ICCR Guidelines For Scholarship Holders : Indian Council For Cultural Relations

Organization : Indian Council for Cultural Relations
Service Name : Guidelines For ICCR Scholarship Holders
Applicable For : Scholarship Holders

Website : http://iccr.gov.in/
Guidelines : https://www.scholarships.net.in/uploads/4853-guidelines.pdf

Guidelines For Scholarship Holders

Upon arrival in India all scholars should register themselves with local FRRO within 7 days or within the stipulated time as directed by the Indian High Commission/Embassy concerned while issuing visa.

Related / Similar Post : ICCR Scholarships For Foreign Nationals 2017-18

Admission formalities :
** Students should ensure that the Institutes forward their Joining Reports to the ICCR immediately after they join their courses, duly signed and stamped by College’s Authorities, to enable ICCR to remit Tuition Fees/Other Compulsory Fees and other admissible dues at an early date.

** Due care should be taken by the students while filling up column nos. 9 & 14 of Joining Report regarding duration (year and month) and break – up of tuition fees, as Council is not mandated to pay any caution money/security deposits/uniform fee etc. These fees, if any, may be paid by the students directly, and would be refunded to them on completion of their respective courses. The Council gives scholarship upto declaration of result. Due care should, hence be taken while filing up column no.9, in consultation with the college authorities so that the period includes the declaration of results as well as the stay required for collection of provisional certificate after the final exams. Payment Criteria for stipend, house rent and contingent grant.
** Scholarship commences from date of arrival in India. Living allowance and house rent is paid on pro-rata basis in advance for 3 months in cash by ICCR HQs/Regional Offices. Further Scholarship is released on receipt of joining report and is paid monthly/quarterly through the SBI account/University concerned.

** Stipend, paid to scholars is to be used for expenditure incurred by them in that particular month, which includes other miscellaneous expenditure such as mess charges for those staying in hostels.
** Contingent Allowance is given annually until the end of the course, to meet expenditure on purchase of books, stationery etc. It is not given during the extension period. For Ph.D scholars, the contingent grant is given for a maximum of five years.
** In case of Ph.D scholars, the scholarship is for a maximum of five and a half years, (inclusive of extension/viva voce) or for the total duration of research (until the submission of the thesis) plus six months for viva voice, whichever is earlier.
** For continuation of scholarships dues, Ph.D, scholars must submit the pre Ph.D result and regular progress report every six months.
** Ph.D scholars, traveling outside the country for data collection, are eligible to draw 2 months stipend for the ex-India period only once during their scholarship tenure, subject to the necessary certificate from their supervisor and invitation of host organization, submitted to the Council well in advance. All travel expenses are to be borne by the scholars themselves.
** Progress Report, along with certified copy of mark-sheet, must be submitted every semester/annually to ensure continuation of scholarship by the Council.
** The stipend and HRA will be paid only up to the declaration of result/receipt of provisional certificate and not upto the issuance of degree by the Institute/University.
** No stipend is released during ex-India period but house rent is released for a maximum period of two months.
** Hostel accommodation is not guaranteed in the absence of hostel accommodation, house rent is paid for renting private accommodation, provided it is approved by ICCR.
** If a scholar is hospitalized in India for a period of one month or longer, the scholar’s living allowance will be reduced by 50%.
** For those scholars who are pursuing science courses, the expenditure on laboratory chemicals and other incidental charges are to be borne by the scholars themselves.

Payment of tuition fees/Registration fees :

** All tuition fees and university exam fees are paid directly by the Council. All refundable deposits will be paid by the scholar himself/herself.
** If any of the Colleges/Universities/Institutes ask the scholar to pay tuition/other compulsory fees, the student may approach ICCR with the claim.
** Registration fee/tuition fee etc would not be paid for the extension period unless approved by the Competent Authority.
** If a student pays TF/OCF on behalf of ICCR to the College/Institute, he/she is entitled to get reimbursement on submission of the original receipt/voucher etc issued by the University/College/Institute.

Reimbursement of Medical Claims :
** In case of illness, a student should first visit the University/Institute’s clinic for treatment. The ailing student may, however, visit a civil or private hospital on the University’s panel on the certification/recommendation of the University’s Medical Officer, and only if that particular medical treatment or procedure is unavailable in the university clinic.
** In an emergency situation, students can avail of treatment from CGHS approved private hospitals. In such cases, an emergency certificate is required from the concerned hospital. In general cases, foreign students may visit Government hospitals. Wherever CGHS facility is not available, reimbursement are given as per approved rates of CGHS.
** On completion of aliment, student should submit the medical claim to ICCR in a prescribed proforma (available with ICCR HQs/Regional Offices). Medical reimbursement forms must be accompanied by all original vouchers, prescriptions, cash memos for medicines and test reports duly signed by the attending doctors and the International Students Advisors of the University. No claim will be entertained with only the hospital stamp.
** Medical reimbursement for treatment taken will be made as per CGHS norms. All scholars are advised to avoid visiting private hospitals for minor ailments such as fever, cough and cold etc.
** Foreign students availing of medical treatment outside the State where they are pursuing their studies, need to obtain prior approval of ICCR, before taking treatment. It may be noted that to and fro train/air fare is not permissible to them.
** No reimbursement is admissible for expenditure incurred on tonics, dental, artificial aids, spectacles, acne treatment and family members who accompany the scholar to India.
** All claims to be submitted within one month of the treatment for reimbursement.

Shifting from Hostel to Private Accommodation :
** Any student intending to change from hostel to private accommodation should obtain prior permission from ICCR. For this they should first get a “No Objection” and “No Dues” certificate from Hostel/Institute authority and forward the same to ICCR (all in original) alongwith his/her application. Failing to obtain prior permission might entail rejection of their request subsequently. Frequent changes are not allowed.
** Change from hostel to private accommodation would not be allowed in the middle of the academic session.
** Students should ensure that hostel charges do not include mess charges and security deposit for the same.
** After shifting, the student must submit the latest residential address to the Council.

Mandatory Attendance :
** Students must ensure that they have completed the mandatory attendance as required by that particular University to be eligible to take their exams. The council will not issue any recommendation letter if the scholar is short of attendance.
** Council would not extend the scholarship period if the scholar is detained/debarred from sitting in the exam due to shortage of attendance.

Extension of Scholarship period :
** Request for extension of scholarship will be considered on case to case basis by the Competent Authority of the ICCR.
** For extension of scholarship tenure, students should apply to ICCR in writing, giving justifiable/valid reasons for seeking such extension. They should also invariable route their applications, enclosing all supporting documents, through the Head of the Institutes/Departments/Regional Offices, for consideration.

Change of Institute/Course :
As per scholarship rules, once a student opts for a particular university/course he/she is not allowed to change the course or the university/college/institute even if the duration and the tuition fee is the same. If any student is found violating this norm, his/her scholarship would immediately be cancelled.