Students Abroad Suffer As Maharashtra Govt Delays Overseas Scholarship Payments – News18

Last Updated:May 02, 2025, 14:56 IST

The Maharashtra government’s National Overseas Scholarship Scheme has left many students in dire financial straits.

Many students who participated in the Maharashtra government’s National Overseas Scholarship Scheme are currently experiencing a serious financial problem as a result of government payments that have been overdue for more than two months. The Other Backward Class (OBC), Dalit, and minority beneficiaries who were enrolled in higher education programs in Australia and the United Kingdom spoke to The Times of India (ToI) about their predicament. They said that since arriving, they have not been given any scholarship funds for living expenses or tuition.

According to these students, their predicament is pathetic; several are in danger of starving, and some could be forced to leave their rental apartments, ToI states.

“Feels like I’m drowning in uncertainty. Scholarship funds are delayed, tuition fees are piling up with penalties, and debt is suffocating me. Every day feels like a struggle to stay afloat financially,” a student at the University of Birmingham said as quoted by the ToI.

A University of Sydney student stated, “It feels like I’ve been left on my own. My scholarship funds were delayed endlessly, and unpaid fees are accumulating penalties. I borrowed money to survive, but the debt is crushing me now.”

“I’m exhausted, mentally and financially. I haven’t received any scholarship support for months. My fees are unpaid. I borrowed money to survive, but now I can’t repay. I feel abandoned,” another student from Sydney University told the publication.

In a follow-up with authorities in the relevant departments, Rajiv Khobragade, president of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), The Platform, stated that sending students overseas with false promises of scholarships is equivalent to forcing them into mental hardship and malnutrition. “The government should provide scholarship funds on time,” he stated as per the publication.

The Platform is an organisation that works closely with these students.

The students claimed that even though they emailed the social justice and special assistance (SJSA) and OBC welfare departments regarding their scholarships, they were informed that the finance department had not yet sanctioned the monies.

According to the state OBC welfare minister, Atul Save, there is no shortage of funding, as he told TOI. “I will look into the issue and resolve the matter. Though it is a public holiday tomorrow, I will take an update about the scholarship and disburse funds,” he said.

Meanwhile, SJSA’s main secretary, Harshdeep Kamble, stated that “Scholarship funds were already released to the commissioner (social justice).” He went on to say that more information must be obtained from the SJSA commissioner.

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