
Students pursuing professional degrees such as BBA, BCA, MBA and MCA often overlook scholarship opportunities that exist in corporate social responsibility (CSR) budgets and private foundations, according to Ketan Deshpande, founder of FUEL and a PhD in CSR. The information gap is a major barrier, with many students unaware of how to apply.

High-value scholarships include Reliance Foundation (₹200,000 for UG and up to ₹600,000 for PG), L&T Build India (full sponsorship for MBA in Construction), and Bharti Airtel Foundation (full tuition for UG professional courses). Diversity-focused programmes such as Adobe's Women in Technology Scholarship and Flipkart's Girls Scholarship also offer targeted support. Microsoft India and DXC Technology provide scholarships for students with disabilities.
Deshpande advises students to apply early, verify income ceilings and dates on official pages, and keep document scans under 2 MB. He warns against application fees, sharing OTPs or bank passwords, and agents promising guaranteed results.
The advice frames scholarship funding as an underused resource, shifting the burden from financial scarcity to student awareness. It names specific corporate programmes and sums, giving readers a concrete starting point but no data on success rates or total funds available. The author's affiliation with FUEL is disclosed but not contextualised. The real test for a student is whether they follow the five-step process before portals crash or deadlines pass.
Source: thehindu.com
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