Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship

As part of the Government of India’s initiative of ‘education for all, families especially in rural areas are constantly encouraged to send their daughters to schools. The importance of education of the girl child is an integral element of the overarching goal of women empowerment. Designed and run by University Grants Education (UGC), the Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship is focused on providing financial support for higher studies to single girl children in their families and awards funds for postgraduate courses. Let’s explore more about this scholarship which is formed to promote girl education and women empowerment in India.

Objectives of Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship

Recognising the lack of competitive literacy in girls (which lags at 65.4% with an 80% literacy rate for boys), UGC introduced this scheme to generate awareness regarding girl education in India. The objectives of this scheme are twofold:

1. Supporting the single girl child in a family with financial funds to pursue a postgraduate course
2. Recognize the imperative value of a small family structure.

Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship – Application Period

This single-girl child scholarship has an annual announcement date that varies. But each year, the scholarship application season typically opens in the month of July. The last week of either January or October is when applications for this scholarship are due. The deadline to submit an application for this scholarship for the academic year 2022–2023 was October 31, 2022.

Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship – Award Details

• The chosen female students are given a scholarship worth INR 36,200 per year for the full two years of the post.
• From the date when they enrol in the first year of a PG course, students receive the award through the UGC-designated agency. The honorees must provide the designated agency with a copy of their award letter, joining report, picture, address, and phone number.

Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship – Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship, there are several criteria that a candidate needs to fulfil. Here are the key eligibility requirements of the scholarships:

1. Only female students who are the only girl child in their family are eligible to apply.
2. The age of the applicant must not be more than 30 years during the first year of their post-graduate course.
3. There are no specific criteria for annual family income.
4. Only those girl students who are enrolled in regular/full-time master’s degree courses will be considered for application. Distance-mode programmes are not considered.
5. At the time of application, they must be enrolled in the first year of a postgraduate course at their chosen universities.
6. Indian universities/colleges under sections 2(f) and 12(B) of the UGC act along with specific deemed to-be universities, universities/institutions/colleges funded by central/state government and institutes of national importance are included under the scholarship
7. Girl students who don’t have any brother or twin/fraternal daughters are also eligible to apply. Further, if a family has one son and one daughter, the girl child is not eligible for the scholarship.

Also Read:

• Siksha Abhiyan Scholarship
• HDFC Scholarship
• NEC Scholarship
• Ratan Tata Scholarship for Engineering Students

How to Apply for the Scholarship?

Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship is a constituent of the central scholarship schemes. You can apply for the scholarship by visiting the National e-Scholarship Portal of the Government of India from the tentative deadlines of July to October. Below we have explained the step-by-step application process for this scholarship:

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1. Visit and register at the National Scholarship Portal as a new account.
2. Fill in relevant details such as information regarding family, education, domicile state, scholarship category, etc.
3. Provide bank details, i.e. account holder’s name, bank name, IFSC code, and account number.
4. Submit the application form after filling out all the details.
5. The chosen college/university/institution is required to verify the candidate’s application before moving further into the selection process.

Documents Required

Certain documents are mandatory to be uploaded during the application process for the Indira Gandhi Single Child Scholarship. Some of the important ones include:

1. Scanned Copy of Aadhaar card
2. Passport Size photograph
3. Self-attested Copy of Previous Academic Marksheets
4. Fee Receipt
5. Affidavit affirming single child status as per format given in Annexure II.
6. Joining report as per the prescribed format in Annexure-I.

For more details, read the official announcement here. 

Also Read: Scholarships for Indian Students To Study Abroad

Terms and Conditions

• The only candidates who qualify for this UGC scholarship are those who are enrolled in a PG course in their first year.
• The candidates are not eligible for any additional grants to cover things like hostel fees, medical expenses, etc.
• The grantees of this scholarship for a single girl child are not required to pay any tuition at the host institutions.
• After receiving the scholarship money for a full year, the candidates must submit their Progress Report in the required format to the designated bank (Canara Bank), on the basis of which the fund for the following academic year is released to the recipients. The department head, the university’s registrar, the head of the institution, or the college’s principal must all properly sign this report.
• Candidates should be aware that if they stop their studies without giving UGC advance notice, they must reimburse the entire fee by e-mode (RTGS/NEFT) and deposit it into the UGC account.

Financial circumstances can play a critical part in deciding the affordability of educational opportunities for every student. That’s where scholarships can support you in studying further without worrying about financial issues. If you feel the need for guidance in selecting the right scholarship to fund your career aspirations, get in touch with our expert counsellors at Leverage Edu and we’ll help you make the right decision.