Tata Steel Foundation Jyoti Fellowship for SC/ST Students (Class VII Onwards)
Annual SC/ST Fellowship
Annual fellowship by Tata Steel Foundation for meritorious SC and ST students from Class 7 to post-graduation in Jharkhand and Odisha.
Mode
In-Person
Fee
Free
Participation format
Individual
Duration
Annual fellowship, renewable through the academic level
Time needed
Maintain enrolment and minimum 45% marks each academic year
Eligibility
Open to SC and ST students from Class 7 through post-graduation, including professional courses, residing in eligible districts of Jharkhand and Odisha. Selection by merit test for entry into Class 7 and first-year graduation. Annual renewal requires minimum 45% marks. Targeted at economically underserved families.
- Grade level
- Grade 7 to 12
- Eligibility region
- Odisha (Ganjam, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Sundargarh), Jharkhand (Purbi Singhbhum, Paschimi Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Dhanbad, Ramgarh)
- Academic requirement
- Minimum 45% marks for annual renewal of the fellowship
- Prerequisites
- Valid SC or ST caste certificate
- Demonstrated academic merit in qualifying examination
- Enrolment in a recognised school or college
- Regional eligibility criteria
- Open only to students residing in eligible districts of Jharkhand (Purbi Singhbhum, Paschimi Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Dhanbad, Ramgarh) and Odisha (Ganjam, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Sundargarh)
See if your child qualifies.
Rewards and recognition
Award
Up to ₹8,500/year
Class-wise annual fellowship: approximately ₹3,750 for Class 8, ₹4,500 for Classes 9 and 10, and ₹8,500 at intermediate level, with higher amounts at graduation and post-graduation. Average disbursement is around ₹6,000 per scholar.
Certificate
Jyoti Fellowship Award
Selected students are formally awarded the Jyoti Fellowship at an annual ceremony, recognising academic merit among SC and ST students.
Opens doors to
Fellowship continues across school, graduation, and post-graduation, including professional courses such as LLB, B.Ed, BBA, BCA, Polytechnic, Forestry, Agriculture, Hotel Management, and MBA.
Recognition
Tata Steel Foundation honour
What it covers
- School fees and education expenses for Classes 7 to 12
- Graduation and post-graduation expenses
- Professional courses including LLB, B.Ed, BBA, BCA, Polytechnic, Forestry, Agriculture, Hotel Management, MBA
How to apply
- 1Obtain application form through the school, college, or Tata Steel Foundation field office in eligible districts
- 2Submit completed form along with caste certificate, mark sheet, and proof of residence
- 3Appear for the merit selection test for entry into Class 7 or first-year graduation
- 4Selected fellows receive annual disbursement and must submit progress marks for renewal
Rules and guidelines
- Applicant must belong to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe community
- Applicant must be a resident of an eligible district in Jharkhand or Odisha
- Continuing fellows must score at least 45% marks for renewal of the fellowship
- Selection for Class 7 entry and first-year graduation is through a merit test
About this opportunity
The Jyoti Fellowship is a long-running affirmative-action programme run by the Tata Steel Foundation that supports meritorious students from economically underserved Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe families. Initiated in 1990, the fellowship provides annual financial assistance to students from Class 7 through graduation and post-graduation, including those pursuing professional courses such as LLB, B.Ed, BBA, BCA, Polytechnic, Forestry, Agriculture, Hotel Management, and MBA.
The programme is open to SC and ST students studying in Tata Steel's operational areas in Jharkhand and Odisha. In Jharkhand, eligible districts include Purbi Singhbhum, Paschimi Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Dhanbad, and Ramgarh. In Odisha, eligible districts include Ganjam, Jajpur, Keonjhar, and Sundargarh. Students entering Class 7 and first-year graduate courses appear for a merit selection test, while continuing fellows must maintain a minimum of forty-five percent marks for annual renewal.
Selected students receive class-wise annual cash assistance to help cover school and college expenses. Reported amounts include around rupees three thousand seven hundred fifty for Class 8, rupees four thousand five hundred for Classes 9 and 10, and rupees eight thousand five hundred at the intermediate stage, with higher amounts at graduation and post-graduation levels. The average disbursement is approximately rupees six thousand per scholar, and the programme has supported over thirty-one thousand fellowships across schools and colleges in the past decade.
Beyond financial support, the fellowship recognises academic merit among students from underrepresented communities and is administered as part of Tata Steel's Affirmative Action Policy under the Tata Steel Foundation, which has been active in tribal and scheduled caste education since 1990.
Frequently asked questions
Which students are eligible for the Jyoti Fellowship?
The fellowship is open to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students from Class 7 through post-graduation, including professional courses, residing in eligible districts of Jharkhand and Odisha.
Which districts are covered under the fellowship?
In Jharkhand, eligible districts include Purbi Singhbhum, Paschimi Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Dhanbad, and Ramgarh. In Odisha, eligible districts include Ganjam, Jajpur, Keonjhar, and Sundargarh.
How are students selected for the fellowship?
Students entering Class 7 and first-year graduation are selected through a merit test. Continuing fellows are renewed each year based on a minimum of 45% marks in the qualifying examination.
What is the cash value of the fellowship?
Reported class-wise amounts include approximately ₹3,750 for Class 8, ₹4,500 for Classes 9 and 10, and ₹8,500 at intermediate level, with higher amounts at graduation and post-graduation.
Which courses are covered beyond school education?
The fellowship continues into graduation and post-graduation, covering professional courses such as LLB, B.Ed, BBA, BCA, Polytechnic, Forestry, Agriculture, Hotel Management, and MBA.
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