Department of Higher Education for the upliftment of the students of Jammu and Kashmir has announced a special scholarship scheme from 2010-2011.

Students who have cleared their XII examinations from Jammu and Kashmir. They can avail this opportunity to pursue degree, medical and engineering courses outside J&K.

 HRD ministry’s Higher Education Department under its National Scholarship Division issued a memorandum to J&K government seeking details about the students, who have moved out of the state to pursue their higher studies.

For the enhancement of employment prospects the prime minister has formed an expert group in August 2010.This group has revealed in its report that 5000 scholarships are provided to J&K students to upgrade their higher and professional studies.

 In his speech while Releasing MGNREGA Sameeksha Prime Minister explains “Every scholar will get upto Rs.30,000 per annum for tuition fees for general degree courses, upto Rs.1.25 lakh per annum for engineering course and upto Rs.3 lakh per annum for medical studies.”

 According to the eligibility criteria only those students who can meet the following requirement can apply:

• Belonging to the State of Jammu & Kashmir
• Who pass the Class XII or equivalent exam from the J&K Board or CBSE
• They should pursue general degree courses, engineering, medical studies and other professional courses in Government colleges/ institute/ other reputed institutes, located outside the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
• Belonging to families with less than Rs 4.5 lakh annual income.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh through an amendment in May 2012 included CBSE-affiliated schools of J&K in Special Scholarship Scheme. Previously the scholarship was open to students who cleared the Class XII or the equivalent exam from the J&K Board.

The Department of Higher Education has launched special scholarship scheme for J&K students from the academic year 2011-12

 Non-governmental organizations are promoting this special scheme for revealing J&K youth to the national mainstream through a range of efforts. The main aim of the NGOs promotions are that more and more adolescents from J&K should get aware about the scholarship scheme and the advanced and specialized education prospects they have at known education hubs outside J&K.

Megha Johari