In a significant step towards strengthening educational and diplomatic ties, India has announced 1,000 e-scholarships for Afghan students for the academic year 2025–26. The scholarships will be provided under the Special Scholarship Scheme for Afghan Nationals (SSSAN), administered by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) through the e-VidyaBharati (e-VB) i-learn portal.
Digital Education for Afghan Youth
The initiative enables Afghan nationals to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate courses online from prestigious Indian universities. This comes at a crucial time when Afghanistan’s education infrastructure has been severely impacted.
Eligibility
Applicants must be Afghan nationals aged 18–35 years, ensuring opportunities for young learners.
Participating Universities
Nine Indian universities will offer programmes across disciplines such as humanities, science, management, commerce, and IT. Key institutions include:
- Jamia Millia Islamia
- Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
- Anna University
- Kurukshetra University
India’s Continued Support
This marks the third consecutive year of e-scholarships for Afghan students, highlighting India’s commitment to capacity building and education in Afghanistan. Thousands of Afghan students have already benefitted from Indian support through on-campus and online programmes.
Application Process
The application process will soon open via the ICCR scholarship portal, with all learning and examinations conducted through the e-VidyaBharati platform.
With this initiative, India reaffirms its role as a key partner in Afghanistan’s human resource development and education sector.
