580 SC Students Awarded Overseas Scholarships
National Overseas Scholarship Scheme expands access to higher education abroad
- 580 Scheduled Caste students awarded scholarships and enrolled abroad from 2019-20 to 2025-26.
- 78 students benefited under the scheme in 2025-26.
- Applications are now processed through the unified SAMAVESH portal.
- Government steps up outreach through websites, newspapers and State and UT welfare departments.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 11th Aug: The Central Government has strengthened access to overseas higher education opportunities for Scheduled Caste students, with 580 students awarded scholarships and enrolled abroad under the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme from 2019-20 to 2025-26, up to August 6, 2026.
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale provided the information in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
According to the Ministry, 41 students received scholarships in 2019-20, followed by 71 in 2020-21, 98 in 2021-22, 98 in 2022-23, 114 in 2023-24, 80 in 2024-25 and 78 in 2025-26.
To improve awareness about the scheme, its guidelines and application instructions are made available on the Department’s website. The Government also publishes advertisements in newspapers and communicates with Social Welfare Departments of States and Union Territories for wider dissemination.
Applications shifted to SAMAVESH portal
Applications for the NOS Scheme are invited online. The scheme has recently been onboarded onto the SAMAVESH (Single Access Mechanism for All Verticals of Empowerment & Social Harmony) Portal, aimed at streamlining application processing, scrutiny, data management, accessibility and selection.
Under the scheme, funds are released in advance through Letters of Authorization to concerned Indian Missions and Embassies, which are directed to disburse funds to universities and students upon receipt of claims.
18 beneficiaries from Andhra Pradesh
In Andhra Pradesh, 18 students were awarded scholarships and enrolled abroad under the scheme between 2019-20 and 2025-26.
The beneficiaries included students from Chittoor, Annamayya, Bapatla, Krishna, Palnadu, Prakasam, Visakhapatnam and Y.S.R. Kadapa districts.
The Government said measures to expand awareness, digitise applications and facilitate timely disbursement are aimed at improving access to overseas higher education for Scheduled Caste students.
