Scholarship :	National Overseas Scholarships/ Passage Grant for SC, ETC. Candidates for the selection year 2007-2008
Course :	Master Degree
Provider Address :	The Under Secretary (SCD V) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Room No. 622 �A� Wing, Shastri Bhavan, Dr. Rajenda Prasad Marg, New Delhi � 110 001
Description :	Updated Information National Overseas Scholarships/ Passage Grant for Scheduled Castes, Denotified Nomadic & Semi-nomadic Tribes and landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans for the Selection Year 2007-08 (Extension of the last date of receipt of application) The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment invited applications for 30 Overseas Scholarship and 5 Passage Grant from suitable Scheduled Caste and other category candidates mentioned above for pursuing higher studies abroad in the specified field of Engineering and Technology and Science at Masters and Ph. D levels. The advertisement for this purpose appeared in the Employment News date 20-26 October, 2007 with the indication that the last date of receipt of application was 45 days from the date of its publication in the Employment News. The last date has been extended for a further period upto 31.01.2008. Candidates may also see the details of the scheme on Ministry�s website http://socialjustice.nic.in and send their applications in the prescribed form to Shri Kanhaiya Lal. Under Secretary (SCD V Section), Room No. 622 �A� Wing, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi latest by 31.01.2008. Category: Scheduled Castes No. of Scholarship: 27 No. of Passage Grant: 04 Category: Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes No. of Scholarships: 02 No. of Passage Grant: 01 Category: Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans No. of Scholarships: 01 No. of Passage Grant: - 30% of the awards shall be earmarked for women candidates. The scholarship is awarded for higher studies abroad in specified field of Engineering, Technology and Science and covers cost of Fees etc. and other educational expenses including maintenance, contingency allowance, and travel expenses etc. for various courses at Masters� and Ph. D level only. For the passage grant, only those candidates are eligible who possess a Master or equivalent degree in Technical, Engineering and Science disciplines and are in receipt of merit scholarship for Post Graduate studies, research or Training abroad (excluding attending seminars, workshops, conferences from a foreign Government/ organization or under any other scheme where the cost of passage is not provided). Field of Study for selection year 2007-2008: (i) Bio-Technology/ Genetic Engineering, (ii) Industrial Environmental Engineering, (iii) Nano-Technology (iv) Marine Engineering (v) Petro-Chemical Engineering (vi) Plastic Technology (vii) Cryogenic Engineering (viii) Mechatronics (ix) Automation Robotics including, Artificial Intelligence, (x) Laser Technology (xi) Low temperature Thermal Dynamics, (xii) Optometry, (xiii) Art Restoration Technology, (xiv) Dock and Harbour Engineering (xv) Imaging System Technology (xvi) Composite Materials engineering including Decentralized Power Distribution (for solar heat) system, Energy Storage Engineering, Energy Conservation, Energy Efficient habitat Engineering, (xvii) Packaging Engg./ Technology (xviii) Nuclear Engineering, (xix) Information Technology including computer Engineering, Software, Software Quality Assurance, Networking/ Connectivity Engineering, Communication System under Hazardous or Post-disaster conditions, Multimedia Communication and (xx) Industrial Safety Engineering. Minimum Qualification: For Ph. D: First class or 60 (sixty) % marks or equivalent grade in relevant Masters� Degree. Preference would be given to the experienced candidates, especially to those who are on lien with their existing post and employer. For Masters� Degree: First Class or 60 (sixty) % marks or equivalent grade in relevant Bachelors� Degree, Preference would be given to the experienced candidates, especially to those who are on lien with their existing post and employer. Age: Below 35 (Thirty Five) years, as on First day of the month of the Advertisement of the Scheme. Income Ceiling: Total income from all sources of the employed candidate or his/her parents/guardians, shall not exceed Rs.25, 000/- (Twenty Five Thousand) per month, (excluding such allowances as are not treated as part of total income for the purpose of income tax) as certified by the employer is also required to be enclosed with the application. Employed candidates: Candidates who are in employment must forward their applications through their employer along with a �No Objection Certificate� (NOC) by the employer to this