It is observed that the number of girls as against boys in certain states is declining which is a matter of great concern. The females are even forced to give birth to a male child. In such circumstances, education of women needs to be used and effective means for their empowerment and education will prepare them to have a control over their lives.
The mindset which militates against the girl child could not keep pace with economic progress and literacy. The Govt. of India declared elementary education as a basic human right of every child. The Union Government of India has taken various steps to uplift the status of women by implementing various schemes including free education for girls.
In order to achieve and promote girls education, UGC has introduced an Indira Gandhi PG Scholarship for Single Girl Child with an aim to compensate direct costs of girl education to all levels especially for such girls who happen to be the only girl child in their family.
The objectives of the proposed UGC SGC scheme are:
a) To support the postgraduate education of single girl child in postgraduate courses only.
b) To recognize the value of observance of a small family norm.
Who can Apply:
- Age Restriction: Girl students up to the age of 30 years at the time of admission in the first year of PG courses are eligible.
- The scheme is applicable to such a single girl child who has taken admission in regular, full-time first-year Masters Degree course in any designated university or a post graduate college.
- Admission to PG Course in Distance education mode is not covered under the scheme.
- Girl students who are admitted in the first year of PG courses in the following Universities / Colleges and happen to be the only girl child in the family.
- Universities/Institutions/Colleges included under section 2(f) & and 12(B) of UGC Act.
- Deemed to be Universities included under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 and eligible to receive grants-in-aid from UGC. Those Deemed Universities which do not receive funds from the Central/ State Government are not eligible institutions under the scheme.
- Universities/Institutions/College funded by Central/StateGovernment.
- Institutes of National Importance.
- Girl students without having any brother or the girl student who are twin daughters/ fraternal daughter may also apply for the scholarship under the aforesaid scheme. In a family, if one son and one daughter are available then a girl child will not be considered for the scholarship under the scheme.
Nature of UGC PG SGC Scheme:
Amount of fellowship: Rs.36,200/- p.a. for a period of two years only i.e. full duration of a PG course. No other additional grant will be payable in lieu of hostel charges and medical charges etc.
3,000 fresh scholarships will be awarded every year.
The awardee can avail of other scholarship also during the tenure of this scholarship.
The scholar would be awarded from the date of joining the course as certified by the University/ Institution/ College.
After selection, the awardees will be paid scholarship on DBT mode on annual basis.
Aadhaar Seeding
The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India vide its letter D.O. No. 18-7/2013-U1A dated 10th June 2016 has instructed the University Grants Commission that from the financial year 2016-17 onwards the Aadhaar will be used as an identifier for disbursement of all Government subsidies/Scholarships/Fellowships which are to be disbursed directly into the beneficiary’s account. The disbursals will be governed by the Aadhaar Act, 2016.
Registration Guidelines:
- The candidates fulfilling the eligibility conditions are required to apply online on National Scholarship Portal after an issue of advertisement to be published by the UGC once a year through leading newspaper and Employment News and also on UGC website.
- The host institution where the candidate is studying is required to verify the online application.
- It is expected from the institutions where a student has taken admission in the first year PG course, no tuition fees will be charged by the institute from girl students to pursue PG degree course in Universities/Colleges/Institutions.
- Applications will be invited once in a year on the National e-Scholarship Portal of the Government of India. Short notification will also be uploaded on the UGC website.
- Incomplete applications will be summarily rejected. Only verified online applications will be considered for award of scholarship.
UGC PG SGC Scholarship Renewal:
- Scholarship granted under the scheme will be kept renewed during the period of first-degree course, subject to good conduct and maintenance of prescribed attendance.
- The scholarship will be renewed for the next year of study on receipt of annual progress report to be granted by the administrative head of the University/ Institution/ College.(E.g. Registrar of a University/ Director of the Institution/ Principal of the College or any other officer designated by them).
- Students failing to get promoted to the next class/ level would forfeit the scholarship.
- Change in course of study will not be permitted. If the awardee changes the course of study, the scholarship will stand forfeited from the date of such a change.
- The scheme will be implemented and monitored by the UGC.
- The awardees of previous years will continue to follow the pattern of assistance through UGC/Canara Bank portal.
