Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) was introduced in 2006-07 to make higher education, in Indian Universities/Institutes in different fields (except medical and related courses) in India, accessible to the children of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) & Non-resident Indians (NRIs) and promote India as a centre for higher studies. A third category of children of Indian workers in ECR countries was included under the Scheme in 2015-16. Ministry offered 150 scholarship every year under the Scheme, out of which, 50 are reserved for PIOs, 50 for NRIs and 50 are reserved for Children of Indian workers in ECR countries (Afghanistan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen). Further, out of the 50 slots which is reserved for Children of Indian workers in ECR countries, 1/3 (17) slots are reserved for children of Indian workers in ECR countries who are studying in India. The SPDC Scheme is applicable in selected 69 countries.
Under the Scheme, students are awarded scholarship up to US$ 4000 per annum towards payment of tuition fee, hostel fee, admission fee and other fee except food charges for under-graduate courses in Engineering, Technology, Humanities, Liberal, Arts, Commerce, Management, Journalism, Hotel Management, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and some other courses.
The entire process of applying, processing etc. is through SPDC Portal (https://spdcindia.gov.in).
