Prathibha Scholarship

Prathibha Scholarship is a scheme aimed at fostering research inclinations in students pursuing higher education. It is officially operated under the Students with Talent and Aptitude for Research in Science (STARS) programme and is formally known as the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) – Prathibha Scholarship. It is implemented through the Women Scientist Division of KSCSTE. This blog aims to provide the key essentials of the Prathibha Scholarship including its important dates, eligibility criteria, documents required as well as the application procedure.

Prathibha Scholarship 2023: Important Dates

Before discussing the specifics of the Prathibha Scholarship, let’s first take a look at the crucial dates you need to keep in mind regarding this scheme:

Online Registration	January
Last Date of Online Registration	January
Declaration of Results	To be Announced
Last date for Document Submission	To be Announced

Pratibha Scholarship: Overview

The Pratibha scholarship is divided into two segments. Let us understand both sections in detail-

Pratibha Scholarship- A 

• Part A of the Pratibha scholarship is awarded to students who have excellent academic records in class 12 board examinations and are looking forward to pursuing degree courses in basic and natural sciences. 
• This scholarship is only valid for 3-year degree programs or the first three years of an integrated MSc program. 

Pratibha Scholarship- B 

• This scholarship is awarded to students who have already availed the scholarship A for basic degree courses and are looking forward to enrolling in PG-level courses in basic sciences. 
• This scholarship is applicable for MSc programs as well as the fourth and fifth years of integrated MSc programmes. 

Scholarship Benefits

The amounts offered under the Prathibha Scholarship differ according to the level and duration of the course pursued. It is generally offered to students pursuing 3-year bachelor’s degree courses or 5-year integrated programs. The following table delineates the relevant scholarship assistance given for a 3-year bachelor’s degree or a 5-year integrated degree program.

Course	Amounts
BSc Degree/ First 3 years of an integrated BSc-MSc program	1st year: ₹12,000 2nd year: ₹18,000 3rd year: ₹24,000
MSc Degree (in continuation with the undergraduate course)*	1st/4th year: ₹40,000 2nd/5th year: ₹60,000 Other Benefits: 1. Eight successful scholars will be given the opportunity to attend summer programmes at IISER-Trivandrum is subject to the norms of IISER-Trivandrum. 2. Opportunity to be part of the Science Enrichment programmes. 3. Opportunity to pursue summer internships in leading R&D organisations in the state.

Note: No less than 50% of the selected applicants will be female students. SC/ST reservation stands at 10%. A minimum of 75% marks in the undergraduate course are required to be eligible for this scholarship.

Eligibility Criteria

There are a few eligibility requirements which prospective applicants must fulfil in order to apply for the Prathibha Scholarship. Below we have mentioned the criteria for this scholarship:

• Applicants must have completed their education from within the state of Kerala.
• Passed higher secondary examinations (class 12th) from institutions within the state of Kerala (any board).
• Have enrolled to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate courses in basic or natural sciences at institutions across India.
• Must not already be a scholar of any other scholarship scheme or assistance.
• There must not be any gaps during the five years of scholarship assistance.

Eligible Subjects

Here is a complete list of eligible subjects you can choose from while applying for the Prathibha Scholarship:

• Biochemistry
• Botany
• Astrophysics
• Astronomy
• Microbiology
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Photonics
• Ocean Sciences
• Electronics
• Computer Science
• Chemistry
• Atmospheric Sciences
• Plant Sciences
• Statistics
• Zoology
• Food & Nutrition
• Geology
• Geochemistry
• Geophysics
• Biotechnology

Renewal of Scholarship

In order to renew the scholarship, KSCSTE has specified the following conditions:

• Only those scholars who have availed of the scholarship consecutively in all three years are eligible for renewal.
• For 2nd & 3rd-year UG and 2nd-year PG students, a minimum of 60% marks must be secured during the previous academic year.

How to Apply for Prathibha Scholarship?

Interested students wishing to avail of the Prathibha Scholarship can apply through the online application portal before the last date. Let’s take a look at the registration and application process in detail.

• Add your personal details (name, email address, higher secondary exam roll number, passport size photo, etc.) and complete the online user registration.
• Once you have submitted your details, a data sheet will be generated, and endorsed by the Head of the Institution where the applicant has been admitted.
• Along with an attested copy of the standard 12th mark sheet, you need to send the endorsed datasheet to KSCSTE before the last date of submission
• After a successful review, a provisional rank list will be released at the KSCSTE portal.

Important Documents

The candidates who have been shortlisted for the scholarship are required to submit the following documents:

• SC/ST community certificate
• Certificate evidencing that the applicant’s ‘place of birth’ is in Kerala.
• Status Verification Certificate as prescribed.
• Signed ‘terms and conditions’.
• ‘Advance receipt’ with bank details as prescribed.

Selection Procedure 

The major parameter upon which candidates are selected for the scholarship is the funds that are allocated for the Prathibha scholarship in the particular year. From the estimated number, 10% of the scholarships are reserved for the SC/ ST category candidates. Considering the details as well as mark sheets received by the authorities, the provisional rank list is created. Applicants belonging to different subject categories are ranked separately with a weightage of 40% for physical sciences, 30% for mathematical sciences and 30% for life sciences. 

FAQs

Thus, we hope that this blog provided you with the essential features of the Pratibha Scholarship. Financial assistance and backing play an instrumental role in deciding the turn of a student’s career irrespective of whether you are looking to study in India or abroad. In this perplexing phase, the expert counsellors at Leverage Edu can help you in selecting the right scholarship program that can fund your dream course abroad.