West Bengal Scholarship – All that you need to know!

West Bengal Scholarship:

To provide financial assistance to meritorious students from economically challenged backgrounds as a motivation to continue their studies, the West Bengal Government has introduced the Swami Vivekananda West Bengal Government Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme. Students can apply for one of the several categories of this West Bengal scholarship under the scheme based on their educational qualification. These scholarships are provided on a yearly basis and are to be renewed conditionally based on satisfactory academic performance.

West Bengal Scholarship: Eligibility criteria

• Students need to be domiciled in West Bengal and should be studying in one of the educational institutions in the State.
• The income of the student’s family should be not more than Rs. 2,50,000 per year.
• Students who have passed the Madhyamik Pariksha – Class 10^th Examination –from State Board/Council of Secondary/Higher Secondary Education or Madrasa Shiksha Parishad or any of the Universities of West Bengal established under the State Act are eligible for the Scholarship.

West Bengal Scholarship schemes are granted based on the levels of education.

1. Scholarship scheme at the Higher Secondary level

Students who have passed the Madhyamik Pariksha with at least 75% marks in aggregate, excluding the optional or elective subject and are currently enrolled in class XI are eligible to apply for the scholarship. The scholarship amount is Rs. 1000 per month.

2. Scholarship scheme at Under Graduate Level

Students must have obtained at least 75% marks in aggregate, with two languages, and best of the three elective subjects. Students need to be enrolled in the first year of Undergraduate Courses in the current academic year to apply. Amount ranges from Rs. 1000/- to Rs. 5000/- per month.

3. Scholarship scheme at Post Graduate Level

Students need to have, in the Graduation level, at least 55% marks in Honours subjects. Those who have passed Graduation with Honours and are enrolled in the First Year of Post Graduate studies are eligible to apply. Amount is Rs. 2000 to Rs. 5000 per month.

4. Scholarship Scheme for Diploma Students

Those students who have passed Secondary/ Madhyamik Examination or its equivalent, or Higher Secondary examination or its equivalent, or those students who have passed out from the West Bengal State Council of Vocational Education and Training Courses ( for those who are studying in 2^nd year of Diploma Courses on lateral entry basis) are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Students need to have at least 75% marks in aggregate without counting the optional elective subject. Students should be enrolled in the first year Diploma course. The amount is Rs. 1500/- per month.

The applications need to be submitted to the respective offices, which are described as follows.

• Students studying in class XI should submit their applications to Commissioner of School Education, W.B., (Training & Examination Cell), Bikash Bhavan, 7th floor, Salt Lake, Kolkata-700091.
• Students pursuing First Year courses in General Education in the fields of Arts, Commerce, Science, and other professional courses which are approved by UGC should submit their applications to Directorate of Public Instruction, W.B., Scholarship & Stipend Section Bikash Bhavan, 9th floor, North Wing, Salt Lake, Kolkata-700091.
• Students pursuing First year UG (Medical) courses like MBBS, BDS, BHMS, BAMS and UG Nursing should forward their applications to
  Directorate of Medical Education West Bengal,
  ‘Swasthya Bhavan’, Sector-V, Salt Lake, Kolkata-700091.
• Students pursuing 1st year UG and PG courses (Engineering & Technology) and other professional Engineering courses which have been approved by AICTE can forward their applications to
  Directorate of Technical Education, West Bengal, Bikash Bhavan, 10th floor, East Wing (South), Salt Lake, Kolkata-700091.
• Students who have passed Madhyamik Exams or Higher Secondary exams and are currently pursuing 1st year or 2nd year Polytechnic Diploma Course are required to submit their applications to Directorate of Technical Education & Training, West Bengal,
  Bikash Bhavan, 10th floor, East Wing (North), Salt Lake, Kolkata-700091.

Students can also submit their applications online. The website is www.eservices.wb.gov.in

Dates

The official notification for West Bengal scholarship usually is published in September each year, and the application needs to be submitted by November/December.

Important rules

• Candidates once availing the scholarship cannot avail any other scholarship sponsored by the State or Central Government. If the candidate is found to be availing dual scholarships, the scholarship from the State will be canceled and student needs to repay the amount that has been paid. However, one time grants/assistance from any donor sources or free/partly free studentship which has been allowed by the institution is not a bar for the candidate to avail the scholarship.
• After a candidate availing scholarship has passed from one class to the next, they have to submit a certificate declaring the continuity of education signed by the head of the institution. This should be deposited to the scholarship sanctioning authority within one month of promotion to the new class. They should pass on the first attempt to avail this scholarship.
• Candidates are required to submit Proof of Income for which there is a Model proforma for Income Affidavit and an Income Certificate. A recent passport size photograph needs to be fixed on the form as well. All UG/PG applications need to be submitted online as well. Offline applications should enclose the application form and the necessary disclosures/documents and should clearly mention on the envelope “Application for Swami Vivekananda West Bengal Government Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme for pursuing …………….Course of studies” – the name of the course which the student is currently pursuing should be filled in the blanks. The barcode printed on the downloaded form should also be pasted on the envelope. It should be submitted to the government offices as mentioned earlier.

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