Higher Education has had played a very vital role in the history of nation building all over the world. It is amply clear that no rise in general standards of living and culture is possible without strengthening the higher education system in the country. It obviously calls for a multipronged strategy. There is a need to modernize our higher education system, and equally important to continuously attract young and talented students to pursue higher education. It is being increasingly observed that the brighter lot is not pursuing Post-Graduate education in our institutions of higher learning. To emerge as a powerful nation, there is an urgent need to bring in talented boys and girls in the field of Post-Graduate education by way of providing them good incentives in the form of scholarships. The UGC, therefore, introduced a Post-Graduate Merit Scholarship Scheme for University undergraduate rank holders.

The scholarship may be tenable for a period of two years to enable the rank holders of each university at undergraduate level to pursue their Master’s Degree. All universities/degree awarding institutions would be required to issue rank certificates to the toppers of the universityin B.A., B.Sc., and B.Com. The purpose of this scheme is to attract talent for pursuing post graduate studies besides strengthening the basic subjects at Undergraduate level. The awardees, under this scheme, can pursue their Postgraduate programme in any area of specialization in any institution of higher learning in the country.

The objectives of the scheme are :

• To promote and nurture talent
• To reward meritorious students with outstanding performance at the Under graduate level for pursuing postgraduate studies.
• To Promote study in basic courses at undergraduate level. Professional courses are not covered under the scheme.
• To build up academic excellence at postgraduate level across the colleges and universities in the country.

• The First & Second Rank holders at undergraduate level and admitted in any Postgraduate Course would be awarded the scholarship. The studentswill have to submit the proof of their merit position at undergraduate level as well as their admission in postgraduate courses.
• The scholarship would, however, be subjected to securing a minimum of sixty per cent marks at undergraduate level.
• The scheme is applicable to such students who have taken admission in regular, full-time Master’s Degree course in any recognized university, deemed university, private university, autonomous collegeor a post graduate college.
• The scholarship is available to the student for first PG Degree only. Age limit for the students is 30 years at the time of admission in PG course.
• Distance mode of education will not be considered under the scheme.

The Undergraduate courses from following streamshave been identified for the award of scholarships:

Sl.No.	Streams
1	Life Sciences
2	Physical Sciences
3	Chemical Sciences
4	Earth Sciences
5	Mathematical Sciences
6	Social Sciences
7	Commerce
8	Languages

Before forwarding applications students / Universities may kindly ensure that application satisfy all norms as per guidelines.

• The total number of scholarships in the first academic year would be 3000.The duration of the scholarship will be two years only. The tenure of the scholarship will not be extendable beyond two years, under any circumstances.
• The rank holders would be considered from affiliated universities wherein at least 100 students and in Deemed/Private Universities, Autonomous/Non-affiliated Colleges, at least 25 students have appeared in the examination at undergraduate level in the aforesaid programmes.

The UGC may terminate the scholarship of any student in case of :

• Misconduct of the awardee, if any, reported by the University / Institution.
• Unsatisfactory progress report (i.e. if the candidate scores less than 60% marks in the first year of Master’s programme)
• Candidates being found ineligible at a later date shall face the penal action and will also be liable to refund the entire Scholarship amount paid.

• The candidate is required to submit an application only through ONLINE MODE.
• Attested copy of university undergraduate-degree.
• Matriculation certificate.
• A verification certificate by the institute where, students has taken admission to Ist Year P.G. Course.
• Prescribed format of provisional Rank certificate from the university / autonomous college.

The financial assistance available under the scheme is as follows:
The financial assistance for the scheme will be provided by the UGC to all the eligible universities/ institutions which are under Section 2(f) and 12(B) of UGC Act. The Universities in turn will be responsible to submit all documents such as Statement of Expenditure and Utilization Certificate etc. to the UGC to settle the accounts.

Each awardee, under the scheme, will be provided a scholarship of Rs.2,000/- p.m. for a period of two years (i.e. 10 months in a year). The second year grant will be released after receiving Utilization Certificate and statement of expenditure along with the progress report of the first year.

No other additional grants will be payable in lieu of hostel charges and medical charges etc.

Scholarship

@Rs.2000/-per month