Following privileges are available to Diaspora students:
Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC)
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) introduced this program in the academic year of 2006–07,for PIOs and NRIs to help them pursue higher and technical education in India. Educational Consultants India Limited (EdCIL), a Government of India enterprise, is the designated nodal agency for implementing the program, under which financial assistance (towards tuition fee, admission fee and post-admission services) is provided for applicable undergraduate, professional and general courses.
Under the SPDC, scholarships are provided to 100 select students, with 50 in the NRI category and 50 in the PIO category. In the event that there is no availability of suitable PIO candidates, unfilled slots can be offered to NRI candidates.
Direct Admission to Students Abroad (DASA)
DASA is a Government of India-run scheme that provides deserving foreign nationals/ PIOs/ NRIs direct admission to undergraduate programs. EdCIL administers the scheme, which offers students the opportunity to pursue programs at the National Institute of Technology and other centrally funded institutes (other than the Indian Institutes of Technology, or IITs).
Reservation for NRIs at Indian educational institutions
The Government of India has approved a scheme to enable a supernumerary quota of 15% seats at all higher education institutes for foreign nationals/ PIOs/ children of Indian workers in the Gulf countries. There shall be no NRI fee and, in fact, the children of Indian workers in the Gulf countries shall be treated as equal to resident Indian citizens.