Telangana Mahatma Jyothiba Phule BC Overseas Vidya Nidhi (MJPOVN)

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

The Government of Telangana introduced the Mahatma Jyothiba Phule BC Overseas Vidya Nidhi (MJPOVN) scheme to support meritorious students from Backward Classes (BC) and Economically Backward Classes (EBC) in pursuing higher education abroad.

The scheme provides up to ₹20 lakh financial assistance, along with airfare support up to ₹50,000 and separate reimbursement of visa fees, enabling students to pursue Postgraduate (PG) and PhD programmes in accredited foreign universities across selected countries.

Each year, approximately 300 students are selected under the scheme, of which 15 seats (5% of 300) are reserved for EBC students and the remaining 285 seats are for BC students. Eligible candidates must have at least 60% marks in graduation, an annual family income of less than ₹5 lakh, and must be below 35 years of age as on 1st July of the application year.

The scheme is part of Telangana Government's larger effort to support students from economically weaker and socially disadvantaged communities in accessing quality international education opportunities. Through such initiatives, deserving students can pursue global careers and advanced studies without facing major financial barriers.

Students looking for similar overseas education support schemes in Telangana can also check the Telangana Chief Minister's Overseas Scholarship Scheme for Minorities and the Telangana Vivekananda Overseas Education Scheme, which provide financial assistance for eligible minority and SC/ST students pursuing higher studies abroad.

Am I Eligible? Quick Check Before You Apply

Before reading further, check these five basic conditions first. If you meet all five, you are eligible to proceed with the application.

• Are you a permanent resident of Telangana?
• Do you belong to BC or EBC community?
• Is your annual family income below ₹5 lakh?
• Do you have at least 60% marks in your qualifying degree?
• Are you below 35 years of age as on 1st July of the application year?

If you answered Yes to all five, continue reading. If not, check the relaxation conditions under the Eligibility section below.

Scheme Benefits: What You Will Receive

The financial assistance under the scheme is provided to eligible students based on their community category and annual family income, as detailed below.

Note: The scholarship amount is ₹20 lakh or the amount stated in your admission letter, whichever is lower. The sanction proceedings issued to you can be used when applying for your student visa at the respective embassy.

Detailed Eligibility Criteria

1. Residency and Community

• Applicant must be a permanent resident of Telangana.
• Must belong to BC (Backward Classes) or EBC (Economically Backward Classes) community.

2. Income Criteria

• Annual family income must be less than ₹5 lakh from all sources.
• Income includes:
  • Parents' income
  • Applicant's own income (if employed)
  • It does not include extended family income.
• Income certificate must be obtained through Mee Seva / Tahasildar.

3. Age Limit

• Must be 35 years or below as on 1st July of the advertisement year.

4. Academic Qualification:

Minimum 60% marks or equivalent grade in a qualifying degree in:

• Engineering,
• Management,
• Pure Sciences,
• Agriculture Sciences,
• Medicine
• Nursing,
• Social Sciences
• Humanities.
• PhD programmes

Note: Second PG is generally allowed only for Humanities (as per updated rules).

5. Marks Relaxation: The minimum 60% marks requirement may be relaxed.

• Only if the candidate:
  • Has adequate/valid test scores
  • Has secured unconditional admission to a recognized foreign university
• When Applicable:
  • Only if the number of applications is lower than expected
  • Must be within the limits of the allocated budget
• Authority:
  • The decision to grant relaxation is taken solely at the discretion of the Government

6. One Child Per Family:

• Only one child per family is eligible.
• The award can be availed only once in a lifetime by an individual.

7. Joining Deadline:

• The selected candidate must join the university within one year of communication of selection.
• On expiry of this period, the award is automatically cancelled.
• No extension requests are permitted.

8. Test Score Requirement

You must have scores from both groups:

• English Test (any one):
  • TOEFL – 60
  • IELTS – 6.0
  • PTE – 50
• Aptitude Test (any one):
  • GRE – 260
  • GMAT – 500

Applications without both scores will not be considered.

9. How the Merit List is Calculated

Your rank in the merit list is determined by the following fixed weightage formula:

• Graduation marks - 60%
• GRE / GMAT score - 20%
• TOEFL / IELTS / PTE score - 20%

This means your graduation percentage carries the most weight. Strong aptitude and English test scores can make a meaningful difference when candidates are close in graduation marks.

10. Seat Allocation:

• Total seats per year: 300
  • EBC reserved seats: 15 (5% of 300)
  • Women quota: 33% earmarked for female applicants
  • Humanities / Economics / Arts / Law: 10% of seats reserved
  • Physically challenged: 3% reservation
  • BC sub-category split: BC-A = 29%, BC-B = 42%, BC-D = 29%

Note: BC-C and BCE students are covered under the Minority Welfare Department, not this scheme Seat allocation follows both reservation policy and merit

Before You Apply: The Two Things You Must Have Ready

This is the most critical point that students miss. You cannot apply for this scheme unless you already have both of the following:

• COE / I-20 / Admission letter, unconditional admission from an accredited foreign university in one of the 10 eligible countries
• A valid student visa is required before release of funds and at the time of verification.e-PASS

Note: Conditional admission is not accepted. Applications submitted without these two documents will not be considered.

