Executive Summary:
This document presents the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment's response to questions regarding the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme for Scheduled Castes and other eligible categories. It provides data on scholarships awarded over the past seven years and state/UT-wise distribution from 2019 onwards. The document also clarifies the scheme's application process and seat allocation. The reference date for the data provided is August 19, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Scholarship Statistics:**
* Annexure I provides the number of scholarships awarded under the NOS Scheme for the last seven years (2018-19 to 2024-25) for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, and Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans.
* A total of 546 scholarships were awarded during this period: 511 for SCs, 20 for Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, and 15 for Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans.
* **State/UT-wise Distribution:**
* Annexure II details the state and union territory-wise distribution of NOS Scheme beneficiaries from 2019-20 to 2024-25.
* Maharashtra had the highest number of beneficiaries.
* **Application and Seat Allocation:**
* Applications are invited online by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, not through States/UTs.
* The total number of seats under the NOS Scheme increased from 100 to 125 in 2021-22.
* The distribution of the 125 seats is as follows: 115 for Scheduled Castes, 6 for Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, and 4 for Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans.
Impact Analysis:
* **Students (SCs, Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans):**
* Impact: Eligible students benefit from scholarships to pursue overseas studies, enhancing their educational and career prospects.
* Action Required: Apply online through the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment when applications are open.
* **State/Union Territory Governments:**
* Impact: States/UTs are not directly involved in the application process but may run their own parallel scholarship schemes.
* Action Required: Continue to support and promote the NOS scheme, while also considering offering supplementary overseas scholarships.
* **Department of Social Justice and Empowerment:**
* Impact: Responsible for managing the online application process and awarding scholarships.
* Action Required: Continue to administer the scheme, process applications, and disburse scholarships according to the guidelines.
Key Entities Referenced
National Overseas Scholarship NOS Scheme: A scholarship program provided by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for Scheduled Castes and other eligible categories to study abroad.
Scheduled Castes: A group of historically disadvantaged communities in India, also referred to as SCs, who are eligible for reservations and other affirmative action measures.
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment: The Indian government ministry responsible for the welfare and empowerment of Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and victims of substance abuse.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE: Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India, mentioned in the context of beneficiaries under the NOS Scheme.
Maharashtra: A state in India, mentioned in the context of beneficiaries under the NOS Scheme.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India, mentioned in the context of beneficiaries under the NOS Scheme.
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.ANNEXURE-I
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)
S.No. Year [Scheduled |De-notified Nomadic and} Landless Agricultural | Total
Castes Semi-Nomadic Tribes {Labourers and Traditional
(SCs) Artisans
1 | 2018-19 44 1 0 45
2 | 2019-20 39 1 1 41
3 | 2020-21 63 5 3 71
4 | 2021-22 95 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 546Annexure-II
Annexure referred to part (b) in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4351 to be answered on 19.08.2025
State/UT-wise details of the number of beneficiaries who have availed benefit under the NOS Scheme from 2019 onwards:
S. No. State 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26
1 Andhra Pradesh 0 4 0 0 3 3
2 Arunachal Pradesh 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Assam 0 0 0 0 1 0
4 Bihar 0 0 ] 1 1 2
5 Chandigarh 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Chhattisgarh 0 0 1 0 1 0
7 Delhi 5 3 2 4 8 7
8 Goa 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Gujarat 0 1 4 8 6 12
10 Haryana 1 3 7 2 3 1
11 Himachal Pradesh 0 0 0 0 1 0
12 Jammu and Kashmir 0 1 0 0 1 2
13 Jharkhand 0 I 0 0 0 0 Provisional award letters to selected 106
14 Karnataka 2 4 1 5 1 0 candidates have been issued and _ these
15 Kerala 1 4 4 3 3 4 candidates are yet to proceed abroad for study.
16 Ladakh 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Madhya Pradesh 5 3 6 1 4 5
18 Maharashtra 20 28 43 56 68 11
19 Manipur 1 0 0 0 0 0
20 Meghalaya 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 Mizoram 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 Nagaland 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 Odisha | 2 2 0 0 0
24 Punjab 0 1 4 5 1 6
25 Puducherry 0 0 0 0 0 2
26 Rajasthan 0 0 2 0 1 1
27 Sikkim 0 0 0 0 0 0
28 Tamil Nadu 2 5 7 3 4 4
29 Telangana 1 3 2 1 1 4
30 Tripura 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 Uttar Pradesh 1 2 9 7 6 9
32 Uttarakhand 0 1 1 1 0 2
33 West Bengal 1 5 2 1 0 4
Total 41 71 98 98 114 79
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