In India, crores of the budget are earmarked every year for college and university scholarships. However, many of us still face financial problems in our higher studies as we are not fully aware of that scholarship. Let us have a look at the details of Indian fellowships.
Remain curious, love to learn, and go on. All the best, scholars!
New India Foundation(NIF) – Fellowship
For all the writers and scholars out there, working on different aspects of the history of independent India, be it economics, or politics, or culture; NIF Fellowship provides you with a stipend of Rs.1 lakh per month for a year, and Rs.6 lakh after the submission of the final manuscript. If you are an Indian Citizen, even if you are living abroad, you are in! All you are expected to do is to write original books. However, since several hundreds of applications are submitted, you have to be considerate regarding genre, theme and ideology. Your proposed work should have a sound understanding of independent India. For more updates visit the NIF official site.
Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships
Fulbright- Nehru Fellowships are for those highly motivated, Indian students who want to pursue their Masters, Doctoral/ Postdoctoral research, and Academic or Professional Excellence at selected U.S. colleges and universities in the areas of Arts and Culture Management including Heritage Conservation and Museum Studies, Economics, Public Administration, Journalism and Mass Communications, International Affairs, Gender Studies, etc. The fellowship covers tuition fees to living expenses including health coverage throughout the course. For those of you with outstanding academic records and dedication to return and work for the development of India, this is the perfect opportunity for you! You can check usief.org.in for more details.
AIF WILLIAM J. CLINTON FELLOWSHIP
Young professionals with development organizations, social enterprise, or NGOs who work on sustainable development projects in the field of education, livelihoods, and public health are offered this fellowship, where they have to do ten months of voluntary service and fieldwork during which fellows work for development projects in fields of education, livelihood, public health, etc. Any graduate between the ages of 21 to 34 can apply, and their stipends vary from Rs. 16,000 to Rs.35,000 per month. Fellows will form dynamic partnerships with civil society leaders through the exchange of knowledge and skills, sharing a mutual passion for development.
Gandhi Fellowship
Gandhi Fellowship is the best platform for fellow youth who wish to find purpose in their work, develop market-relevant skills, leadership skills, or engage in grass-root action. This is a two-year program wherein the fellows are assigned 5 schools each and during the next two years, they have to bring about certain transformations in these schools through conducting workshops, providing field support, and helping the primary school headmasters to bring about the change. The selection process is rigorous, selecting the most qualified candidates who have a good record in academics as well as extracurricular activities, a strong mindset, problem-solving capabilities, and who can contribute to nation-building. The fellows will receive a stipend of Rs. 14,000 per month during the course of two years.
Junior Research Fellowship in Engineering & Technology
Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) is meant for those candidates who have a devotion for research and who want to pursue research (Ph.D.) after their masters (M.E., M.Tech., M.Pharma.). The selected candidates will get various assistance including fellowship, contingency, departmental assistance, escorts/reader assistance (in case of physically handicapped candidates), and house rent allowance. After two years, if the performance of the candidate is satisfactory, the candidate will be promoted to SRF (Senior Research Fellow). For applying for JRF, a GATE score is not mandatory. However, he/she must have 55% in their master’s degree.
Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences
JRF in Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences are one of the most popular scholarship schemes if the student qualifies for the National Eligibility Test (NET) of UGC or UGC-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) joint test. To take advantage of the JRF you have to get a high score in NET. Just like JRF in Engineering & Technology, the fellow will receive various allowances as fellowship, contingency, departmental assistance, escorts/reader assistance (in case of physically handicapped candidates), and house rent allowance (HRA) for a total period of five years ( JRF & SRF). Remember, you have to enroll for your research work within two years of qualifying JRF.
Research Fellowship in Sciences for Meritorious Students
University Grants Commission (UGC) Research Fellowship is a program for meritorious students who want to undertake advanced studies and research leading to a Ph.D. in sciences. Universities with the Potential for Excellence/Centres of Advanced Studies and the Department of Special Assistance identified by UGC provide such opportunities that candidates can check on UGC guidelines. A fellowship of Rs. 8,000 per month and a contingency grant of Rs. 6,000 per annum is awarded to the selected fellows.
Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowships by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and IIM Bangalore
What is not possible for a young and dynamic person, especially if it comes to nation-building! The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in partnership with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM)- Bangalore has launched the ‘Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship’ to enhance skill development and promote rural employment in the country. Through two years of classroom sessions at IIM Bangalore combined with intensive functions on the field at the district level to create plans while identifying obstacles, enhancing the livelihood of rural areas, creating employment, and aiding economic growth, an individual can contribute to national development as well as learning and developing ground-based skills which will help them in future. Aspirants, who have at least a graduate degree from any recognized university, can check the official site of IIM- Bangalore for more information.
Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC/ST Candidates
To encourage SC and ST students to pursue higher studies such as M.Phil or Ph.D, after post-graduation, a government fellowship in the name of Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship (RGNF) provides monetary help to such students. Selected fellows receive a fellowship amount of Rs. 28,000 per month along with other benefits such as contingency grant, HRA (House Rent Allowance), and escorts/reader assistance to physically and visually challenged candidates. Transgender candidates can also avail themselves of the same. The payment of the fellowships is made directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through the DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) platform.
Post Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship Scheme For Single Girl Child
Lucky for the girl who is a single child to their parents, UGC got you covered with the SGC Scheme. To promote education and compensate for the direct cost of girl education at all levels, UGC has introduced the Single Girl Child (SGC) Scheme wherein those girls who are admitted to various Non-professional PG courses need not worry about tuition fees and will receive a scholarship amount from the government. An amount of INR 36,200 per annum will be provided for the full duration of the postgraduate course. For more information, you can visit the UGC official website.
Post Graduate Merit Scholarship For University Rank Holders In General & Honours Courses At Undergraduate Level
University rank holders of any of the courses listed in UGC guidelines covering both General and Honours Courses namely B.A., B.Sc., and B.Com, can pursue their Postgraduate program in any area of specialization in any institution of higher learning in the country with scholarship received from the government in addition to any other scholarship they receive. The scholarship will provide financial aid of INR 3,100 per month for two years.
Daksha Fellowship on Law
Young lawyers, public policy professionals, and other graduates with a background in law, this is exclusively for you! Based in Chennai, the Daksha Fellowship is a one-year, residential program with a contemporary curriculum formulated by renowned faculty and leading legal experts. Comprising labs, workshops, boot camps, industry exposure, and global engagement, the fellowship will allow young individuals to sharpen up their skills to succeed. The individual can select one of three pathways: Technology Law and Policy, Law and Regulation, and Disputes Resolution to get specialized in one of them. For more information, refer to Daksha Fellowship’s official website.
PCGT Good Governance Fellowship
To increase public participation and activism towards creating a more transparent and efficient governance system, PCGT invites fresh graduates in any discipline for a one-year, full-time, paid commitment towards the Good Governance Fellowship program. Through this program, the fellow will get exposed to the projects and activities undertaken by PCGT, including Youth For Governance, RTI/RTS, etc. Fresh graduates in any discipline showing leadership potential and a strong desire to work for transparency and accountability in governance are eligible to apply for the fellowship. Please go through the PCGT official website for more details.
Disha Parivartan Fellowship by Sahaj Foundation, Baijnath
If you know someone from slums, rural or tribal areas of any part of the country who is presently working for the betterment of the economically or socially deprived section of society, then it’s your turn to lift them through Disha Parivartan Fellowship by Sahaj Foundation. Through ‘Disha Parivartan Fellowship’, Sahaj Foundation financially supports such local leaders and helps them continue their initiatives to overcome such mental poverty that exists in remote areas, provided he/she is willing to work full time in their social initiative for the entire duration of the fellowship.
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2020 [UK]
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CMC) brings a dream come true opportunity for many Indian students to pursue one-year Master’s Degree courses in the UK. The scholarships, however, are offered under one of these six themes: Science and technology for development, strengthening health systems and capacity, promoting global prosperity, strengthening global peace, security, and governance, strengthening resilience and response to crises, and access, inclusion, and opportunity. The students can apply through MHRD Portal and CSC Online Application System Form online.
We don’t want the career of a meritorious student to come to a sudden end because of a financial crisis. Apart from these fellowships, there are also many types of schemes and facilities that our country offers for a brighter future. Last but not least remember, many scholars in India did not get the chance or qualify for these scholarships, yet they shone the brightest. So, scholarships are here to help you, not to judge your ability.
