Foreign Education Schemes for Minorities: Announces Telangana CM

The students from the minority communities in Telangana could fall under a government “Foreign Education Schemes”.  Telangana government has allocated Rs. 1105 Cr. for the financial year 2015-16, 425 Cr has been allocated for fast scheme, while Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced a hefty sum of Rs 25 Cr to be reserved to provide loan to minority students to study abroad.

Special Secretary Welfare Syed Omer Jaleel said, “250 students will be provided loan to study abroad and Minority Welfare Department will pay special attention on complete disbursement of the budget”.  Under this scheme students would be able to study in foreign universities for their higher studies. The scheme is expected to get formalized by the end of this month, as pointed out by the sources in the Telangana government.

“Chief Minister is keen to implement all the welfare and educational schemes”, he said. Based on certain conditions and pre-requisite norms the students from the Scheduled Caste would get a grant of Rs 10 lakhs to undergo their higher studies in abroad. The scheme is based on the Ambedkar Overseas Vidya Nidhi (AOVN) and is there to help the minority students in the state.

Officials from Minorities Welfare Department (MWD) told that the file which has assent of the chief minister regarding the scheme is already circulating for final permissions. According to the official, “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 utilization certificates.”

According to the sources, foreign universities are done with their spring intake in various institutions and universities. The MWD is thus planning to issue a government order, in which the students can take benefit of the scheme before the fall intake into these universities and institutes.