Sri Lankan Students Invited to Apply for 60 Indian Government Postgraduate Scholarships

Colombo, February 7, 2025 – The Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education has announced the opening of applications for 60 postgraduate (Master’s) scholarships offered by the Government of India under the Maulana Azad Scholarship Scheme and Nehru Memorial Scholarship Scheme for the academic year 2025/26.

These scholarships, facilitated by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), are available to eligible Sri Lankan students seeking to pursue higher education in India. The scholarship program aims to strengthen educational ties between the two nations while providing an opportunity for Sri Lankan students to gain world-class education in diverse fields.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be a citizen of Sri Lanka.
• Be between 18 and 40 years of age as of March 1, 2025.
• Hold a Bachelor’s degree in the relevant field from a university recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Sri Lanka.
• Government sector employees must apply through their respective heads of institutions.

Fields of Study and Available Scholarships

The scholarships are divided into two categories:

1. Maulana Azad Scholarship Scheme – 40 scholarships for students pursuing Engineering, Science, and Agriculture.
2. Nehru Memorial Scholarship Scheme – 20 scholarships for students in Engineering, Science, Business, Economics, Commerce, Humanities, and Arts.

Students applying for Engineering or Science disciplines can only apply under one of the two schemes. The ICCR scholarship program does not include admissions in medical, paramedical (nursing, physiotherapy, anesthesia), fashion design, or law studies.

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship covers:

• Full tuition fees for the entire duration of the course.
• A monthly sustenance allowance.
• An annual grant for books and stationery.
• Airfare to the nearest destination in India.
• An annual grant for educational tours.
• Hostel accommodation within the respective campus.