Ministry so as to reach the Ministry on or before the last date or receipt of applications as specified in the advertisement of the Scheme. All administrative matters like study leave; salary etc. will be directly sorted out by the candidate with his/her employer and as per rules of the serving organization. This Ministry will not take any responsibility or render assistance in this regard. Financial Assistance: A. Quantum of Annual maintenance Allowance: (I) For United States of America and other Countries except United Kingdom: The annual maintenance allowance of US Dollars 14, 000/- (Fourteen Thousand) has been prescribed for all levels of courses covered under the Scheme. (II) Only for United Kingdom: The annual maintenance allowance of 9000 (Nine Thousand) Great Britain Pound (GBP) has been prescribed. B. Earnings from Research/ Teaching Assistantship: The awardees are permitted to supplement their prescribed allowances by undertaking Research/ Teaching Assistantship unto US Dollars 2400/- (Two Thousand Four Hundred) per annum and for awardees in United Kingdom, Great Britain Pound (GBP) 1560/- (One Thousand Five Hundred Sixty) per annum and beyond these prescribed ceilings, their annual maintenance allowance under the Scheme will be correspondingly reduced by the Indian Missions abroad. C. Quantum of Annual Contingency Allowance: (I) For United States of America and Other Countries Except United Kingdom: The Prescribed contingency allowance for books/ essential apparatus/ study tour/ travel cost for attending subject related conferences, workshops etc./ typing and binding of thesis etc. is US Dollars 1375/- (One Thousand Three Hundred Seventy Five) per annum). (II) Only for United Kingdom: The prescribed contingency allowance for books/ essential apparatus/ study tour/ travel cost for attending subject related conferences, workshops etc./ typing and binding of thesis etc is Great Britain Pound (GBP) 1000/- (One thousand) per annum. D. Incidental Journey Allowance & Equipment Allowance: The prescribed Incidental Journey allowance is US $ 17 (seventeen) or its equivalent in Indian Rupees and the prescribed equipment allowance is Rs.1200 (One thousand and two hundred). E. Poll tax: Actual will be paid, wherever applicable. F. Visa Fees: Actual visa fees in Indian Rupees will be paid. G. Fees and Medical Insurance Premium: Actual as charge. H. Air Passage: Air passage from India to the nearest place to the education institution and back to India, by economy class and shortest route in arrangements with the national carrier, will be provided. I. Local Travel: (i) Second or Coach Class railway fare from the post of disembarkation to the place of study and back. In case of far flung places not connected by rail, bus fare(s) from the place of resident to the nearest railway station, actual charge of crossing by ferry, air fare to the nearest rail-cum-air Station and/or second class railway fare by the shortest route to the embarkation and back will be permissible. (ii) For attending interviews by the candidates at the place decided by the Government of India, the second-class fare/ ordinary class bus fare from the city of their place of residence to the city in which the interviews for selection have been decided by the Government of India will be permissible. The mode of disbursement of above listed financial assistance will be decided by Government of India and Indian Missions abroad. Duration of Award with Financial Assistance: The prescribed financial assistance is provided up to completion of the course/ research or the following period, whichever is earlier: Ph. D � 04 years (four years) Master Degree � 03 years (three years). Mandatory conditions: (i) The awardees will be governed by Regulations of the Central Sector Scheme of national Overseas Scholarship for SC etc. Candidates with effect from Financial Year 2007-2008 to Financial year 2011-2012 (Plan) as amended from time to time by the Government of India. (ii) Only one child of the same parents/ guardians will be eligible. Selected candidates will be required to execute a bond with at least two sureties of an amount of Rs.50, 000/- each or the actual amount spent by Government of India, whichever is more. (iii) The award can be availed only once by the candidate under the Scheme. (iv) The Candidates are required to make their own efforts in seeking admission in accredited University/Institution abroad. (v) The finally selected candidates are required to obtain admission and join only an accredited university/ institution abroad within three years from the date of communication of selection. (vi) On expiry of this specified period of time, the award will automatically get cancelled and come to an end. No request for extension of