Kathmandu, February 22

Minister for Education Dhaniram Paudel and Indian Ambassador Ranjit Rae today jointly presented Certificates of Merit to Nepali recipients of the Golden Jubilee Scholarship award.

Amidst a felicitation function held at Hyatt Regency hotel in Kathmandu, Minister Paudel said India had hugely contributed to developing human resources in Nepal.

Ambassador Rae said the Government of India had extended over 3,000 scholarships to Nepali students since the Golden Jubilee Scholarship scheme was launched in 2002 to commemorate 50 years of economic cooperation between Nepal and India — from 1951 to 2001.

Minister Paudel said over the years, the quantum of Indian assistance in the field of education had increased manifold, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Initially, 50 Nepali students undertaking different undergraduate courses in Nepal were awarded scholarship and the number of scholarships was increased to 100 in 2007.

Since the year 2012, the number of scholarships has been doubled to 200 and monthly stipend increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 for MBBS and BE courses and from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 for other courses, including BSc, BA, BBS, etc, according to a press release issued by the Indian Embassy in Nepal.

Seats are reserved for students from educationally disadvantaged districts. Due weightage for underprivileged and physically challenged students has been accorded, read the release.

Nepal abounds in highly qualified experts and specialists in strategic positions in Nepal’s polity and economy, who have studied in India, it added.