The representation of marginalised communities in education is essential to achieving inclusive development, fostering social justice, and ensuring that historically disadvantaged groups are not left behind in the pursuit of progress. By prioritising their educational inclusion, societies can move closer to realising the ideals of equity and equality enshrined in democratic frameworks.
The combined population of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Nomadic and Denotified Tribes (NT/DNT) in India currently stands at approximately 50 crore. While reservations have facilitated many from these communities get higher education and jobs in India, there is a crucial area where government support is minimal.
Lakhs of students, mostly from priveleged communities, study abroad and benefit. They come back to work and set up businesses, boosting their mobility. Those from marginalised communities can also benefit from studying abroad. Institutions abroad are free of many of the debilitating structural inequalities that mar their higher education in India.
The knowledge, skills and experience that these students would gain can help them serve the community in India. But government support is a must for this equity-enhancing process.
The Indian government should create and offer more scholarships for marginalized caste students to study abroad to address systemic inequities and offer potential for global impact. Studying abroad would not only empower marginalized students with global exposure, but also enable them to bring back diverse perspectives to enrich Indian society by challenging caste-based hierarchies on an international stage. Thus by investing in these students, India can advance social justice, bridge historical divides, and contribute to a more equitable and inclusive global academic community.
Government data reveals that the number of Indian students studying abroad has increased by 230 percent over the past five years, from 0.58 million in 2019 to 1.33 million in 2024. However, despite this surge, students from marginalised backgrounds still make up only a small percentage of the total.
Every year, the Central government sends only 145 students abroad under its National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) scheme. Of these, 115 are SC students, six are NT/DNT, four are from landless and artisanal backgrounds and 20 are from ST communities.
To make matters worse, the Union Budget of 2025 has drastically slashed the funds for the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) for Scheduled Tribes, reducing it from ₹6 crore in 2024 to a mere ₹0.01 crore in 2025 – a staggering 99.8% cut. This reduction not only reduces opportunities for students but reflects the government’s indifference to the education of marginalised communities.
Historicising higher education abroad
The historical context of studying abroad offers a broader narrative of educational aspiration and systemic inequality. Indian student migration, particularly to the United Kingdom, began in the 1840s when a small number of individuals sought theological or medical training in Imperial Britain. Over the next two centuries, this trend grew significantly, driven by the pursuit of advanced education and professional opportunities.
By the first quarter of twentieth century, scholars like Babasaheb Ambedkar and Jaipal Munda would be the first ones from marginalised backgrounds to study abroad. Now, in the 21st century, they continue to be the central motivation for marginalised students to study abroad.
However, even today, the access to such opportunities is limited to privileged groups. Students from marginalised caste backgrounds encounter persistent barriers in higher education, both domestically and abroad, including discrimination, lack of representation, and inadequate support systems.
Why study abroad?
Motivations for marginalised students to study abroad also remain deeply rooted in overcoming systemic barriers and seeking opportunities often denied to them in India. Even when caste-marginalised students gain entry into Indian higher educational institutes through affirmative action measures like reservations, they face narratives of merit deficit that restrict their access to resources and opportunities, including mentorship and research support.
For instance, many students report that their upper-caste teachers refuse to supervise caste-related research projects, further institutionalising caste discrimination. This exclusion drives them to seek education abroad, where they can engage with caste studies freely and access supportive academic environments under non-Indian supervisors.
Additionally, the global exposure, networking opportunities, and the prestige of an abroad degree can accelerate their professional development. For many students, studying abroad offers a pathway to gain the exposure, resources, and credibility so they can give back to their communities and create meaningful change.
Inaccessible scholarships
While state-level scholarships might offer some relief, they are often arbitrary and inconsistent. In comparison, the central NOS scholarships are more structured but come with a controlling, restrictive nature.
According to the mandatory guidelines of NOS in 2022, “topics related to Indian culture, heritage, history, or social studies related to India are excluded from scholarship funding. The final decision on what research topics are eligible rests with the Selection-cum-Screening Committee of NOS”. This stifles scholarly freedom and discourages first-generation students from pursuing research that may challenge existing narratives or explore topics of significance to their own communities and culture. These guidelines restrict the very reason marginalised students aspire to study abroad: to escape the limited research boundaries imposed within India.
The Thorat Committee’s 2012 report on the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) recommended that the number of overseas scholarships for marginalised students should correspond to the overall increase in the number of Indian students studying abroad. Yet, the central government continues to provide minimal support, perpetuating inequality.
In addition to bureaucratic hurdles, the high costs of standardised exams like IELTS, TOEFL, and GRE further burden students from low-income backgrounds, averaging ₹15,000 to ₹20,000. Securing recommendation letters is another challenge, as most elite institutions are led by non-marginalised faculty who often fail to support students or actively gatekeep opportunities. I have personally faced this issue while applying and have heard similar experiences from many peers in European programs.
These barriers make it extremely difficult for marginalised students to succeed. Even those who secure admission to prestigious institutions often find themselves unable to pursue their education due to a lack of financial support. Currently, through our Eklavya Global Scholars Program, more than 70 first-generation students from SC, ST, NT-DNT, and other backward communities have received offer letters from top universities, but most are struggling to secure scholarships. At best, only 20 of them may successfully convert their admissions with full scholarships, which are largely funded by global platforms.
The role of scholarships and loans in enabling marginalised students to study abroad is critical, yet deeply fraught with systemic inequities. Some students manage to study abroad by securing funding from foreign governments, universities, or trusts, but many rely on socio-cultural capital – networks and connections that open doors to opportunities. Unfortunately, marginalized students often lack these resources, making it significantly harder for them to navigate the complex admissions process.
The onus then falls on securing funding through scholarships, crowdfunding, or loans that are frequently inaccessible due to social and economic capital of families. One cannot afford to take loans of a few million rupees for a course abroad when your entire family together earns a meagre proportion of that loan amount, let alone think of collaterals.
The scholarships provided by the Indian government fall far short compared to global scholarships such as Felix, Chevening, and Commonwealth, which adjust their stipends yearly to account for inflation. For instance, Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships offer living stipends of around £19,000, whereas India’s National Overseas Scholarship and various state government scholarships provide a meager £10,000 – barely enough to sustain students abroad.
I argue they should be treated on a par with those offered by prestigious platforms like Rhodes, Fulbright, Chevening, DAAD, Commonwealth and many more. At the same time, I wish for more democratised and equitable panels that sit on decisions of above given scholarships that are unbiased and fair. Many times, Indian panels exhibit their favouritism towards a candidate that displays similar caste, regional, and topical background as decision making authorities on panels.
In India there are private scholarships for studying abroad, yet for marginalised students, the process of applying for scholarships is often overwhelming and emotionally taxing, which makes one feel ashamed, fearful, and ridden with self-doubt. In comparison, dominant-caste students from elite institutions often benefit from conducive surroundings, training and coaching facilities, along with a network of peers that prepares them to navigate these processes successfully. This disparity perpetuates even while seeking loans, if one may, when a student lacks an upwardly mobile family background,
The disparity between global and Indian scholarships highlights the systemic barriers that prevent marginalised students from accessing higher education abroad. The lack of information, guidance, and access to resources makes the process seem out of reach and unrealistic for many. While elite students benefit from well-established networks, first-generation learners from marginalized backgrounds struggle to find their footing, even with years of expertise in their chosen fields.
I have often urged policymakers not to view these students merely as financial aid beneficiaries, but as future leaders. These scholars are the nation’s future assets, and investing in them is an investment in India’s intellectual and global influence.
Published – March 07, 2025 08:21 pm IST