Steps to Apply

• Step 01 - Notification and Application Window
  • The Government releases notifications through newspapers, universities and the Telangana ePASS portal inviting applications.
  • These are usually announced twice a year, around August–September and January–February.
  • Applications must be submitted within the specified period notified for each cycle.
• Step 02 - Prepare Your Documents
  • Before starting the application, gather all required documents such as caste and income certificates (Mee Seva / Tahasildar), academic records from SSC to degree, GRE/GMAT and TOEFL/IELTS/PTE score cards along with login credentials, passport, COE/I-20 or admission letter, and a valid student visa.
• Step 03 - Access and Register on ePASS Portal
  • Visit the official Telangana ePASS website and navigate to the "Overseas Scholarship Services" section.
  • Select the Mahatma Jyothiba Phule Overseas Vidya Nidhi scheme and register as a new user or log in with existing credentials.
• Step 04 - Fill the Application Form
  • Enter complete and accurate personal, academic and financial details.
  • Ensure that both secured marks and total marks are entered correctly.
  • Do not leave any mandatory field blank.
• Step 05 - Upload Documents
  • Upload scanned copies of all required documents in the prescribed format as specified on the portal.
• Step 06 - Review and Submit
  • Carefully review the entire application before final submission.
  • Once submitted, ensure that all details are correct, as incomplete or incorrect applications are liable to be rejected.
• Step 07 - Biometric Authentication
  • After submission, visit the nearest Mee Seva Centre for Aadhaar-based biometric verification.
  • Carry your application ID. Only one person (either the student or one parent) is allowed per application for verification.
  • Verification is not conducted on holidays.

Note: The application must be complete in all respects and supported with all required documents. Any incomplete application will not be considered.

Documents Checklist for Verification

Bring all originals, or if originals are not available, one set of copies attested by a Gazetted Officer. Missing even one mandatory document means you will not be considered in the merit list.

Attested copies to be submitted:

• ePass application form
• All memos from SSC to Degree / PG
• GRE/GMAT and IELTS/TOEFL/PTE score copies along with score user ID and password - mandatory at time of verification
• The applicant must possess a valid passport.
• COE / LOA / I-20 / Admission letter from abroad university
• Student and parent Aadhaar cards
• Caste certificate and residence certificate issued by Tahasildar
• Bank passbook of the student (nationalised bank only)
• Copy of latest tax assessment
• Date of Birth Certificate
• E-Pass ID Number
• Photograph
• Funding details, bank loan letter, promissory notes, etc.
• If student is employed: pay slips, appointment letter and resignation letter
• If married: marriage certificate issued by competent government authority
• If student has already gone abroad: passport, visa, immigration documents, air ticket, student ID card, university fee receipt and boarding pass

Original documents to be submitted (these cannot be substituted with attested copies):

• Graduation 3 or 4 year consolidated original transcripts - must be physically submitted at time of verification
• Income certificate (original) issued by Tahasildar - covering total income of parents, student and spouse
• Gap certificate (original) issued by Tahasildar - required only if student had an idle gap period

Selection Process

• Applications are called via notifications in leading newspapers and on the ePass portal - two windows per year: August to September and January to February.
• A State-Level Screening Committee reviews all applications using the merit weightage formula and evaluates financial background.
• Seat allocation follows both reservation policy and merit.
• The bio-data of all online applicants is made available to the committee.

Selection Committee Members:

• Spl. Chief Secretary / Prl. Secretary,
• BC Welfare - Chairman Secretary,
• State Council of Higher Education - Member Vice Chancellor,
• JNTU - Member Commissioner,
• SCDD - Member Commissioner,
• Technical Education - Member Commissioner,
• BC Welfare - Convenor / Member Expert in Foreign Education - Special Invitee

After Selection: What Happens Next

Once selected, the DDO at the Office of the Commissioner, BC Welfare, Hyderabad will process the disbursement of your scholarship.

• You will receive sanction proceedings specifying ₹20 lakh (or the amount in your admission letter, whichever is less).
• You can use these sanction proceedings when applying for your student visa.
• First installment of ₹10 lakh is released on production of your landing permit or I-94 immigration card.
• Second installment of ₹10 lakh is released on production of your first semester results.
• Airfare is reimbursed on production of your valid visa and travel documents.
• Visa charges are reimbursed separately on production of receipts.
• Students who did not receive or apply for the first installment or first year are still eligible to apply for the second installment or second year.

Important Rules to Follow After Receiving the Scholarship

• You cannot change your university, course or research topic after the scholarship has been sanctioned under any circumstances.
• You must submit a utilization certificate endorsed by your university authorities for records under the scheme
• If you provide false or incorrect information at any stage, your application will be rejected and action will be initiated against you
• If you fail to complete the course abroad, the scholarship amount may need to be refunded.
• Review the terms in your scholarship agreement carefully
• There is currently no service bond. However, scholars are encouraged to contribute to Telangana's development upon completing their studies.

Relevant Links

• Official website of ePASS (Electronic Payment & Application System of Scholarship
• Mahatma Jyothiba Phule BC Overseas Vidya Nidhi for BC / EBC Students, Orders- Issued Pdf
• Mahatma Jyothiba Phule BC Overseas Vidya Nidhi Financial Assistance for BC students Scheme detail updated Pdf
• List of Documents Required for Application Submission pdf
• List of Documents Required for Certificate Verification pdf

Contact Information

• e-PASS Office Address: Project Monitoring Unit, SPIU,Ground Floor, Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Sankshema Bhavan (DSS Bhavan) Opp : Chacha Nehru Park, Masab Tank, Hyderabad
• Phone Number: 04023120311,23120312
• Email : [email protected]
• Website: https://telanganaepass.cgg.gov.in

Note: Calls will be answered 10:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Working Days.