Around 580 students have been awarded scholarships under the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme over the last seven years, from 2019-20 to 2025-26, according to data provided by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in Parliament. The number of beneficiaries has declined after reaching a peak of 114 in 2023-24. In the current financial year, 78 students had benefited from the scheme as of August 6, 2026.
The data shows that the number of students benefiting from the scheme has remained uneven over the years. There were 41 beneficiaries in 2019-20, which increased to 71 in 2020-21. The number rose further to 98 in 2021-22 and remained at 98 in 2022-23. The highest number of beneficiaries during the period was recorded in 2023-24, when 114 students were awarded scholarships.
The number fell to 80 in 2024-25, a decline of 34 students from the previous year. In 2025-26, 78 students had benefited from the scheme till August 6, 2026. This figure is for the ongoing financial year and therefore does not represent the final number of beneficiaries for 2025-26.
Year-wise beneficiaries under National Overseas Scholarship
The post-Covid period shows a mixed trend rather than a continuous decline from 2021. The number of beneficiaries increased from 71 in 2020-21 to 98 in 2021-22 and remained unchanged in 2022-23. It then reached the seven-year high of 114 in 2023-24. A decline began in 2024-25, when the number fell to 80, followed by 78 beneficiaries in the current year so far.
The data also shows that beneficiaries are concentrated in a small number of states and Union Territories. Maharashtra recorded the highest number of beneficiaries over the seven years, with 234 students. This is more than two-fifths of the total beneficiaries recorded during the period.
Delhi and Uttar Pradesh followed with 40 beneficiaries each. Gujarat was close behind with 39 beneficiaries. Maharashtra, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh therefore emerge as the top three regions by cumulative number of beneficiaries between 2019-20 and 2025-26.
Maharashtra’s numbers increased sharply during the first half of the period. The state had 20 beneficiaries in 2019-20 and 28 in 2020-21. This increased to 43 in 2021-22, 56 in 2022-23 and 68 in 2023-24. However, the number dropped sharply to 12 in 2024-25 and stood at seven in 2025-26 till August 6.
The Ministry further informed that it is taking steps to increase awareness about the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme. Scheme guidelines and instructions are published on the Department’s website. Advertisements are also published in newspapers. The Ministry sends letters to the Social Welfare Departments of states and Union Territories, asking them to give wider publicity to the scheme.
Applications for the scholarship are invited through an online portal. The Ministry said the scheme has recently been onboarded to the newly launched unified SAMAVESH (Single Access Mechanism for All Verticals of Empowerment & Social Harmony) Portal. The move is intended to streamline application processing, scrutiny, data management, accessibility and the selection process.
The government has also put in place a mechanism for the release of funds through Indian Missions and Embassies abroad. Under the scheme, funds are released in advance through Letters of Authorization to the concerned Indian Missions and Embassies. They have been directed to disburse the required funds to universities and students at the earliest after receiving claims.
The National Overseas Scholarship Scheme provides financial assistance to selected students from eligible disadvantaged communities for pursuing higher education abroad.
