Help students access overseas study scheme

Odisha has joined at least six other states in providing overseas scholarships for students from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities.

Key points

• It's the latest effort by the two-year-old BJP administration in Odisha to address some of the historical disadvantages faced by the state's SC and ST communities.
• Nevertheless, to be successful, such scholarships must be accompanied by robust outreach, mentoring and institutional backing.
• Overseas scholarship schemes in other states have tasted success.

What happened

It's the latest effort by the two-year-old BJP administration in Odisha to address some of the historical disadvantages faced by the state's SC and ST communities. This person account for two-fifths of the population. The idea is to promote social mobility by supporting a generation of academics, scientists, researchers and professionals. Studying in a foreign university can be a monumental financial challenge for even meritorious students from marginalised communities. State backing can, therefore, build on the aspiration. In practice, the administration had earlier enhanced reservation for ST and SC students in technical and professional courses.

Overseas scholarship schemes in other states have tasted success. More than 1, 100 students have benefitted from the Kerala government's Unnathi Overseas programme. It extends the cover to members from other backward classes. Other southern states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, too, have their own initiatives to support students from disadvantaged social groups break class barriers. At least 834 students have additionally availed of the Union government's National Overseas Scholarship between 2014-15 and 2024-25.

Such a scheme is particularly significant for Odisha. If executed well and expanded steadily, Bidesh Sikhyabruti can become an instrument for democratising opportunity and creating a new generation of socially diverse academic and professional leadership for the state. Nevertheless, to be successful, such scholarships must be accompanied by robust outreach, mentoring and institutional backing. As the continuing underutilisation of such schemes around the country demonstrates, beneficiaries may lack information concerning foreign universities, admission processes, standardised tests and application procedures. Besides, the window of application and admission can sometimes be really short and the visa process can invite anxiety for students and parents. The state governments should, therefore, create facilitation mechanisms to support students navigate these processes, rather than expecting them to negotiate a complex global education ecosystem on their own.

The bottom line

For now, help students access overseas study scheme remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.