Union Ministry of Social Justice and Employment has awarded Rs  1.17 crore scholarship to a student in Punjab’s Gurdaspur for completing his PhD in Australia under the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme.

“Heartiest Congratulations to Surinder Pal, son of Jaspal, from Punjab for securing scholarship of Rs  1,17,56,352 to pursue PhD from Australia under National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for SC by Ministry of Social Justice and Employment. Wish you all the best!” tweeted Union Minister Thawarchand Gehlot.

Surinder Pal, who belongs to a poor family, is a gold medallist in MTech. Pal said that he wanted to pursue higher education but could not do so due to his poor financial condition. “I came to know via the internet that I have been awarded a scholarship. Now that I have received a scholarship, I can finally go abroad to pursue higher education,” said Pal.

He said that he had applied for a scholarship in 2017, but had not received any response.

Pal's family has also expressed happiness and gratitude to the Central government. “Our son is very hardworking and smart. He had applied for a Government scholarship several times. Finally, he has been selected for a scholarship,” Pal's mother, Sunita Devi said.

Students who want to study for Masters and P.D level courses, and belongs to SC, de-notified Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans Categories, can apply for National Overseas Scholarship Scheme.

Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided to the selected candidates for pursuing Master level courses and PhD abroad in the accredited institutions or university by an authorized body of that country in the fields of Engineering and Management, Pure Sciences and Applied Sciences, Agricultural Sciences and Medicine, Commerce, Accounting and Finance, and Humanities and Social Science.