UPES, a multidisciplinary university in Dehradun, has launched ‘1,000 Women – 1,000 Dreams’, a women-only scholarship programme to mark International Women’s Day 2026. Under the initiative, the university will offer 1,000 complete tuition fee waivers for its Online MBA to deserving women across India.

The scholarships are structured across three priority groups aimed at expanding access to higher education and supporting women’s leadership and career advancement.

UPES has earmarked 300 scholarships for women from Armed Forces backgrounds, including serving women personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force, with 100 scholarships for each service. The allocation also includes spouses and daughters of serving or retired personnel.

Another 250 scholarships will be offered to women in the technology and start-up ecosystem, targeting those working in or founding technology companies and start-ups in India.

The remaining 450 scholarships will be open to women across India, including eligible female staff and employees of UPES. With no sector or background restrictions, the programme is open to women seeking to advance their careers through the university’s Online MBA.

Commenting on the initiative, UPES Vice-Chancellor Dr Sunil Rai said every woman deserved access to opportunities that enable leadership.

“With ‘1,000 Women – 1,000 Dreams’, we are removing cost as a barrier to ambition—whether that ambition is shaped by service to the nation, by building in high-growth sectors like technology and start-ups, or by the determination to take the next step in one’s career. This initiative is our way of backing talent with tangible opportunity, and of ensuring that a woman’s future is defined by her capability, not her circumstances,” he said.

UPES said the dedicated scholarships for women in technology and start-ups recognise the continued underrepresentation of women in these sectors globally, both in workforce participation and access to growth capital. The university said the initiative aims to strengthen women’s strategic, financial and leadership capabilities to help them progress into senior roles and build high-impact ventures.

The initiative also builds on the university’s broader commitment to women’s empowerment and support for the Armed Forces community. UPES said it has created dedicated academic pathways for defence families through formal collaborations over the years, and that the new programme extends this approach by creating a women-focused route to leadership for those connected to India’s defence services.

The university said the initiative is also part of its wider women-empowerment efforts under Project Shakti, launched in 2020 as the ‘Year of Women’s Empowerment’, along with other initiatives and community partnerships aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality.