Mangaluru, (The Hindu) It will be raised to Rs 75,000 for MBBS and Rs 50,000 for B.E. The scholarship given from the Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarship Fund (VKSSF) to Konkani-speaking students pursuing MBBS and B.E. courses is proposed to be increased by about 25% in light of increase in the fees, said VKSSF chairman and Infosys Executive Vice-President Ramadas Kamath U. here on Friday.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Kamath said VKSSF has proposed to increase the scholarship amount for MBBS from Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 75,000 and for B.E. course from Rs.30,000 to Rs. 50,000 per year. “We have proposed increase in the scholarship amount. It has to be approved by the managing committee,” he said.

Mr. Kamath said the VKSSF has been giving scholarship since the last nine years to those pursuing MBBS, B.E. and Masters. It was also giving scholarship for pursuing higher studies in foreign countries. Scholarship was also being given to students from Kudabi and Karavi community studying in Class 8,9 and 10. So far the VKSSF has distributed Rs. 21.5 crore to 19,000 students, he said.

This year, Mr. Kamath said the VKSSF has so far given scholarship of Rs.1.86 crore to 622 students pursuing BE and to Rs.20 lakhs to 49 students pursing MBBS. Around Rs. 5 lakh was being as scholarship to Konkani speaking students from Kerala.

Mr. Kamath said since there was gradual increase in the number of students pursing higher studies in the institutes within the county the VKSSF was considering giving scholarship to such students too. The VKSSF, he said, will remove the term “means-cum-merit” scholarship and rename it as “merit” scholarship, which will enable all deserving students apply for scholarship.

Earlier, speaking at the function to symbolically hand over scholarships, patron trustee of Vishwa Konkani Centre T.V. Mohandas Pai said youngsters, who are the future of the country, should develop ability to look at issues and work out solutions. Youngsters should be innovative and become global citizens, he said.