Maharashtra Govt Announces Foreign Scholarship for 24 Minority Students | Pixabay (Representational Pic)
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Friday announced a list of 24 minority students pursuing postgraduate and doctoral studies for the academic year 2024-25 selected for the foreign scholarship scheme.
According to the scheme, the minorities development department will select a total of 75 candidates from the minority communities to pursue higher education abroad. “This is the first list and more will be published as more candidates get selected,” a senior official in the department said.
This newspaper, in a series of reports, had highlighted the delay in the publication of the list by the department. It had also highlighted how the department listed Eknath Shinde as the Chief Minister, while naming current CM Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar as Deputy CMs. The department had corrected the names after the publication of the reports.
According to a government resolution (GR) issued by the department on Friday, 24 students have been shortlisted under the scheme, including 23 for postgraduate degrees and one for a doctoral programme.
The selected students will study at prestigious institutions such as the University of Sydney, Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University, and the University of Exeter. The scholarships are intended for students in fields such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, law, business, and humanities.
The scholarship programme is applicable to students who have secured admission to universities ranked within the top 200 in the QS World Rankings. Under this initiative, tuition fees, living expenses, and other associated costs will be covered.
The selected students are required to complete their studies within the stipulated time, failing which they will not be eligible for an extension or additional financial support.
Students receiving the scholarship must sign a bond committing to serve the country after completing their education. The state government has designated the Commissioner of Social Welfare, Pune, as the authorised official responsible for disbursing the scholarship funds after verifying the students’ original documents and obtaining necessary undertakings.
The Maharashtra government launched the foreign scholarship scheme to address financial barriers that prevent talented students from pursuing higher education abroad. It is part of the state’s broader efforts to enhance educational opportunities for minority communities.
Additional students are on a waitlist, and final selections will be made based on available slots, the GR stated. The scholarship funds will be allocated from the state’s minority welfare budget for the current financial year, it added.
