The Odisha government has introduced the Videsh Siksha Bruti scheme to help deserving Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students pursue postgraduate and doctoral studies at top foreign universities. Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj officially launched the programme, which will start from the 2025-26 academic year. Students from families earning ₹12 lakh or less annually can apply if they secure admission to institutions ranked in the Top 200 QS list. Every year, 50 students will receive scholarships of up to ₹25 lakh per year. Applications will be accepted twice annually, in July-August and December-January. During the same event, the minister distributed appointment letters to 34 recruits for aided colleges. Additionally, the Odisha State Higher Education Council gained copyright approval to conduct Academic Performance Audits, making Odisha the first state in India to implement such a system.
Eligibility and Selection Process for Scholarship Applicants
Students belonging to SC and ST communities whose families have an annual income of ₹12 lakh or below are eligible under the scheme. They must have secured admission to postgraduate or PhD programmes in universities or institutions ranked within the Top 200 in the QS rankings. Applications will be invited twice a year, during July-August and December-January. Each year, 50 students will be selected across three categories: 10 from engineering and technical education, 10 from medical, agriculture, architecture and other technical streams, and 30 from higher education. The selected candidates will receive financial support of up to ₹25 lakh per year to cover their study expenses abroad.
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