Padho Pardesh Scheme: Meaning, Eligibility, & Application Process

Education is one of the primary things or assets that makes an individual able and rational. It is one of our primary rights as it nourishes our minds and is one of the deciding factors for an individual’s personal and professional growth. Unfortunately, innumerable children in India, especially children from minority communities, don't receive quality education.

To address this issue, the government of India launched the Padho Pardesh Scheme which enables students who come from minority communities to pursue their higher education from outside the boundaries of India. It not only helps them shape their careers but also eradicates the worry of financial burden from their minds.

Read the article to find out what the scheme is, how would it benefit people, and details like eligibility and application process.

Overview

Name of the scheme	Padho Pardesh Scheme
Launched by	Government of India
Launched in	2013
Ministry	Ministry of Minority Affairs
Objective	To provide financial aid to students to pursue their higher education from abroad
Target group	Minority communities like Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis
Income criteria	Family income shouldn’t be more than Rs. 6 lakh per annum
Courses covered under the scheme	Master’s, M.Phil, and Ph.D.
Application mode	Online

Read More: Government Schemes Launched On The National Education Day

What Is The Padho Pardesh Scheme?

The Padho Pardesh Scheme was introduced by the government of India in the year 2013 under the purview of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The education scheme aims to empower students who come from minority communities to pursue higher education from outside the boundaries of India in their chosen disciplines.

The education scheme provides interest subsidies on educational loans along with other benefits which considerably reduces the rate of the financial burden from the shoulders of the students and their families.

Features Of The Padho Pardesh Scheme

There are several features of the education scheme that cover all its goals. Some of its major features are listed below in brief:

• Subsidy on loan interest: The interest subsidy scheme provides heavy interest on educational loans to excellent students.

• Target group: The education scheme is specially designed to help students who come from minority communities like Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis.

• Covered courses: Padho Pardesh covers a wide range of disciplines in which students can pursue a Master’s, M.Phil, and Ph.D. from abroad.

• Partnership with banks: The education scheme works in collaboration with various banks that give educational loans under the Indian Banks Association Educational Loan scheme.

Read More: Right to Education Act (RTE)

Benefits Of The Padho Pardesh Scheme

There are many benefits of the education scheme that cover all its goals. Some of its key benefits are listed below in brief for one’s better understanding:

• Financial empowerment: The interest subsidy scheme empowers students financially and helps them pursue their education from their dream institutions.

• Expanded boundaries: Padho Pardesh, as the name suggests, allows students to work toward pursuing higher education from abroad and build a foundation for their careers.

• Holistic development: The education scheme enables meritorious students from minority communities to travel abroad for their education. This not only builds their subject knowledge but also helps in developing personally as well due to exposure to different cultures, traditions, etc.

Covered Courses Under The Padho Pardesh Scheme

The Padho Pardesh covers a wide variety of courses in which students can pursue Master’s, M.Phil, and Ph.D. The list of the covered courses is mentioned below:

1. Arts/ Humanities/ Social Sciences

2. Commerce

3. Pure Sciences

4. Engineering

5. Biotechnology/ Genetic Engineering

6. Industrial Environmental Engineering

7. Nanotechnology

8. Marine Engineering

9. Petrochemical Engineering

10. Plastic Technology

11. Cryogenic Engineering

12. Mechatronics

13. Automation Robotics including artificial intelligence

14. Laser Technology

15. Low-Temperature Thermal Dynamics

16. Optometry

17. Art Restoration Technology

18. Dock and Harbour Engineering

19. Imaging System Technology

20. Composite Materials Engineering including Decentralized power Distribution (for Solar Heat) system, Energy Storage Engineering, Energy conservation, Energy Efficient Habitat

21. Packaging Engineering/ Technology

22. Nuclear Engineering

23. Information Technology including Computer Engineering, Software, Software Quality assurance, Networking/ Connectivity Engineering, Communication systems under Hazardous or Post-disaster conditions, and Multimedia Communication

24. Industrial Safety Engineering

25. Agriculture & Agro Technology

26. Agronomy

27. Medical

28. Floriculture & Landscaping

29. Food Sciences & Technology

30. Forestry & Natural Resources

31. Horticulture

32. Plant Pathology

33. Energy Studies

34. Farm Power & Machinery

35. Veterinary Sciences

36. Soils & Water Management

37. Plant Breeding & Genetics

38. Small-scale Rural Technology

39. Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences

40. M.B.A

41. M.C.A

Eligibility Criteria

Interested students first need to ensure whether they fit into the eligibility criteria or not. The eligibility criteria for the interest subsidy scheme are as follows:

• Students must have a letter of admission to a recognised university from abroad for a Master’s, M.Phil, and Ph.D.

• Family income shouldn’t be more than Rs. 6 lakh per annum.

• Students must belong to a minority community.

• Students must have taken an educational loan from a registered bank under the Indian Banks Association Educational Loan scheme.

Application Process For Padho Pradesh Scheme

Interested and eligible students can apply for Padho Pardesh by following some simple steps mentioned below in detail for one’s reference:

Step 1: Visit the official website of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Step 2: Navigate to the ‘Padho Pardesh scheme’ and click on ‘Apply online’.

Step 3: Fill in the required details like mobile number and mail address.

Step 4: Fill the application form.

Step 5: Upload the supporting documents.

Step 6: Submit the form and wait for approval.

Read More: What Is The Abhinandan Education Loan Subsidy Scheme?

Required Documents

Applicants need to submit some supporting documents to successfully apply for the interest subsidy scheme. The list of those documents is as follows:

• Admission letter from a recognised university abroad

• Passport

• Income certificate

• Educational loan application

• Marksheets

• Aadhaar card

Conclusion

The Padho Pardesh scheme is an education scheme that has been helping millions of students since it came into action. It helps students from minority communities fulfil their dreams by reducing their financial burden.

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