Foreign Education Scheme for Minorities on the way!

Hyderabad: A scheme which would enable students from minority communities to study in foreign varsities would be formalised by the end of the month, sources from the Telangana government said on Thursday.

According to the Times of India, the scheme, based on the Ambedkar Overseas Vidya Nidhi (AOVN) meant for students from the Scheduled Castes, seeks to provide a grant of Rs 10 lakh to applicants based on certain conditions.

The chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recently announced a budgetary allocation of Rs 25 crore for the scheme. Sources said that the guidelines would closely resemble those of the AOVN.

An official from the Minorities Welfare Department (MWD) said that the file seeking the CM's approval has already been circulated. A cabinet note would be prepared if it is to be put up before the cabinet, the source added.

Explaining the guidelines, the official said: "An income limit of Rs 2.5 lakh per annum has been fixed. The age limit is 35. The funds will be released in two installments as and when the students get admission in the university.

The fee of the visa will be reimbursed to the applicant once the visa and valid receipts are shown. The student will have to submit utilisation certificates."

While the spring intake in foreign varsities has come to an end, the MWD plans to issue a government order (GO) announcing the scheme before the fall intake.

"The scheme will help a lot of our students who want to but are unable to go abroad for post-graduate studies. We will make sure that the GO is released much before the fall intake. We are certain that the CM will look into the matter at the earliest," said MWD special secretary Syed Omar Jaleel.