Over 37% IIT UG Students Receive Full Fee Waivers; Government Expands Scholarships and Fellowships
The data reveals that in 2024-25, 28,213 students benefited from full waivers, up from 25,204 in 2022-23 and 27,691 in 2023-24.
The Ministry of Education, in response to a Rajya Sabha query, has reported a steady increase in the number of students receiving full tuition fee waivers at Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) over the past three years. The data reveals that in 2024-25, 28,213 students benefited from full waivers, up from 25,204 in 2022-23 and 27,691 in 2023-24.
According to the statement laid before the Rajya Sabha, more than 37% of students in IIT undergraduate (UG) programs received full tuition fee waivers in 2024-25, while over 10% received a two-thirds remission of fees. These financial relaxations are primarily extended to students from Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) categories, as well as economically weaker sections (EWS) of society. IISERs also provide full tuition fee waivers to SC/ST students pursuing UG programs.
Increased Fellowships for Research Scholars
The government has emphasized its efforts to promote research excellence through initiatives such as the Prime Minister's Research Fellowship (PMRF). The first phase of PMRF saw 3,688 scholars admitted, and in the Union Budget 2025-26, an additional 10,000 fellowships were announced for technological research at IITs and IISc, with enhanced financial support.
To further support students, the Ministry of Education has also implemented the PM Vidyalaxmi Scheme, providing collateral-free education loans. Under this scheme, students from families earning up to Rs 8 lakh annually, who are not eligible for other government scholarships, receive a 3% interest subvention on loans up to Rs 10 lakh during the moratorium period.
Other schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) Yojana, Top Class Education Schemes by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ) and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), and the Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) program by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) continue to provide financial aid to students in IITs and IISERs.
Indian Students in the USA and UK
The Ministry also provided data from the Bureau of Immigration (BoI) regarding the number of Indian students pursuing higher education in the USA and UK. The figures indicate a significant rise in the number of students studying abroad:
| Year |
USA |
UK |
| 2022 |
1,90,512 |
1,32,709 |
| 2023 |
2,34,473 |
1,36,921 |
| 2024 |
2,04,058 |
98,890 |
These numbers represent students across all levels of higher education and reflect changing trends in international academic migration. The decline in Indian students heading to the UK in 2024, compared to previous years, aligns with concerns over new immigration policies affecting study visas.
The government’s continued push for scholarships and research fellowships aims to make higher education in India more accessible, potentially reducing the need for students to seek opportunities abroad.
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