Embassy of India

Thimphu

Press Release: Release of funds for Nehru-Wangchuck Scholarship

The ‘Nehru-Wangchuck Scholarship’ is a prestigious scholarship programme symbolic of the special relationship between India and Bhutan by providing 8 scholarships every year (9 scholarships from 2020-2021) for Bhutan’s best and brightest candidates to study in premier Indian Institutes. The development of human resource capacities in areas critical to Bhutan’s development is envisaged through this Scholarship programme. this scholarship is also open to candidates both from Government officials and private sector employees. It is a matter of pride that three Nehru Wangchuck Scholarship awardees have secured admission in M.Tech programmes in the Indian Institutes of Technology at Bombay and Delhi in the current academic session.

Ambassador of India to Bhutan Ms. Ruchira Kamboj handed over a cheque of Nu.1,72,13,048- (Ngultrum One crore seventy-two lakhs thirteen thousand and forty-eight only)towards the release of funds on the award of scholarships to Bhutanese nationals for the NehruWangchuck Scholarship to Dasho Karma Hamu Dorjee, Chairperson of the Royal CivilService Commission (RCSC) on 7 December 2020.

The Nehru-Wangchuck Scholarship was instituted on 19 June 2009 with the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of India and royal Government of Bhutan. This MOU was renewed on 17 January 2020 by both governments to launch the 3

rd phase of the Nehru Wangchuck Scholarship programme. Ason date, a total of 105 Bhutanese have been awarded this scholarship. During the historic visit of Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi to Bhutan in June 2014, the budget outlay for Nehru-Wangchuck Scholarship was doubled from Nu 1 crore to Nu 2 crores per year.

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