Photograph: Rajesh Thakur/ Outlook Group

FROM Rs. 6,000 per annum at Pondicherry Engineering College to nearly 3.7 lakhs per annum at NIIT University, the cost of engineering education varies substantially across the country. Since nearly 0.8 million of the 1.01 million seats are in the unaided category, the average cost of  pursuing a  BTech is at least Rs. 4 -6 lakhs for a full programme, a figure beyond the reach of a majority of the aspirants.

Bank loans mitigate the impact to some extent but institutes too offer a range of scholarships and fellowships to enable deserving candidates to pursue the education. Here’s a look at  the kind assistance one can get from the 70-plus Deemed Universities that offer engineering education in the country. Of the 130 Deemed Universities, about 70 offer BE/ BTech programmes and nearly 29 of them offer some type of scholarship. Here’s the lowdown.

International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore
About 25 scholarships from Siemens, ABB, Intel, Infosys and NXP are offered. The students get Rs. 200,000 spread over the 2 years there by getting complete refund of entire tuition fee.

Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad
a) Merit-cum-Means Scholarship offered to 25% of students enrolled in each course with full freeship (exemption from tuition fees) and an amount Rs. 800 per month.
b) Merit-cum-means freeship to 10% of students enrolled in each course. First year students are shortlisted on basis of qualifying exam with a minimum score of 60%.

Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal
a) AICTE Scholarship for women, economically backward and physically handicapped meritorious students. The proposed scheme is applicable only to those students whose parents’ annual income is less than Rs. 2.5 lakhs. Such scholarships will not exceed 10% of the total intake.
b) ISLE Scholarship: The Indian Society of Lighting Engineers offers two scholarships to the students of final year BE (E&E) branch, every year. These scholarships are sponsored by Philips India Ltd., Bajaj Electricals Ltd. and Thorn Lighting India.
c) Maulana Azad National Scholarship Scheme: Offers scholarships to meritorious girl students belonging to national minorities (ie. Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs). Eligibility: Minimum 55% aggregate in 10+2 and the income of the parent should be less than Rs. 1 lakh per annum.

Christ University, Bangalore
a) Merit Scholarship: Awarded in September each year. The scholarship is decided on the merit of pre-entry marks, mid-semester test and attendance in regular classes during the first year of graduation. For the consecutive years it will be decided on the basis of his/her performance in one end-semester and two mid-semester examinations of each year.
b) Alumni Association Scholarships: Alumni Association of Christ University also helps economically weak students through the Alumni Fund.

Graphic Era Institute of Technology, Dehradun
Gyan Jyoti Scholarship: Merit scholarship offered to top 3 students in each semester

International Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad
Merit Scholarships to toppers in each specialty every year, based on their past performance at the Institute. Students from economically weaker sections of the society (those having income less than Rs. 1 Lakh per year), are granted scholarships from the Ministry of Social welfare.
 

International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad
Pratibha scholarship: Offered by Andhra Pradesh government, these are available to IIIT students who come from the state and whose parent’s annual income is within 1 lakh.

Koneru Laksmaiah College of Engineering, Guntur

a) Scholarships offered in following manner to students who secure various positions in KLU EEE
- 100% fee waiver: Students securing position between 1st to 10th rank
- Rs. 70,000 fee waiver for students who secure position between 11th to 25th rank
- Rs. 50,000 fee waiver for students who secure position between 26th to 50th rank

b) Scholarships offered in following manner to students who secure various positions in EAMCET
- 100% fee waiver: Students securing position between 1st to 100th rank
- Rs. 70,000 fee waiver for students who secure position between 101th to 500th rank
- Rs. 50,000 fee waiver for those who secure position between 501th to 1000th rank

c) Scholarships offered in following manner to students who secure various positions in in AIEEE
- 100% fee waiver: Students securing position between 1st to 1000th rank
- Rs. 70,000 fee waiver for students who secure position between 1001th to 5000th rank
- Rs. 50,000 fee waiver for students who secure position between 5001th to 15000th rank

d) Scholarships offered in following manner to students who secure various positions in IIT-JEE
- 100% fee waiver: Students securing position in 1st to 2000th rank
- Rs. 70,000 fee waiver for students who secure position in 2001th to 5000th rank
- Rs. 50,000 fee waiver for students who secure position upto Extended Merit List 10000

e) 100% fee waiver to students who secure top 10 ranks in any state/central board exam at 10+2 level.

