The Government of India, or more specifically, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), recently introduced a set of 100 scholarships for Indians overseas to study in technical and non-technical tertiary institutes in India for 2006-2007. These scholarships would fall under a programme rather aptly named as the Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children.

Of course, this year’s application deadline passed a month back, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be preparing for next year’s applications - where the total number of scholarships awarded would have been increased.

Anyway, let’s get to the basics. The programme is open to nationals of 23 developing countries who are of Indian origin. The countries involved are Malaysia, Singapore, Bahrain, Fiji, Guyana, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Myanmar, Oman, Qatar, Reunion Island, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Surinam, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidada and Tobago, the UAE and Yemen.

The scholarship is valued at US$1,800 per year, and is valid for any course of study, bar medicine (and related courses), available at Indian higher education institutes partnered with Education Consultants India Ltd. (Ed. CIL) - a Government of India enterprise.

Application requirements include being aged 17 to 21 years old, and having passed senior secondary (or equivalent) education with a 6.75 CGPA (scale of 10). There is also a selection test held around early May covering English, reasoning and quantitative ability, as well as general knowledge.

So, if you happen to be interested, check out the Ed. CIL website for further details.