Indian Government Providing A Helping Hand To Its Minority Students

India is a land that is home to a blend of diverse religions. Being a democratic and secular nation its government has been providing for all its citizens equally. There are a number of minority groups living in the country that are too the government’s priority. Keep them in mind, the Union Government recently took a decision for the benefit of the students of the minority groups. The government has decided to grant scholarships for the academic year 2020-2021 to minority students in order to help them access quality education without any hurdles. 

These minority students belong to minority groups like Muslims, Christians, Parsis/Zoroastrians, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs. To support the education of students coming from these minority groups, the union, as well as state governments together, have taken steps to grant them scholarships. There are mainly three bodies providing these scholarships: Ministry of Minority Affairs (MOMA) (Government of India), Maulana Azad Educational Foundation (MAEF), Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department (Government of West Bengal)

Let’s get to know about the top scholarships available for minority students:

For availing of any scholarship from the below-mentioned ones, there are a few common eligibility requirements. They are as follows: 

• The student/applicant must belong to a notified minority community
• The student should be pursuing education from an Indian university/school/college government or recognized private.
• The course wished to pursue by the student/applicant must be of one year only
• The student should have secured at least 50 percent in their previous final examination.

Top Scholarships Available

1. Pre-matric scholarship scheme for minorities

Eligibility Requirements: For students studying in class 1 to 10, must score at least 50 percent marks in the previous examination, the family income of the student must be less than Rs 1 lakh per annum. 

Provider: MOMA, Government of India

Benefits: Tuition and admission fee, maintenance allowance

Mode of Application: Through the National Scholarship Portal (Online)

2. Post-matric scholarship scheme for minorities

Eligibility Requirements: Students studying in any grade between 11th to PhD level, must score at least 50 percent marks in the previous examination, the family income of the student must be less than Rs 2 lakhs per annum. 

Provider: MOMA, Government of India

Benefits: Tuition and admission fee, maintenance allowance

Mode of Application: Through the National Scholarship Portal (Online)

3. Merit-cum-means scholarship for professional and technical courses CS

Eligibility Requirements: Minority students willing to pursue a professional or technical course at UG or PG level, must score at least 50 percent marks in the previous examination, the family income of the student must be less than Rs 2.50 lakhs per annum. 

Provider: MOMA, Government of India

Benefits: Tuition and admission fee, maintenance allowance

Mode of Application: Through the National Scholarship Portal (Online)

4. Begum Hazrat Mahal national scholarship scheme for minorities girls

Eligibility Requirements: Female minority students studying in Class 9 to 12, must have scored at least 50 percent marks in the previous examination, the family income of the student must be less than Rs 2 lakhs per annum. 

Provider: Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF)

Benefits: Around Rs 6,000

Mode of Application: official website of MAEF (Online)

5. Swami Vivekananda merit cum means scholarship scheme for minorities

Eligibility Requirements: Minority community students of Class 11 and above who are domiciles of West Bengal, the family income of the student must be less than Rs 2.5 lakhs per annum. Applicants will be required to score at least 75 percent in the qualifying examination. The students studying at PG level must secure at least 53 percent marks in honors subject at graduation level and Master’s students studying Engineering must score at least 55 percent marks in Engineering. 

Provider: WBMDFC, Minority Affairs & Madrasah Education Department, Government of West Bengal.

Benefits: Rs 60,000 per annum

Mode of Application: official website of WBMDFC (Online)

Last Date to Apply: 15th November 2020

The first three scholarships mentioned above can be applied for at https://scholarships.gov.in/. The last date of application (except for the 5th scholarship) is 31st October. So hurry!!