Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) to pursue undergraduate courses in higher and technical institutions in India in the academic year 2007.

The Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) for the batch of students in 2007 has been finalized. Under this Scheme, 100 admission-cum-scholarships shall be offered for Undergraduate courses in Engineering/Technology, Humanities/Liberal Arts, Commerce, Management, Journalism, Hotel Management, Agriculture/Animal Husbandry to partially fund the tuition fees, to a substantial extent. The shortlisting for scholarships will be on the basis of entrance examinations conducted. M/s Educational Consultants India Limited has been engaged by MOIA i the task of implementing the scheme starting from the academic year 2006-2007. A detailed booklet prepared by Ed.CIL covering the guidelines, application forms and other details regarding the programme can be found at http://educationindia4u.nic.in/shared/downloaditems/Img74.pdf.

2. Broad guidelines of the SPDC are as follows:

I) Children of Overseas Indians from 39 countries (list attached) covering Africa, Asia, Gulf and the Caribbean, which represent over 12.5 million of overseas Indian population, will be covered under the SPDC Scheme. Children of NRIs who are studying in India will not be eligible for the scheme.

II) Children of NRls studying abroad for a minimum of 5 years with Xl and XII schooling abroad will be covered under the SPDC scheme as is done under Direct Admissions of Student Abroad (DASA).

III) The scholarship will be a partial scholarship to fund the tuition fees for the course concerned.

IV) Shortlisting for scholarships will be based on the basis of qualifying marks of 60% in Class XII and score in the entrance test. Candidates who have scored 60% aggregate marks in their Xllth grade will be eligible to appear in the entrance test. Students who are appearing for XII grade examination this year will also be eligible to appear in the test, but their selection will be confirmed subject to their fulfilling the eligibility criteria of 60% marks in Grade XII.

V) The proposed entrance test will be on the lines of SAT, i.e. objective type comprising English language proficiency and general awareness being common for both technical and non-technical courses and Reasoning ability/Quantitative abilities. The duration of the test will be two hours and will be conducted by the Missions. Transparency and objectivity in conducting the test should be maintained by the Missions concerned.

VI) Continuation of scholarship for the second and subsequent years of study shall depend upon student passing each year of study as per criteria of NCERT.

VII) Ed.CIL will receive original applications by post directly from the candidates. Last date for receipt of applications at Ed.CIL is 23 March, 2007.

1. Australia
2. Bahrain
3. Canada
4. Fiji
5. France
6. Germany
7. Guyana
8. Hong Kong, China
9. Indonesia
10. Israel
11. Italy
12. Jamaica
13. Kenya
14. Kuwait
15. Madagascar
16. Malaysia
17. Mauritius
18. Mozambique
19. Myanmar
20. Netherlands
21. New Zealand
22. Nigeria
23. Oman
24. Philippines
25. Portugal
26. Qatar
27. Reunion Island
28. Saudi Arabia
29. Singapore
30. South Africa
31. Spain
32. Suriname
33. Tanzania
34. Thailand
35. Trinidad and Tobago
36. U.A.E
37. UK
38. USA
38. Yemen