Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren has announced a fellowship scheme for meritorious students from economically weaker backgrounds to pursue higher studies in the top 100 institutions of the country.

Addressing a function to felicitate 25 scholars who have been selected for the Chevening Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship and Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Overseas Scholarship Scheme in Ranchi on Friday evening, Soren said the government would soon start the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Yojana.

“This will provide fellowship to Jharkhand students pursuing professional courses in the top 100 institutions of the country. We do not want financial barriers to pose obstacles in the pursuit of education of meritorious students,” said Soren.

The fellowship scheme would also provide financial assistance to students to pursue MPhil and PhD in the top 100 global universities.

“The government is bearing the expense of students from primary to higher education. Additionally, the government is paying the expense for students preparing for competitive exams like the UPSC, JPSC, banks and railways and courses like engineering, medical and law,” Soren said.

Under the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Overseas Scholarship Scheme, 10 ST, five SC, seven OBC and three minority students have been selected for the third batch (session 2023-24) to pursue 31 courses in the universities of the UK and Ireland.

Under the scheme, 25 meritorious students are awarded scholarships for pursuing higher studies in the UK and Northern Ireland.

Started in 2021, the biggest feature of this scheme is that along with the tuition fees the living and food expenses of the students will also be borne by the state government.

The Chevening Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship to pursue a one-year master’s in the UK is being offered annually from this year.

Chevening is the UK government’s flagship international scholarships and fellowships programme. The Chevening programme in India is the largest in the world, benefiting over 3,500 scholars and fellows since 1983.