2 0.91
3 {Chandigarh 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00
6 {Chhattisgarh 0 0.00 1 0.43 0 0.00 1 0.58 0 0.00
7 (Delhi 3 1.63 2 1.66 4 2.50 8 5.60 7 4.26
8 |Goa 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00
9 {Gujarat 1 0.74 4 1.52 8 4.07 6 3.88 12 7.33
10 [Haryana 3 1.77 7 1.96 2 1.38 3 3.01 1 0.42
1 eimachal 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 1 1.01 0 0.00 | Provisional
ammu and
12 Ka as sh hm mi ir 1 0.70 0 0.00 0 0.00 1 0.41 2 1.27 ja tw oa sr ed l ele ct tt ee drs
13 [Tharkhand 1 0.35 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 | cand1 i0 d6 ates
14 [Karnataka 4 2.36 I 0.68 5 2.11 l 0.84 0 0.00 have
15 |Kerala 4 1.74 4 2.12 3 1.68 3 1.55 4 2.11 been issued
16 {Ladakh 0 1.56 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 and these
7 Maaddhhyyaa 3 0.00 6 3.77 1 0.34 4 3.08 5 2.70 caarned iydeat tteos
18 [Maharashtra 28 19.73 43 2.34 56 29.27 68 43.65 11 12.00 proceed
19 [Manipur 0 1.38 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 abroad for
20 [Meghalaya 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 study.
21 [Mizoram 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00
22 [Nagaland 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00
23 jOdisha 2 1.38 2 2.53 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00
24 [Punjab 1 0.00 4 0.00 5 0.00 1 0.00 6 1.20
25 {Puducherry 0 0.81 0 2.91 0 2.25 0 0.70 2 4.26
26 |Rajasthan 0 0.00 2 1.90 0 0.00 1 0.42 1 0.46
27 |Sikkim 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 - 0.00
28 {Tamil Nadu 5 6.04 7 4.97 3 1.05 4 3.41 4 2.38
29 {Telangana 3 1.43 2 1.42 1 1.18 1 0.39 4 1.97
30 [Tripura 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00
31 {Uttar Pradesh 2 0.58 9 5.23 7 3.16 6 2.41 9 7.04
32 [Uttarakhand 1 0.40 1 1.15 1 1.28 0 0.00 2 1.00
33 [West Bengal 5 531 2 1.80 1 0.48 0 0.00 4 2.63
Total 71 50.17 98 37.33 98 50.86 114 73.80 79 54.92ANNEXURE-III
Annexure referred to part (c) of reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.4352 to be answered on
19.8.2025.
Details regarding the number of award letters issued each year and the total funds released:
S.NO Year Number of provisional Number of final No. of beneficiaries
award letters issued laward letters issued (Gone abroad)
1 2020-21 100 71 71
2 2021-22 125 100 98
3 2022-23 125 101 98
4 2023-24 125 116 114
5 2024-25 125 81 79
6 2025-26 125 4 0
Total. 725 473 460
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