Commonwealth Scholarship for indian students

Applications are invited from Indian nationals either through http://www.education.nic.in/ or on plain paper in the FORMAT GIVEN BELOW for nominations from India for the award of Commonwealth Scholarship tenable in United Kingdom from October 2009 for higher studies/research/specialized training in the subject mentioned below in the United Kingdom. Up to Sixty (60) nominations are to be sent to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission for final selection to be made by them. Out of these not more than 35 (thirty five) are for one year Master’s Degree Course/Six months clinical training and twenty two (25) are for three year’s Ph.D. Course and 1 year Research on Split-Site basis.

II. ELIGIBILITY

The candidate should not be more than 40 years of age as on 31.10.2008 and fulfill the minimum qualifications as per Para (IV) below.

III. LEVEL OF COURSE

These scholarships will be awarded for studies leading to either: -


(1) SIX MONTH CLINICAL TRAINING/RESEARCH/SPECIALISATION (For MBBS, MS, MD degree holders only)


1. Cancer Research 2. Cardiology (including Cardiac Surgery) 3. Gynaecology 4. Medicine and 5. Dentistry.

(2) (i) ONE YEAR TAUGHT MASTER’S COURSES OR EQUIVALENT DEGREE, (ii) THREE YEARS DOCTORAL DEGREE (iii) ONE YEAR RESEARCH ON A SPLIT SITE BASIS, TOWARDS A Ph. D. REGISTERED AT A UNIVERSITY IN HOME COUNTRY:

(A) ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. Electronics 2. Environmental Studies 3. Remote Sensing Technology
4. Communication Engineering 5. Biotechnology or Biochemical Engineering
and 6. Robotics (including Artificial Intelligence)


(B) SCIENCE (PURE AND APPLIED)

1. Mathematics 2. Molecular Biology 3. Physics and 4. Chemistry (including Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry).


(C) AGRICULTURE


1. Agronomy & Forestry.


(D) HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES


1. Sociology 2. Management Studies 3. Economics 4. Psychology 5. Computer Applications 6. Law 7. English (Literature/Linguistics) 8. History 9.Philosophy and 10. Political Science with International Relations

Candidates who have already completed Ph.D. or are about to complete it will not be considered.

(IV) MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The candidates must have completed tertiary education in English Medium :-

(A) FOR MASTER’S DEGREE OR SIX MONTHS CLINICAL TRAINING/ RESEARCH

One should hold or able to produce the certificate of Bachelor’s Degree by 31st August 2009 in the subject field concerned (indicated above) securing 55% or above marks in Humanities and Social Science group and 60% or above marks in Medical, Engineering and Technology, Science and Agriculture Group. Candidate should give one page academic justification for pursuing the course in U.K.

Candidates who wish to undertake postgraduate study in Business and/or Management should before applying for a Commonwealth Scholarship, have taken the Graduate Management Admission Test (Princeton Test). Enquiries to: G.M.A.T. Educational Testing Services, Box 966 – R, Princeton, NJ 08541, U.S.A. Candidates for awards in Economics and related subjects should be aware that a number of departments may require them, before admission, to pass the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) of which details may be obtained from Graduate Record Examination, Educational Testing Service, Box 955, Princeton, NJ 08541, U.S.A. Service, Box 955, Princeton, NJ 08541, U.S.A.

Applicants for level of course at ‘1’ in Para III above whose programme requires them to practice clinically, or to work in a laboratory department reporting on samples from patients, can be considered only if they are eligible for registration with the General Medical Council or the General Dental Council. Information about current conditions for registration can be obtained from: -

“The General Medical Council,
Overseas Registration Division,
178 – 202 Great Portland Street,
London WIN 6JE, or,

The General Dental Council,
37 Wimpole Street,
London WIM 8DQ”

Candidates whose native language is not English will be required to provide evidence that they have sufficient competence in English to practice Medicine or Dentistry in the United Kingdom. Nominated candidates will be required to take the IELTS, for which they may contact local British Council Office.


(B) FOR Ph.D. DEGREE:-

One should hold or able to produce the certificate of Master’s Degree by 31st August 2009 in the concerned subject fields (indicated above) securing 55% or above marks in Humanities and Social Science group and 60% or above marks in the relevant subjects in Medical, Engineering and Technology, Science and Agriculture group.

V. VALUE OF AWARD

Each scholarship provides: -

(A) Student concessionary or other approved air fare to the United Kingdom by the most direct and economical route and return on expiry of the scholarship (the cost of journey made before receipt of award will not normally be reimbursed nor can fares be paid for a scholar’s dependents).

(B) Approved tuition and examination fees.

(C) A personal maintenance allowance payable monthly.

(D) A grant for books and apparatus in the first year of study and for a subsequent full year also; and a grant towards the expenses preparing a thesis of dissertation, where applicable;

(E) A grant for expenses of approved travel within the U.K.


(F) An initial clothing grant for most scholars on first arrival from tropical developing countries;

(G) Where a host institution has in advance declared and the Commission has accepted, the need for fieldwork outside the United Kingdom, a grant towards the cost of such fieldwork, which shall not normally exceed one economy and tourist class return fare to the fieldwork location. Scholars for whom fieldwork fares are provided to their home country shall not be entitled to a mid – term homeward fare;

(H) For married scholars selected by the Commission for awards exceeding 12 months, a marriage allowance per mensem is payable provided that the husband and wife are residing together at the same address in the United Kingdom. It is not paid when a husband or wife of the scholars is also in receipt of an award, or is in paid employment. For such married couples accompanied by their children, a child allowance is payable for the first, second and third child under the age of 16 provided they are residing with their parents. A scholar who is unaccompanied by spouse but accompanied by children for whom he/she is legally responsible, shall receive the equivalent of the spouse’s allowance for the first child, and child allowances for the second and third child, irrespective of the length of tenure of award.

Scholar’s emoluments are not subject to United Kingdom income tax, but holders and their spouses may be liable for the payment at least in part of any Council tax levied by the local authority where they live.


VI LAST DATE OF RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS:

(A) For those applying by post, applications on plain paper (as per format given below) alongwith the required documents (attested copies of all certificates/degrees/diplomas have to be attached) should reach Section Officer, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education, External Scholarship Division, ES.4 Section, A-2/W-4, Curzon Road Barracks, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi - 110 001 by Thursday, 30th October 2008. (Tele. No. 23384501, 23386401 and 23384687)

(B) For those applying through the website, online applications should be submitted by Thursday 30th October 2008.