time for availing the award is permissible under the Scheme. (vii) The selected candidate will be required to execute a bond with this Ministry and the Indian Mission abroad, as per prevailing laws of the foreign country, that the extension of stay abroad completion of the course or duration of the scholarship under this Scheme, whichever is earlier will not be permissible, The candidate/ awardees shall not seek any extension of stay abroad beyond the duration for which the scholarship is awarded. The language of the bond as decided by the Government of India will be acceptable to candidate. (viii) The candidate shall not change the course of study or research for which scholarship has been sanctioned. (ix) The candidate will have to execute another bond with this Ministry and the Indian Mission abroad, which he/ she will sign a Record Release Consent Form in the manner prescribed by Government of India and it will be acceptable to the candidate. (x) The selected candidates can though pursue their respective studies in an accredited University/ institution in a country of their choice with which India has diplomatic relations, but this will be subject to prior written approval of the Government of India, whose decision will be final and not challengeable. (xi) The candidates are required to make their own efforts in seeking admission in accredited Universities/Institutions in programmes/fields specified in the Scheme. (xii) In case the married candidates take a decision to take their spouse and children with them or join them subsequently during the period of study, it is entirely for them to assess their financial potential and availability of passport, visa etc. as no financial assistance of any kind as well as any other support coverage is provided under the Scheme for their spouse and children. (xiii) All candidates after having availed of the award under the Scheme are required to return to India and under no circumferences they will be issued �No Obligation to Return to India� Certificate by any concerned authority in Government of India. (xiv) The awardees after having retuned to India is also required to immediately intimate to this Ministry in writing about having returned to India. The awardees on return to India has to remain in India for at least five years and is also required to serve the Government, if he/she continues to be in Government service after return to India as one was before going abroad with award under the Scheme. (xv) It will be for the candidate to obtain the appropriate visa for a country wherein one intends to study further under award from the Scheme and the Visa issuing authorities may kindly see that only such type of visa be issued which only permits the candidate to pursue specified course abroad and thereafter the candidate returns India. Government of India will render no assistance to a candidate for obtaining visa. Selected candidates are required to furnish all such documents and enter into such agreements before their departure as shall be decided by the Government of India from time to time. (xvi) In case the awardees has received overpayment through Indian Mission abroad or any other government agency, he/ she is liable to refund the same to Government of India and his/her employer (if any) is authorized to recover the excess amount from his/her dues, on request from Government of India, and refund the same to Government of India. (xvii) The decisions of Government of India will be final in all such issues as may come up during course of time. (xviii) The prospective awardees is selected by the Selection Committee constituted by this Ministry, for a particular subject from within the specified subjects for pursuing Masters� Programme or Ph. D Note: Attested copies of the following documents must accompany with applications: (a) Matriculation or other certificate as proof for date of birth. (b) Caste certificate from competent authority (c) All Degrees/ Diplomas/ Certificate with mark sheets (d) Income certificate in the prescribed format and certificate belonging to the category other than scheduled castes in the prescribed format. In case of passage grant additional information with a statement indicating (i) details of merit scholarship and the manner in which it has been obtained (ii) attested copy of the letter of the award (iii) Applications should be sent at the following address within 45 days from the date of appearance of this advertisement in the Employment News ( Dated 20-26 October 2007 ): The Under Secretary (SCD V) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Room No. 622 �A� Wing, Shastri Bhavan, Dr. Rajenda Prasad Marg, New Delhi � 110 001 The advertisement may also be seen in his Ministry website:www.socialjustice.nic.in