KIIT, Bhubaneswar
Pradyumna Bal Memorial Scholarship: Awarded to two economically challenged but meritorious students and they are provided completely free education along with ancillary expenses.

Manav Rachana International University, Faridabad
Scholarships for an amount equivalent to 5% of the tuition fee to be awarded to approximately 10 % of the students admitted in the programme in following categories:
- Meritorious students
- Sports persons at National/International level
- Wards of Army/Paramilitary/Police personnel
- Students who have been diagnosed with Thalassemia major

National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal
a) Scholarships offered to meritorious BTech (Dairy Technology) students who need financial assistance. This provision is utilised to assist as many students as possible who have good academic record and are making diligent efforts to pursue higher education.
 b) The National Talent Scholarship (NTS): Rs. 1000 per month awarded by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on merit provided that the domicile of the candidate is other than Haryana State

Jaypee Institute of Information Technology
Scholarhips to meritorious students: The Management has approved that students who take admission in the first year of the
4-year UG program w.e.f academic session 2008-09, at any of the three Institutes i.e., JIIT (Noida), JUIT (Waknaghat) or JIET (Guna) with an overall All India Rank of less than 1000 in AIEEE exam conducted by CBSE, shall be provided free education for the entire duration of under graduate programme.

Satyabhama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai
a) Every semester five students from each section are awarded with scholarship based on their academic performance.
b) 15% of total fees are waived for students from economically/socially backward sections and physically challenged persons. Fee concession is also given to students who participate in national/state-level sporting events.

SRM Engineering College, Chennai 
a) SRM Founder’s Scholarships: Full fee waiver of tuition, hostel, mess, plus stipend of Rs. 1000 per month offered to:
Top State rankers in school final
Top rankers in SRMEE, JEE and AIEEE
Exemplary Sports persons at National and International level
b) Merit Scholarship: For students who have secured above 90% in CBSE or above 95 % in state board examinations and are ranked amongst the top 8000 in SRMEEE, scholarship up to 50% of tuition fee waiver. The quantum and number varies from time to time.
c) Merit-Cum-Means Scholarship (Socio - economic disdained): Scholarship, 25% to 100% tuition fee waiver, is offered to students who are economically challenged, based on their performance in the qualifying examination.
d) Scholarship for minority community: Scholarship, 25% to 100% tuition fee waiver, is offered to students of minority communities based on the performance of students in the qualifying examination.
e) Scholarship for Physically challenged/Differently-abled: Scholarship with full tuition fee waiver is offered to select students who are physically challenged/differently abled.
f) Scholarship for Special Merits: Scholarship with tuition fee waiver up to 100% is offered to select students possessing exemplary skills in literary debating, fine arts and others.

St Peter’s Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai:
Merit Scholarship for first year students in the following manner:
- 100% tuition fee waiver to students securing above 90% in +2 examination
- 75% tuition fee waiver to students securing above 85% in +2 examination
- 50% tuition fee waiver to students securing above 80% in +2 examination
- 25% tuition fee waiver to students securing above 75% in +2 examination

Vel tech Rangarajan Dr Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai
a) 100% scholarships: To top three BTech applicants from each State in India (subject to having secured a minimum of 60% average in +2 examination) and to top applicant from each Union Territory of full exemption from tuition fees and free boarding and lodging for four years.
b) 50% scholarship: The University also offers merit scholarship to top 100 BTech students with 50% concession in tuition fees.

Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 
a) IGNITE scholarships: Offered to students with a waiver of tuition fees for entire 4 years on following basis:
- 100% tuition fee waiver for top three HSc exam rank holders in each state
- 100% for top 50 VITEEE students
- 50% tuition fee waiver for students ranked 51-100 in VITEEE

Vignan’s Foundation of Science, Technology & Research, Guntur
Scholarship for top 5% rank holders of each class are eligible for 100% fee waiver during 2nd, 3rd and final year