Expand educational reach with a vibrant system of scholarships

While it is a well-known fact that education can transform lives, it is also acknowledged that this can only happen if there is access to educational institutions, affordability, and academic quality. Education has rightly been described as the art of drawing out, rather than merely putting in. It is also necessary to ensure that those who do manage to get admitted into institutions receive quality education from qualified and experienced teachers. The central and state governments have, from time to time, taken many steps to promote education, in the form of scholarships, subsidies, loans and credit guarantees. Help also comes from many philanthropic and charitable private institutions that are driven by similar objectives.

Coming to the question of encouraging entry into institutions, an ideal Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for a country generally aims for 100 per cent or higher for primary and secondary education to ensure universal access. While a developed, knowledge-based economy typically targets over 85-90 per cent for higher education, for developing nations, interim goals often focus on achieving 50 per cent.

GER is highest in Greece, Turkey and Macao. All the major strides made by the country in the field of education notwithstanding, the disappointing fact remains that India is still a good distance away from achieving the desirable level of 50 per cent GER in higher education.

While increasing the number of educational institutions certainly helps and opens many opportunities, the question of how many young people can enter the portals of those institutions will remain a challenge.

One important input that has been known to trigger the process of bridging the gap between availability and accessibility is the provision of scholarships. They can also foster academic excellence, promote diversity, and enable talented individuals to attend top institutions, enhancing both individual career opportunities and economic equity. For many, scholarships also mean fewer hours spent working on part-time jobs, which allows more time to focus on studying and building skills for a more secure future. They not only support individuals but also strengthen communities by fostering the next generation of leaders and professionals. National and AICTE scholarships, apart from UGC and central and state governments sponsored scholarships for students belonging to various economic categories, are some of the most popular scholarship schemes. There are many well-known and prestigious private institutions and arrangements, which also offer scholarships and fellowships. For instance, the Gates Millennium Scholars Program provides scholarships to students from minority backgrounds, who demonstrate exceptional academic talent but need financial assistance. Such programs exemplify how targeted scholarships can help bright and needy students reach their full potential.

An important development in recent times has been the introduction of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025 in Parliament. This proposes a unified, ‘light but tight’ regulatory framework to overhaul the higher education ecosystem in India. The legislation seeks to implement the National Educational Policy by enhancing research, promoting interdisciplinary learning, increasing institutional autonomy, and enhancing global competitiveness. Forward-looking though the move certainly is, there is criticism in certain quarters that bureaucratic overreach is a regrettable feature of the Bill, which sadly deprives IITs, IIMs and Inter-University centres of much needed autonomy. Experts holding that view also feel that greater space needs to be provided, before the Bill is converted into law; to provide for greater assistance to the states to strengthen their institutions in a spirit reflective of joint responsibility, the Centre and the states have to promote the cause of education.

Specialized universities, or institutions with distinct focus areas are global leaders in specific fields like STEM, arts, or business. Top examples include Caltech (STEM), Pasadena, MIT (Technology), Cambridge, USA, and ESCP Business School (Business), Paris. Specialized universities in India focus on specific disciplines like medicine, technology, law, or agriculture, offering advanced training and research. Key institutions include AIIMS (Medicine), IITs (Technology), NLSIU (Law), and IISc (Sciences), often rated as top institutions for specialized education.

In the field of sports. Nottingham Trent University (NTU), UK, is a premier choice, named ‘Sports University of the Year 2026’ in the Daily Mail University Guide, for its exceptional facilities and teams. The first National Sports University (NSU) in India is located in Imphal. Established in 2018 through an Act of Parliament, this central university is dedicated to sports education, sports science, coaching, and management. In ancient times, in institutions of higher learning or ‘Takshasila’s, students were known to have had around five options to pay the fees for education: ranging from paying in advance, paying after completing education, receiving support from their native regions, or a charitable organization or community, while working with and learning from teachers. Takshashila or Taxila, located in modern-day Pakistan, was a renowned ancient center of learning, specializing in Vedic studies, medicine, and politics. Founded in 427 CE by Emperor Kumaragupta I in Bihar, Nalanda University was the world’s first residential university, flourishing for over 800 years as a premier seat of learning. It attracted 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers from across Asia, focusing on Buddhist studies, medicine, mathematics, and philosophy,

What the situation demands is to reimagine what scholarships represent and recognise them as a method of providing students with the confidence to plan their academic lives with a certain stability. A regionally differentiated strategy, that serves the purpose of meeting the needs of backward regions of the country and the less privileged sections of the student community, is important. Scholarships can also ensure that important disciplines, such as the emerging phenomenon of artificial intelligence and the neglected aspect of healthcare are addressed adequately. Tax incentives for institutions offering endowments and providing matching funds will add significantly to the value of the available kitty which, when leveraged to attract supplementary support, can increase the coverage enormously.

The procedure followed by Ashoka University based on a need – sensitive approach, where a student’s ability to pay is assessed separately from admission, is a good example. The Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, has also a donor-supported scholarship ecosystem that rewards merit and responds to need. The systems currently prevalent in the USA and China are also worth studying, with a view to emulating them.

The basic need is to expand and diversify the educational system, a goal the journey to which can be hastened through the system of scholarships.

It is not merely the monetary aspect that makes scholarships so important for a student. As a school student, when I got through the HSC examination, and although I belonged to a well-to-do family, I felt sorely disappointed when I narrowly failed to qualify for what was then known as the ‘Gokhale’ scholarship. A feeling that was made up when, years later, I managed to secure a Fellowship offered by the University Grants Commission for pursuing my work for a PhD in mathematics

I also recall the joy and pride that we felt when my daughter bagged a scholarship while in her high school years and my son qualified for the National Talent Search Examination scholarship, after passing the examination conducted by that organisation. Both instances triggered the ambition to qualify for even higher honours and prove their mettle, although the money received was not quite unwelcome!

(The writer was formerly Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh)