Kathmandu, March 16: The Embassy of India, Kathmandu celebrated the 22nd Golden Jubilee Scholarship Day on Friday. Around 200 students, and Deans, Registrars, principals of eminent schools and senior officials from the Government of Nepal attended the celebration.
Prof Dr Gyanendra Giri, Vice Chancellor of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Prof Dr Subarna Lal Bajracharya, Vice Chancellor of the Lumbini Buddhist University, Lumbini, Prof Dr Bhola Thapa, Vice Chancellor of Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Prof Dr Punya Prasad Regmi, Vice Chancellor of Agricultural & Forestry University, Chitwan, Prof Dr Sailesh Mani Pokhrel, Vice Chancellor of Purbanchal University, Biratnagar, and Prof Dr Amar Prasad Yadav, Vice Chancellor of Rajarshi Janak University, Janakpur also graced the occasion with their presence.
On the occasion, first batch of nine meritorious Golden Jubilee scholars were awarded the ‘Ambassador’s Golden Jubilee Scholarship Roll of Honour’. Ambassador of India to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, handed the award.
The Ambassador congratulated the awardees of the 22nd Batch of Golden Jubilee Scholarship scheme and meritorious students of the first edition of the Ambassador’s Roll of Honour, and motivated the students to excel in their respective fields, according to a statement issued by the Embassy of India in Kathmandu.
He also underlined the opportunities that would be created for youth by engaging and collaborating in startup ecosystem, incubation centres etc. in India, and encouraged students to seek sectors to collaborate.
The prestigious Golden Jubilee Scholarship was established in the year 2002 to mark 50 years of India-Nepal economic cooperation. Over the years, the number of scholarship awardees have increased to 200. Under this scholarship scheme, an MBBS/BDS student receives Rs 4,000 per month for five years, a BE student receives Rs 4,000 per month for four years, and a student pursuing other undergraduate courses like BA, BEd, B.Pharmacy, BSc Agriculture, BBA, BBM and BBS receives Rs 3,000 per month for three years.
So far, more than 3,300 Nepali student from all 77 districts of Nepal have benefitted from this scholarship scheme. The current batch of scholarship awardees are from 76 districts of Nepal, with 32% of the scholars being girls. Five differentially abled students have been also selected this year.
The Government of India provides around 1,600 scholarships in medicine, engineering, dental science, management, commerce, nursing, Ayurveda, dance, theatre, performing arts and many other disciplines both in undergraduate and graduate streams to study in universities in Nepal and India. Since 2001, the total 38,000 Nepali students have been direct beneficiaries of the Government of India Scholarships.
Nepal and India are close and friendly neighbours, and have longstanding partnership in the field of education and capacity building. The scholarships and capacity building programme are an integral part of India’s effort to partner in the human resource development of Nepal for the overall socio-economic benefit of the region.