The government has imposed a drastic cut of 57.3 percent (from 2,000 to 854) on the award of MS/Ph.D. overseas scholarships, owing to the depreciation of the Pakistani rupee which has enhanced the cost of studying abroad.
The total cost of the project, named ‘Overseas Scholarship for MS/M. Phil leading to Ph.D., in selected fields (Phase III),’ is Rs 22,214.578 million and it will be completed by 2027, according to official documents seen by ProPakistani.
The project was started in 2018 with an estimated cost of Rs. 22,214.578 million and was initially aimed at providing 2,000 Overseas Scholarships for MS/M. Phil leading to Ph.D. scholarships. However, the depreciation of Pakistani currency vis-à-vis the dollar has led to an increase in the cost of studying abroad.
The cost of the project remained the same, whereas, the scope of the project has been reduced from 2,000 scholarships to 854 resulting increase in the unit cost per student for Ph.D. and MS, the documents reveal. The number of Ph.D. scholarships has been slashed from 1800 to 711 Ph.D., while the scholarship for MS has been cut down from 200 to 143 MS, the documents reveal.
When the project was started, one US dollar was at Rs. 112, which has now reached over Rs. 220.
It has also been decided that 200 scholarships are proposed for higher education on a priority basis in countries with well-reputed Engineering Technology Universities like Germany, Australia, the USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, Italy, and the UK to develop requisite teaching faculty for the country’s Technology Universities.
Scope of Work
Award of 75 Scholarships (40 Ph.D. and 35 MS) under the 75th National Independence Scholarships Scheme to be offered from this project. Adjustment of candidates selected under the project “Advance Skills Development Through International Scholarships (ASDIS)” to be adjusted in this scholarship project.
Revision of scope with a decrease in the number of awardees/students from 2, 000 to 854 scholars within the same capital cost of the project. Any unutilized scholarship from reserved slots 75 scholarships and 64 ASDIS scholarships will be readjusted in General Scholarships of the existing scheme of Overseas Scholarship for Ph.D. in selected fields – Phase-III.
Applicants may be allowed to enroll/secure in any MS/MPhil Engineering/ Technology program. Categorization of Attached (2/3) and Unattached (1/3) scholarships may be omitted for General Scholarships.
