Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship

Recognizing the vital role that education plays in the lives of single girl children, the University Grants Commission (UGC) introduced the Post Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship for single girl children. This scholarship program is a powerful initiative aimed at providing financial assistance to girls who are the sole offspring of their parents, ensuring they have access to higher education. With an annual award of INR 36,200, this scholarship not only eases the financial burden on these students but also promotes gender equality in education.

One of the key motivations behind this scholarship is the decline in the number of girls compared to boys in certain regions of India. This disparity, coupled with societal pressures on families to prefer male children, has underscored the urgent need for empowering women through education. The Government of India has recognized elementary education as a fundamental right for every child, taking various measures, including schemes for free education for girls, to uplift the status of women in the country.

This scholarship aims to alleviate the direct costs of education for girls pursuing postgraduate degrees in Indian universities, institutes, or colleges. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship 2024-25, offering insights into eligibility criteria, award details, application procedures, and other crucial information. 

The Indira Gandhi Single Child Scholarship 2024-25 scheme aims to achieve the following objectives:

• To provide support for postgraduate education specifically for single girl children in non-professional courses.
• To acknowledge and promote the importance of adhering to the small family norm.

Candidates looking forward to applying for the programme can view the table below for the key highlights of the scheme:

There are 1,200 scholarship slots available annually under this program. The disbursement of the scholarships is contingent upon the following:

• Institutions where a student enrolls in a first-year PG course are not to charge tuition fees for female students pursuing PG degree courses in Universities/Colleges/Institutions covered under Sections 2(f) and 12(B) of the UGC Act.
• The scholarship amount is INR 2,000 per month for a total period of two years, covering 10 months each year, corresponding to the full duration of a PG course.
• The scholarship does not include any additional grants to cover hostel charges, medical expenses, or other related costs.

Candidates are applicable to the Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child 2024-25 under the following conditions:

• This scholarship is exclusively accessible to sole daughters.
• Exclusion if there is one son and one daughter in the family.
• Enrolled in a regular, full-time 1st year Master’s Degree course at a recognized university or postgraduate college.
• Scholarship available only for PG-I year students.
• The scholarship does not apply to admission to PG courses offered through distance education.
• Girl students up to 30 years at the time of admission in PG courses.

The UGC scholarship application process is streamlined and user-friendly, with the entire procedure conducted online through the official University Grants Commission portal. Follow the steps below to complete the application for the Indira Gandhi Single Girl Scholarship:

• If you are a first-time applicant to the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), start by registering as a new user.
• Fill in all the required information and click 'Register' to complete the registration process. A student application ID and password will be generated and sent to your registered mobile number.
• Girl candidates should log in to the NSP using the newly generated ID and password. You will receive an OTP on your registered mobile number, which you must use to change your password as a mandatory step.
• Once you've changed your password, you'll be taken to the Applicant's Dashboard Page. From there, click on 'Application form' to start your application.
• Provide all the necessary details, including registration information, academic details, basic information, contact information, and scheme details.
• Upload all the required supporting documents to verify your identity and academic eligibility.
• Save the filled-in application form as a draft to review all the details and ensure their accuracy.
• Finally, click the 'Submit' button to send the completed scholarship application for processing.

Listed below are the documents required for the application of the Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship 2024-25. Candidates must ensure that the submission of the application is done in the prescribed format.

Documents Required from Candidates

• Proof of admission to the first-year Master's degree program at a recognized Indian University.
• An affidavit on a Rs.50/- stamp paper, duly attested by an SDM/First Class Magistrate/Gazetted Officer (not below the rank of Tahsildar), in the prescribed language, from the student or parent.
• A certificate from the College/University where the student has enrolled in the first year of the PG course in the current academic year.

Certificates to be Submitted by Concerned University/Institutions to the UGC

Every year, the University/Institution is required to provide the UGC with a consolidated statement containing the following:

• A statement listing the names of selected students for the scholarship, along with their receipt of scholarship funds.
• A progress report to be submitted after the completion of the first year of the award, including the percentage of marks obtained by the candidates.
• A utilization certificate.

Candidates should take careful note of the terms and conditions outlined in the Indira Gandhi Single Child Scholarship 2024-25. The following are the terms and conditions specified for this program:

• Any reported misconduct by the awardees as notified by the University/College/Institution.
• Unsatisfactory progress report, defined as a candidate scoring below 60% marks in the first year of the Master's program (55% in the case of Physically Challenged awardees).
• Candidates discovered to be ineligible at a later date will be subject to punitive measures and will also be responsible for reimbursing the full scholarship amount disbursed.
• Universities/Colleges/Institutions must provide a completion certificate for each student benefiting from this scheme upon finishing their postgraduate course.
• Universities/Colleges/Institutions should furnish a utilization certificate for each student under the scheme. The second-year grant will be disbursed upon receipt of the first-year utilization certificate.
• Students who intend to discontinue their postgraduate studies prematurely must seek prior approval from the UGC. They should submit an application with justification through their respective Universities/Colleges/Institutions.
• Any student who discontinues their studies without UGC's prior approval is liable to refund the entire scholarship amount through a Demand Draft (DD) payable to the Secretary, UGC, with the concerned Institution being responsible for this repayment.
• No extensions beyond two years are allowed.
• Students awarded the Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship are not prohibited from accepting other scholarships.
• Annual progress reports for each student benefiting from the scheme, along with utilization certificates, must be submitted by the Universities/Colleges/Institutions.

If candidates have any questions or queries regarding the Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship, they can send their inquiries to the following email address: sosa3ugc@gmail.com.

In conclusion, the Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship for 2024-25 stands as a significant initiative by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to support the education of single girl children in India. The program offers vital financial aid, with 1,200 scholarships available annually, catering to girls pursuing postgraduate degrees in recognized institutions. 

By providing financial assistance to these deserving students, this scholarship not only eases the financial burdens but also promotes gender equality in education, addressing a concerning gender disparity issue in certain regions. The scholarship's objectives are well-aligned with the need to empower women through education and promote the small family norm.