Arunachal govt to offer scholarship for ST students in top global varsities

Guwahati: The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to provide scholarships to all ST candidates from the state gaining admission in undergraduate and postgraduate courses into the top 150 global universities as per QS World University Rankings.

The QS World University Rankings is the most comprehensive ranking of its kind on the best institutions from across the world.

Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein, who is also the finance minister, in his budget speech in the Assembly said the state government will launch the Innovative Arunachal Pradesh Scholarship for Academic Excellence Scheme.

“Under this, we shall provide scholarships to all APST youth gaining admission in Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses into the top 150 global universities as per QS World University Rankings,” Mein said.

“These scholarships would include payment of 75 per cent of tuition fees, on-campus residence fees and airfare to and from the university, and also medical insurance premium charges,” he said.  

Mein said the state government will also cover 75 per cent of the training and associated fees for obtaining commercial pilot licences from recognised government institutes in the country like Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Academy.

He said the inauguration of the Donyi Polo Airport, Arunachal Pradesh’s first greenfield airport, has put the state into the national aviation map for the first time since independence.

“However, the high cost of training for Commercial Pilot Licenses often deters our youth from pursuing careers as pilots.... We shall target to support up to 10 youths in the coming years,” Mein said.