Bharti Airtel Foundation Launches ₹100 Crore Scholarship for Tech Students

As Bharti Airtel Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary, it has announced a significant initiative to support students pursuing technology-based engineering courses. The merit-cum-means scholarship programme aims to provide financial aid to underprivileged students, with a special focus on girl children, to help them overcome financial hurdles and achieve their academic goals.

The programme, which will begin with 250 students in the first year, is expected to support up to 4,000 students in the next few years. The annual outlay for the scholarship is a whopping ₹100 crore, making it one of the largest scholarship initiatives in the country. The programme is designed to support students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, with a family income of ₹850,000 or less per year.

The scholarship is open to students who have secured admission in top 50 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) colleges, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), for undergraduate and integrated courses in fields like electronics and communication, telecom, information technology, computer sciences, data sciences, and emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, AR/VR, machine learning, and robotics.

To be eligible, students must meet the criteria set by Buddy4Study, a review partner for the programme. The scholarship will cover 100% of the college fees, including hostel and mess fees, for the duration of the course. Additionally, recipients will receive a laptop to help them with their studies.

The programme is designed to not only support students financially but also to shape their future careers. Recipients will be known as ‘Bharti Scholars’ and will be encouraged to voluntarily support at least one student once they graduate and are gainfully employed.

The Bharti Airtel Foundation has a strong track record of supporting education initiatives, having started Satya Bharti Schools for underprivileged children in 2006. The foundation now has 164 schools in four states, with 36,000 children, and its quality support programme covers 880 government schools and 370,000 students across 12 states.

Rakesh Bharti Mittal, vice chairman of Bharti Enterprises and co-chairman of Bharti Airtel Foundation, emphasized the importance of industry-academia partnerships in shaping the future of education. He noted that the world has moved towards a future of jobs, and it is essential to have the right faculty, curriculum, and pedagogical skills to prepare students for the present and future needs of the industry.

The scholarship programme is a testament to the foundation’s commitment to supporting education and empowering students to achieve their full potential. With this initiative, Bharti Airtel Foundation aims to make a significant impact on the lives of thousands of students and their families.

Key Takeaways:

• The Bharti Airtel Foundation has launched a merit-cum-means scholarship programme to support underprivileged students pursuing technology-based engineering courses.
• The programme will support up to 4,000 students in the next few years, with an annual outlay of ₹100 crore.
• The scholarship is open to students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, with a family income of ₹850,000 or less per year.
• Recipients will receive 100% of their college fees, including hostel and mess fees, and a laptop.
• The programme aims to shape the future careers of students and encourage them to support at least one student once they graduate.

Competitive Exam Tips:

• This initiative highlights the importance of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy in supporting education.
• The programme’s focus on emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and robotics showcases the growing demand for skilled professionals in these fields.
• The emphasis on industry-academia partnerships underscores the need for relevant curriculum and pedagogical skills in education.
• The scholarship’s eligibility criteria and application process can serve as a model for other educational institutions and organizations.

Historical Context:

The Bharti Airtel Foundation has a long history of supporting education initiatives, dating back to 2006 when it started Satya Bharti Schools for underprivileged children. Over the years, the foundation has expanded its reach, establishing 164 schools in four states, covering 36,000 children, and its quality support programme covering 880 government schools and 370,000 students across 12 states. This latest scholarship programme is a testament to the foundation’s commitment to supporting education and empowering students to achieve their full potential.

Article Summary in Bullet Points:

• The Bharti Airtel Foundation has launched a merit-cum-means scholarship programme to support underprivileged students pursuing technology-based engineering courses. • The programme will support up to 4,000 students in the next few years, with an annual outlay of ₹100 crore. • The scholarship is open to students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, with a family income of ₹850,000 or less per year. • Recipients will receive 100% of their college fees, including hostel and mess fees, and a laptop. • The programme aims to shape the future careers of students and encourage them to support at least one student once they graduate. • The scholarship is open to students who have secured admission in top 50 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) colleges for undergraduate and integrated courses in fields like electronics and communication, telecom, information technology, computer sciences, data sciences, and emerging technologies. • The programme is designed to support students financially and shape their future careers, with recipients being known as ‘Bharti Scholars’ and encouraged to voluntarily support at least one student once they graduate. • The Bharti Airtel Foundation has a strong track record of supporting education initiatives, having started Satya Bharti Schools for underprivileged children in 2006. • The foundation’s vice chairman, Rakesh Bharti Mittal, emphasized the importance of industry-academia partnerships in shaping the future of education, highlighting the need for relevant curriculum and pedagogical skills in education.