A scheme was launched by the Jharkhand government to provide an opportunity for ten talented students from the state to pursue postgraduate studies at leading universities in the United Kingdom. This was last year. Now, the scholarship has been expanded to enable 25 students to avail this opportunity, as announced by officials on June 4, Saturday.
According to a press release, as mentioned in a PTI report, up to 25 students from Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Minorities and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) will be eligible to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom. They will receive a fully-funded scholarship to pursue a one-year Master's or two-year MPhil programme across 31 disciplines.
This is also an expansion, as earlier, only 22 disciplines were recognised under this scholarship programme. The state government has also increased the allocated budget of the scholarship to Rs 16 crore per year which, according to the press release, would be increased, if necessary.
The release also states, "The UK Government's FCDO (Foreign and Commonwealth and Development Office) will be partnering with the state government to launch a jointly funded Chevening-Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship for up to five students of Jharkhand belonging to ST, SC, OBC and Minorities," as reported by PTI. It said that this partnership would enable students to pursue a one-year year Master's programme in the United Kingdom in the next three academic years.
The Jharkhand government's programme is known as Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Overseas Scholarship Scheme. It is awarded every year. As per the PTI report, seven students had been selected for the scholarship last year and they are currently pursuing their higher studies at Loughborough University, University of Warwick and the University of Sussex.
