British high commissioner Alex Ellis will be in Ranchi during the signing of an MoU for the Chevening-Marang Gomke Scholarship on August 23 in the presence of Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren.

“This would be the first such agreement between any Indian state with the British High Commission. The British high commissioner has accepted the invitation of the chief minister. British deputy high commissioner Nick Low (from Calcutta) will also be present at the function on August 23,” said a senior official in the Jharkhand chief minister’s office in Ranchi.

“According to the agreement, the Jharkhand government will partner the UK government’s FCDO (Foreign and Commonwealth and Development Office) to fund the Chevening-Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship to provide opportunities to students of Jharkhand belonging to Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, minorities, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the next three academic years starting September 2023,” the official added.

The official said the British high commissioner had also agreed to discuss possible partnerships in climate change, electric vehicles, solar energy and education with the Jharkhand government.In a letter inviting Ellis for the formal inking of the agreement, Hemant had in June said the Jharkhand government was committed towards bridging barriers in access to higher education and other sectors for the marginalised and vulnerable communities of the state and had expressed the desire for possible cooperation and partnership in sports, climate change, electric vehicles and renewable energy and education.Chevening is the UK government’s international awards programme aimed at developing global leaders.

Funded by the FCDO and partner organisations, Chevening offers two types of awards — Chevening Scholarships and Chevening Fellowships — the recipients of which are personally selected by British embassies and high commissions throughout the world.

The Jharkhand government had earlier this year announced the expansion of the overseas scholarship scheme to include students from SC, ST, minorities and OBC groups to help them pursue higher education in the UK. The number of beneficiaries has also been increased to 25 from 10 last year.

The state government has also increased the allocated budget for the scholarship to Rs 16 crore per year from Rs 10 crore last year, subject to increase if necessary.

The Jharkhand government had in September last year launched the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda overseas scholarship scheme for selected tribal students to pursue higher studies in premier institutions in the UK and Northern Ireland. The awardees were entitled to tuition fees along with living and other miscellaneous expenses.The expanded version now allows for the provision of fully funded scholarships to up to 25 students every year to pursue a one-year Master’s or two-year M Phil programme across 31 disciplines in top universities in the UK and Northern Ireland. Candidates up to 35 years are eligible to apply for the scholarship.