The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has ended the Padho Pardesh interest-subsidy scheme, which previously supported minority students pursuing higher education internationally. Minister Kiren Rijiju announced the discontinuation to Parliament, explaining that the initiative offered “limited benefits” and created unnecessary duplication with existing financial support mechanisms.
The government determined that the scheme’s objectives were already being served through alternative channels. The National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry, provides educational loans for overseas studies at competitive interest rates, making the separate subsidy program redundant. This consolidated approach, according to the Ministry, reduces administrative overhead while maintaining access to affordable financing for eligible students.
The Padho Pardesh scheme was formally discontinued from the 2022-23 financial year.
