The Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) is a central government scheme aimed at encouraging students of Indian origin, currently living or educated abroad, to pursue undergraduate studies in India. The scheme targets a limited and clearly defined group: children of NRIs, PIOs, OCIs and Indian workers employed in Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries.Only 150 scholarships are awarded each year, making SPDC a competitive and tightly regulated programme. The scholarship applies exclusively to undergraduate courses offered by designated Indian institutions and is administered through Indian Embassies and Missions abroad.
Number of scholarships and reservation structure
A total of 150 scholarships are offered annually under SPDC.
- 100 scholarships are allocated to children of NRIs, PIOs and OCIs who have completed their schooling abroad.
- 50 scholarships are reserved for children of Indian workers in ECR countries, subject to fulfilment of eligibility conditions.
Within the ECR category:
- 33 seats are for students who studied abroad.
- 17 seats are for students who studied in India.
Across all categories, 50 per cent of the total scholarships are reserved for female candidates. The distribution of seats is fixed and category-specific, with no provision for inter-category transfer.
SPDC eligible categories
SPDC recognises only two categories of applicants:
- Children of NRIs, PIOs or OCIs who have studied outside India.
- Children of Indian workers in ECR countries, whether they studied abroad or in India.
Applicants outside these categories are not eligible under the scheme.
Academic eligibility conditions
Academic requirements under SPDC are uniform across categories, with limited exceptions.
- Applicants must have passed Class 11 and Class 12.
- For most categories, both examinations must have been completed from abroad.
- Children of Indian workers in ECR countries who studied in India must have passed Class 11 and 12 from an education system recognised by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
- A minimum of 60 per cent aggregate marks or equivalent grade in the Class 12 examination is mandatory.
- Applicants must have studied the prescribed subjects required for admission to the chosen undergraduate course.
- Candidates who have not passed the qualifying examination from a foreign country are not eligible, except in the specified ECR-India category.
Courses covered under the scheme
SPDC applies only to undergraduate programmes offered by institutions designated under the scheme. Students must have already secured admission to an eligible course before applying for the scholarship. Only courses notified under SPDC and meeting subject prerequisites are covered. Postgraduate programmes, unrecognised institutions and courses outside the approved list are excluded.
Income criteria
- Income limits apply to all applicants and are strictly enforced.
- For the NRI/PIO/OCI category, total household monthly income must not exceed USD 5,000.
- For children of Indian workers in ECR countries, the limit is USD 3,000 per month.
Parents have to hand in a salary certificate that has been self, attested and issued by their overseas employer. An Income Tax Return has to be given in case of self, employment. If there is no need to file an ITR, a self, certification stating income within the limit should be submitted. Giving wrong income information can cause the scholarship to be revoked, demand for the return of the funds and legal proceedings.
Application process
Applicants who have passed Class 12 and secured admission in an eligible undergraduate course must submit their SPDC application through the Indian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate in the country of residence.Applications submitted directly to Indian institutions or government departments are not accepted. All supporting documents must be submitted at the time of application.
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