Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in India are set to benefit from a significant increase in overseas scholarship slots. From 2026–27, the number of slots for SC students will double from 125 to 250, while those for ST students will increase from 20 to 50. However, a parliamentary panel has raised concerns over funding and utilization of the allocated amount for the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) scheme.
Under the NOS scheme, meritorious SC and ST students receive government grants to pursue higher education in top-ranked universities abroad. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) spent ₹21.95 crore on 68 ST students between 2021–22 and 2024–25, with a budget allocation of ₹20 crore for 2026–27.
The committee expressed dissatisfaction with the ministry's utilization of funds, citing that only ₹8,757.04 crore of the revised estimate of ₹10,824.18 crore for 2025–26 had been utilized by February 23, 2026, roughly 19% less than the allocation for MoTA.
The annual maintenance allowance for ST students will increase from $15,400 to $19,250 in the upcoming Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) cycle for 2026–27 to 2030–31. The ministry also plans to raise the family income ceiling for ST students from ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh, aligning it with the eligibility criteria for SC students.
However, the committee flagged funding concerns in the NOS scheme for SC students, citing a budget estimate of ₹125 crore for 2026–27, down from ₹130 crore in 2025–26, despite the proposal to double the number of slots.
