The trees may be standing, they may be dense, they may be big, even if they have a canopy, don’t ask! Do not demand! Do not demand! the path of fire! the path of fire! the path of fire!

You will never get tired, you will never stop, you will never turn, swear! Take an oath! Take an oath! the path of fire! the path of fire! the path of fire!

This is a great scene, a man walking with tears-sweat-blood, soaked path! soaked up! soaked up! the path of fire! the path of fire! the path of fire!

– Harivanshrai Bachchan

Welcome to Career Funda to make your career path easy!

Good education is considered most important in India for a good career. There has been a long tradition of giving importance to education. Various initiatives have been taken by governments to support and increase access to education for every child and youth.

Scholarships are available for students at various levels including school, college and university. Before knowing about these, know about National Scholarship Portal –

National Scholarship Portal (National Scholarship Portal – NSP)

NSP provides one stop solution for scholarship seeking students. It is online where students can apply for various scholarships available from Central Government, State Governments and various government bodies. The portal provides information on eligibility, application process and timings for each scholarship scheme.

We can divide the scholarship schemes available in India into 3 parts –

1. Scholarships offered by Central Government, AICTE and NCERT

2. Scholarships offered by State Governments

3. Private Scholarship Schemes

1. Scholarships offered by Central Government, AICTE and NCERT

The Central Government of India runs about 20 scholarship schemes. These schemes are run by various ministries and departments of the government. The names of some of these are as follows-

National Means Cum Merit Scholarship, Merit Cum Means Scholarship for Professional and Technical Courses CS, Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) Fellowship Program, Swarna Jayanti Fellowship Scheme, AICTE Pragati Scholarship for Girls, AICTE-Saksham Scholarship Scheme, Prime Minister Special Scholarship Scheme, National Talent Search Examination, Pre and Post-Matric Scholarship for students with disabilities, etc.

National Means Cum Merit Scholarship – This scholarship is available to the students of class 9th to 12th who belong to socially and economically weaker sections. The scholarship covers the cost of education up to a certain limit. The objective of this scholarship is to encourage meritorious students from economically weaker sections to continue their education.

National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) – This is a scholarship program for class 10th students. It is organized by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to identify and nurture talented students across the country. The exam consists of two phases – Phase-1 is conducted by the respective State/UT and Phase-2 is conducted by NCERT. Scholarships are awarded to selected students up to PhD level in Social Sciences, Science and Mathematics.

AICTE Pragati Scholarship – This scholarship given by the Government of India is for girl students. Under this program, the beneficiary gets financial and many other benefits annually. Applications are accepted from September to October every year. Online applications can be made from the website of the scholarship. Students in the first or second year of a technical degree or diploma programme, who have taken admission in that course through lateral entry on the basis of 12th standard, will get the benefit.

AICTE Saksham Scholarship – This scholarship program encourages technical education, especially among talented students. This benefit is available to highly deserving students pursuing technical degree or diploma programmes. Under this program each beneficiary gets other benefits apart from financial help. Applications are accepted between September and October. Online applications can be submitted through the National Scholarship Portal.

Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) – Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship is awarded to students to promote research attitude. The PMRF program is for PhD level research in the fields of science, technology, engineering, agriculture and medicine.

2. State Government Scholarship Schemes

Almost all the state governments run scholarship schemes. These schemes differ from state to state and provide financial assistance to students belonging to different categories. On an average, three to four such schemes are available in every state.

3. Private Scholarship Schemes

Apart from government scholarship schemes, many private organizations also provide scholarship schemes to the students. These schemes are funded by private organizations and financial aid is given to the students based on various criteria like merit, financial need and community service. Some of the popular private scholarship schemes include –

Sitaram Jindal Scholarship Scheme – This scholarship is available for students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies in various fields. The scholarship covers tuition fee, accommodation fee, and provides a monthly allowance for living expenses. You can get more information by visiting this link – https://www.sitaramjindalfoundation.org/scholarships-for-students-in-bangalore.php

Narottam Shekhsaria Scholarship Program – This scholarship is available for students pursuing postgraduate studies in various fields. The scholarship covers tuition fees and provides a monthly allowance for living expenses. You can get more information by visiting this link – https://pg.nsfoundation.co.in/

In addition, the Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Program, The JN Tata Endowment – Higher Education for Indians, Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship, The Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust, BITS Pilani, VIT Vellore, SRM University, Chandigarh University, Lovely Professional University, Scholarship schemes offered by Mahindra Ecole Centrale (MEC), Hyderabad, Sharda University, Greater Noida, etc. are also prominent.

Scholarships are also available from several corporate groups such as Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, Fair and Lovely Foundation, Babulal Nagarmal Satanalika Foundation, Tata Trust Vocational Scholarship, HDFC Group, Adobe India Women-in-Technology Scholarship, etc.

Summary

There are various scholarship schemes available for students in India from the central government, state government and private organizations that can provide financial assistance to fulfill their educational aspirations. Students should find and apply for the relevant scholarship schemes based on their eligibility and requirements.

Today’s career fund is that instead of getting discouraged, make your education journey smooth by applying for various scholarship schemes.

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