To assist children of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in pursuing Under Graduate courses in Higher and Technical fields in India, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs of the Government of India introduced a Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) in 2006. Under this Programme, 67 PIO/NRI students were granted scholarship during the academic year 2006-07 while 81 students were granted scholarship in the next academic year. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs seeks application for the Scholarship Programme for the academic year 2009-10. The highlights of the scholarship are as follows:

• 100 scholarships are being offered for Undergraduate courses in disciplines including Engineering/Architecture/Technology, Humanities/Liberal Arts, Commerce, Management – BBA/BBM, Journalism, Hotel Management, Agriculture/Animal Husbandry, Science, Law etc.

• The Programme is open only to PIOs/NRIs from the specified 40 countries including Sri Lanka.

• The last date for receipt of duly filled in prescribed application form by Educational Consultants India Limited (Ed.CIL) is 9th September, 2008.

• Candidates would be selected on the basis of a common entrance test to be conducted by Ed.CIL on 26th October, 2008 at the High Commission of India, Colombo. Exact timings would be intimated later. The candidates would also have to fulfill the entire criterion prescribed for the purpose.

• The amount of scholarship admissible would be 75% of Institutional Economic Cost (IEC) or US$ 3,600 (US$ Three thousand six hundred), whichever is less. IEC includes tuition fee, hostel fee and other institutional charges.

For further information, please visit Ed.CIL websites www.edcil.co.in; and www.educationindia4u.nic.in