The Banaras Hindu University has introduced a new scholarship scheme to “promote and motivate international students”. The scheme aims at attracting overseas students through this programme. Under the programme, foreign students will receive Rs 6000 per month which will be renewed annually on the basis of satisfactory performance.

In case a student is already getting a scholarship of lower value, he/she will be entitled to receive the difference. The decision to launch ‘Scholarship to International Students’ was taken in the meeting of Governing Body of Institution of Eminence, BHU, under the chairmanship of vice-chancellor Sudhir K Jain.

VC Sudhir K Jain said that the university has constituted a three-member committee for smooth implementation and monitoring of the scheme. All the applications under the scheme shall be submitted to the Institution of Eminence Cell of BHU.

The university claims to attract hundreds of international students every year who are admitted in various disciplines of agricultural sciences, arts, social sciences, performing arts, visual arts, law, commerce and sciences in undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD and diploma courses.

The total intake of foreign students is up to 15 per cent of the total seats. These seats are of supernumerary nature. Currently, 431 students from nearly 40 countries are enrolled in Banaras Hindu University. These include 261 male and 170 female students from the United States, Brazil, France, Russia, Ireland, Australia, Yemen, Iran, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia among others.

“The scheme is expected to draw more international students to BHU. Besides, it is also in the spirit of National Education Policy 2020 which puts a greater focus on internationalisation of the Indian Education System, by way of having more students from abroad on Indian campuses,” said the official statement released by BHU.