The Centre has discontinued a scholarship scheme meant for foreign students to pursue higher studies in India after winding up several such programmes for domestic students.

The education ministry had in 2018 rolled out the "Study In India" (SII) programme under which foreign students could apply to top Indian institutes and opt for a diverse range of courses across multiple disciplines.

The scholarship scheme under the SII was introduced in 2020-21 for meritorious students who were selected through a test and were allowed to enjoy the benefit for three years till 2022-23. While no new students were awarded the scholarship in 2023-24, those who got the benefit in 2022-23 continued getting it till March this year.

According to data obtained from Education Consultancy India Ltd (EdCIL), a PSU under the education ministry, by The Telegraph under the RTI Act, 1,207 students got the scholarship in 2020-21 and 1,365 in 2021-22. However, their number dropped to 1,048 in 2022-23. The EdCIL was implementing the scheme on behalf of the education ministry.

Under the SII scheme, over 100 select Indian institutes created extra seats for foreign students. The Indian Scholastic Assessment Test was introduced in 2020 for foreign students seeking scholarships under the SII scheme. Around 5,000 candidates from Nepal, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Zambia, Indonesia and Mauritius appeared for the exam in 2020. In 2021, the test was renamed PRAGATI, and students from 42 countries took it. In 2022, students from 83 countries appeared for the exam.

A former EdCIL official said the scholarship was gaining popularity and helping to attract foreign students when the government decided to discontinue it. "For the students, the scheme was a major attraction. Discontinuation of the scheme will affect the mobility of foreign students to Indian institutions," he said.

According to official documents, the funds for the SII scholarship were being provided through a Champion Service Sector Scheme of the commerce ministry. The CSSS was discontinued in 2022-23.

Several scholarships have been discontinued in recent years. They include the National Talent Search Examination for school students, the Maulana Azad National Fellowship to help for minority students to pursue research, the National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education and the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana.