overseasMINORITY
Padho Pardesh Scheme 2026 — Interest Subsidy on Minority Overseas Education Loans
🏛️ Ministry of Minority AffairsLast updated:
💰 Benefit
100% interest subsidy on education loans up to ₹20 lakh for minority overseas Master's/MPhil/PhD
Last verified: · How we verify scheme facts
Key Facts
- Scholarship Amount
- Interest subsidy on loan up to ₹20 lakh during study + 1 year moratorium
- Duration
- Course duration + 1 year
- Income Limit
- Family annual income ≤ ₹6 lakh
- Application Window
- Application year-round through bank
| Scholarship Amount | Interest subsidy on loan up to ₹20 lakh during study + 1 year moratorium |
| Duration | Course duration + 1 year |
| Income Limit | Family annual income ≤ ₹6 lakh |
| Application Window | Application year-round through bank |
| Selection Process | Bank loan sanction → Padho Pardesh subsidy auto-applied → subsidy from Ministry of Minority Affairs |
🎓 Apply via Canara Bank (Nodal Bank)
https://www.canarabank.com
About Padho Pardesh Scheme
Padho Pardesh Scheme provides 100% INTEREST SUBSIDY on education loans up to ₹20 lakh for minority community students (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Jain) pursuing Master's, MPhil, or PhD at recognized foreign universities. Subsidy paid during moratorium period (study + 1 year). Family income ≤ ₹6 lakh. Implemented through bank consortium led by Canara Bank. Aim: enable minority students to access international education without interest burden.
✅ Eligibility
- ✓Minority community student (Muslim/Christian/Sikh/Buddhist/Parsi/Jain)
- ✓Admitted to recognized foreign university for Master's/MPhil/PhD
- ✓Education loan from approved Indian bank
- ✓Family income ≤ ₹6 lakh
- ✓Indian citizen
- ✓Age ≤ 35 years
📄 Documents Required
- 📄Aadhaar Card
- 📄Minority community certificate
- 📄Passport
- 📄Foreign university admission letter
- 📄Education loan sanction letter from Indian bank
- 📄Income Certificate (≤ ₹6 lakh)
- 📄Bank statements
❓ FAQs — Padho Pardesh Scheme
▶Padho Pardesh Scheme kya hai 2026?
Minority Affairs Ministry's interest subsidy scheme on education loans up to ₹20 lakh for minority students pursuing overseas Master's/MPhil/PhD. 100% interest paid by government during study period + 1 year. Aim: make foreign higher education affordable for minorities without burden of interest accumulation.
▶Padho Pardesh eligibility 2026?
(1) Minority community (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Jain); (2) Admitted to recognized FOREIGN university for Master's/MPhil/PhD; (3) Took education loan from Indian bank; (4) Family income ≤ ₹6 lakh; (5) Age ≤ 35; (6) Indian citizen.
▶Padho Pardesh subsidy kaise milti hai?
Apply for education loan at Canara Bank (nodal) or other PSU bank. While applying, declare yourself as Minority + Padho Pardesh applicant. Bank auto-applies for subsidy. Ministry of Minority Affairs pays interest directly to bank during your study + 1 year moratorium. After moratorium, you pay regular EMIs.
▶Padho Pardesh vs National Overseas Scholarship for SC?
Padho Pardesh: Interest SUBSIDY on bank loan (no direct grant). For minorities. Up to ₹20 lakh loan. National Overseas Scholarship SC: Direct GRANT (no loan) covering tuition + maintenance + airfare. For SC students. Up to ₹15 lakh/year. SC minority students should compare and choose: NOSS SC if eligible (better — no loan to repay).
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