iccr.gov.in General Cultural Scholarship Scheme GCSS : Indian Council for Cultural Relations

Organization : Indian Council for Cultural Relations
Scholarship Name : General Cultural Scholarship Scheme GCSS
Country: India

Website : https://www.iccr.gov.in/
Instructions : https://www.scholarships.net.in/uploads/1335-Ins.pdf

General Cultural Scholarship Scheme GCSS :

The General Cultural Scholarship Scheme (GCSS) is one of the most important and popular schemes of the ICCR for foreign students. Scholarships are awarded under this scheme annually to international students belonging to certain Asian, African and Latin American countries for the undergraduate, postgraduate degrees and for pursuing research at Indian universities. However, scholarships for medical studies for MBBS, BDS or for medical research leading to a Ph.D degree are not offered under the GCSS scheme.

The list of Countries covered under the GSS is given below:
Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Argentina, Belarus, Belize, Brazil, Belgium, Cambodia, Fiji, Georgia, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Palestine, Qatar, Russia, Reunion Island, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu (Fiji), UAE, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen.

General Instructions To Applicants:

1. Two complete sets of application form to be submitted to the Indian Mission.
2. Candidate should clearly mention the course and University to which he/she is seeking admission. ICCR would not be able to entertain a subsequent change in course of study or University once admission of a scholar is confirmed and the scholar has arrived to join the course.

3. Certified copies of all documents should be accompanied with English translations:
a. Students applying for doctoral/ post-doctoral courses should include a synopsis of the proposed area of research.
b. Students wishing to study performing arts should, if possible, enclose video/ audio cassettes of their recorded performances.

4. Candidates must have adequate knowledge of English.
5. ICCR will not entertain applications which are sent to ICCR directly by the students or which are sent by local Embassies/High Commissions in New Delhi.
6. Priority will be given to students who have never studied in India before.
7. No application will be accepted for admission to courses in MBBS/MD or Dentistry/Nursing.
8. Candidates may note that Indian Universities/Educational Institution are autonomous and independent and hence have their own eligibility criteria which have to be fulfilled. Please also note that acceptance of application by the University is also not a guarantee of admission. A scholarship is awarded only when admission is confirmed by ICCR.
9. Student must carry a proper visa. Students should ensure that they get the correct visa from the Indian Embassy/High Commission. Government of India guidelines stipulate that if a scholar arrives without proper visa and his/her actual admission at the University/Institute does not materialize, he/she will be deported to his/her country.
10. Before departing for India the scholars should seek a full briefing from the Indian Diplomatic Mission in their country about living conditions in India/the details of scholarship/the type and duration of the course to which he/she is admitted. Scholars should inform the Indian Embassy/High Commission of their travel schedule well in advance so that ICCR can make reception and other arrangements for them.
11. Scholars are advised to bring some money with them to meet incidental expenditure on arrival in India. (Approx. Rs. 30,000/-)
12. The applicants who are awarded scholarships should bring with them all documents relating to their qualification in original for verification by the respective college/university at the time of admission. Any student who does not carry his original certificates will not be admitted and scholarships cancelled.

Formalities to be completed on arrival:
Upon arrival in India all scholars should register themselves with local FRRO within 7 days or within the stipulated time as directed by the Indian High Commission/Embassy concerned while issuing visa. After registration, students are required to obtain Resident Permit within 90 days and submit to the concerned ICCR office. Failure to do so will result in non-release of stipend beyond 3 months.

Admission formalities:

** The number of seats per discipline are limited in all Universities and scholars are requested to give their acceptance and join within the stipulated joining time mentioned in the confirmation letter.

Payment Criteria for stipend, house rent and contingent allowance:

** Financial Terms & Conditions in Annexure
** The Scholarship commences from date of arrival in India. Living allowance and house rent is paid on pro-rata basis in advance for 3 months in cash by ICCR HQs/Regional Offices. Further payments are released on receipt of residential permit & joining report and are paid monthly/quarterly through the SBI account/University concerned.
** Miscellaneous expenditure such as mess charges for those staying in hostels have to be met by the scholar from his stipend or personal resources.
** Contingent allowance is given every year only until the end of the course to meet expenditure on purchase of books, stationery etc. It is not given during any extension period which may be sanctioned for a particular student. For Ph.D. scholars, the contingent grant is given for a maximum of five years.
** In case of Ph.D. scholars, the scholarship is for a maximum of five and a half years, (inclusive of extension/viva voce) or for the total duration of research (until the submission of the thesis) plus six months for viva voce, whichever is earlier.
** For continuation of scholarship payments, all scholars must submit annual progress reports and copy of valid Resident Permit.
** Ph.D. scholars travelling outside the country for data collection are eligible to draw 2 months stipend for the ex-India period only once during their scholarship tenure, subject to the necessary certificate from their supervisor and invitation of host organization and advance approval of the Council well in advance. All travel expenses are to be borne by the scholars themselves.
** Progress Report, along with certified copy of mark-sheet, must be submitted every semester/annually to ensure continuation of scholarship by the Council.
** The stipend and HRA will be paid only up to the declaration of result/receipt of provisional certificate and not upto the issuance of degree by the Institute/University.
** No stipend is released during ex-India period but house rent is released for a maximum period of two months.
** Hostel accommodation is not guaranteed and is an exception rather than an assured facility. The accommodation allowance (HRA) that ICCR gives allows 2 to 3 students to “chum up” and share a small flat. Please note that prior approval of Council is required for continuation of HRA beyond the initial three months period. ICCR will only pay hostel fees and not mess charges or security deposits/ caution money. Once the hostel seat is allotted, no HRA will be paid to the scholar if they vacate the hostel.
** If a scholar is hospitalized in India for a period of one month or longer, the scholar’s living allowance will be reduced by 50%.
** For those scholars who are pursuing science courses, the expenditure on laboratory chemicals and other incidental charges are to be borne by the scholars themselves.
** Under the scholarship schemes, expenses on study tour are met by the ICCR only if the tour proposal is endorsed by the supervisor/teacher or head of the Institution concerned, certifying that the tour is an integral part of or essential to the course of study or training. It is mandatory to take the Council’s prior permission at least 15 days before proceeding on tour. ICCR reimburses to and for 3rd AC train fare or the actual bus fare of any state transport (upon production of original receipts), together with the stipulated daily allowance, in addition to the normal stipend. This would be decided depending upon the course/research work the student is involved with.
** If a student decides to return to his/her country before the completion of the course, he/she would not be entitled to a return passage (in cases where ICCR has agreed to pay international airfares). The expenditure would need to be borne by the scholar himself/herself. On returning to his/her country, he/she is required to refund the amount of airfare paid by the Indian Mission for travel to India as well as the scholarship amount paid by ICCR during his/her stay in India.
** ICCR will not pay airfares or any other expenses related to students travelling outside India during vacations or during the duration of the course.

Payment of tuition fees/Registration fees:

** All tuition fees, university exam fees and other compulsory fees which are not refundable are paid directly by the Council. All refundable deposits will be paid by the scholar himself/herself.
** If any of the Colleges/Universities/Institutes ask the scholar to pay tuition/other compulsory fees, the student may approach ICCR with the claim.
** If a student pays tuition fees/ other compulsory fees on behalf of ICCR to the College/Institute, he/she is entitled to get reimbursement on submission of the original receipt/voucher etc. issued by the University/College/Institute.
** Registration fee/tuition fee etc. would not be paid for the extension period unless approved by the Competent Authority.

Reimbursement of Medical Claims:

** In case of illness, a student should first visit the University/Institute’s clinic for treatment. The student may, subsequently visit a Government hospital or a Private hospital on the CGHS/University’s panel with the written recommendation of the University’s Medical Officer, and only if that particular medical treatment or procedure is unavailable in the University clinic.
** In an emergency situation, students can avail of treatment from CGHS approved private hospitals. In such cases, an emergency certificate is required from the concerned hospital. All reimbursements are made as per approved CGHS rates, even where CGHS facility is not available.
** Student should submit the medical claim to ICCR in the prescribed proforma (available with ICCR HQs/Regional Offices). Medical reimbursement forms must be accompanied by all original vouchers, prescriptions, cash memos for medicines and test reports duly signed by the attending doctors and the International Students Advisors of the University. No claim will be entertained with only the hospital stamp.
** If medical treatment is being availed of outside the state where they are pursuing their studies, reimbursement will be made only if proper procedures mentioned above fulfilled. In any case, travel expenses will not be reimbursed.
** No reimbursement is admissible for expenditure incurred on family members who accompany the scholar to India.
** No reimbursement will be made against expenditure in tonics, dental, artificial aids, spectacles, acne treatment and any other item not covered under CGHS norms.
** All claims to be submitted within one month of the treatment for reimbursement.

Guidelines for Shifting from Hostel to Private Accommodation:

** Any student intending to change from hostel to private accommodation should obtain prior permission from ICCR. For this they should first get a “No Objection” and “No Dues” certificate from Hostel/Institute authority and forward the same to ICCR (all in original) alongwith his/her application. Falling to obtain prior permission might entail rejection of their request subsequently. Frequent changes are not allowed.
** Change from hostel to private accommodation would not be allowed in the middle of the academic session.
** After shifting, the student must submit the latest residential address to the Council if not submitted before.

Mandatory Attendance:
** Students must ensure that they have completed the mandatory attendance as required by that particular University to be eligible to take their exams. The Council will not issue any recommendation letter if the scholar is short of attendance.
** Council would not extend the scholarship period if the scholar is detained/debarred from sitting in the exam due to shortage of attendance.

Return journey to home country:
** Students should leave the country immediately after the completion of their studies. Under normal circumstances, the time gap between completion of studies and final departure should not exceed one month.
** A scholar wishing to travel outside India during the course of study for personal reasons may do so at his/her own expense and with the prior permission of ICCR and the Institute where he/she is studying.

Discontinuation/Cancellation of Scholarship:
** Generally ICCR discontinues scholarship payment when a scholar fails in his/her examination. The student is then asked to clear his/her examination as a self-financing student, with the clear understanding that ICCR would revive his/her scholarship only after he/she clears the examination successfully within one year. If he/she fails again, the scholarship would be cancelled.
** Scholarship could be cancelled if the scholar fails repeatedly or is involved in exam-malpractices/anti-social activities, or is found violating the terms and conditions of ICCR scholarships.