The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for the “Chevening-Atal Bihari Vajpayee Uttar Pradesh State Government Scholarship Scheme” under which five meritorious students from the state will pursue master’s degrees at Britain’s leading universities every year.
The agreement was signed in Lucknow by British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The UP Cabinet had recently approved the proposal for the scholarship scheme.
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Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Adityanath said this scholarship scheme will serve as a powerful platform to transform the state’s education system and prepare the youth for global leadership roles. The scheme, he emphasised, aimed to enable meritorious students to achieve excellence in education, research, and leadership at the international level.
The programme will commence from the academic session 2025-26 and run for three years, with the possibility of renewal from the 2028-29 session.
The CM urged the students to “seize this opportunity and enhance the pride of both the state and the country”.
The scholarship covers tuition, examination and research fees, living allowances, and airfare to and from the UK. The total cost per student is estimated to be £38,048 to £42,076 (Rs 45–48 lakh), with the state government contributing around £19,800 (Rs 23 lakh) and the remainder funded by the FCDO.
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The British High Commissioner highlighted that under the scholarship scheme, five students will receive full scholarships to study in the UK each year for the next three years.
This initiative reflects the strengthening ties between India and the UK, an official statement said, adding this comes in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the UK, where he had signed the Trade Agreement and Vision 35, opening new avenues for business and education.
On August 7, the state Cabinet had given nod to the draft proposal titled “Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee-Chevening Uttar Pradesh State Government Scholarship Scheme”. The government then announced that the scholarship will provide for students’ stay and study at top UK institutions like the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, and the Landon School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
UP Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay then had stated the scheme will be renewed or extended thereafter. He had also said the funding will be equally shared by the state government and FCDO.
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The state government has cleared Rs 2 crore for the current financial year for the programme, it is learnt.