Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Rules for IITB Undergrads

Note: [This document has been released by the Scholarship Committee, IIT Bombay for the benefit of the student community. For further information, please contact Prof. Alok Goyal, Convenor, Scholarship committee at agoyal@iitb.ac.in]

Merit-cum-Means (MCM) Scholarship of the Institute is awarded to 25 percent of the number of students admitted to 4-year B. Tech, program and 5-year Dual Degree (DD) in General/OBC Category having declared parental income of less than Rs.450000/- (Rupees Four Lacs and Fifty Thousand). The MCM scholarship covers full tuition fee for two semesters (Rs.50000/- per year for B. Tech. and DD students) plus stipend of Rs.1000/- per month for 10 months in a year. For students admitted to 4-year B. Tech, program, 5-year Dual Degree (DD) program, MCM scholarship can be continued for 4 years. Students just after joining IIT Bombay are requested to apply for MCM scholarship if their parental income is less than Rs.450000/-. They are asked to declare the parental income and submit the supporting documents (e.g. Form 16 for Government employees, ITR copies for individuals,..). About 45-50 percent students admitted to IIT Bombay apply for MCM scholarship. The Scholarship Committee of the Institute awards MCM scholarship in the first year based on the parental income (Means) and JEE rank (Merit) for B. Tech. and DD students in General/OBC category
using the following criteria:
1. Annual Income less than Rs.150000/- and JEE Rank less than 4X.
2. Annual Income more than 150000/- but less than 300000/- and JEE Rank less than 2X.
3. Annual Income more than 300000/- but less than 450000/- and JEE Rank less than X.

The value of X is a variable year-to-year and is selected so that the number of eligible students is equal to the number of available MCM scholarships. If the value of X is 1500, the criteria will be the following for the eligible students:
1. Annual Income less than Rs.150000/- and JEE Rank less than 6000.
2. Annual Income more than 150000/- but less than 300000/- and JEE Rank less than 3000.
3. Annual Income more than 300000/- but less than 450000/- and JEE Rank less than 1500.

The MCM Scholarship of all General/OBC category students of B. Tech and DD Batches is automatically renewed if their CPI or SPI is more than 6.0 and they do not have backlogs. For students having CPI or SPI less than 6.0 or having backlogs but with proper continuous academic registration (No ARP, No semester Drop), MCM scholarship is renewed case-by-case basis by Scholarship committee conditionally for one year. A warning letter is sent to all such students of B. Tech and DD Batches to advise them to improve their performance for the continuation of MCM scholarship.
For students, eligible for MCM scholarship but do not get MCM scholarship due to limited numbers, facing unfortunate circumstances (loss of parent, loss of job for parent,..) and with good academic record, special requests are made by the Scholarship Committee to the Director for additional MCM scholarships from Institute funds. Such requests are very limited in number but are always accepted by
the Director.
A large number of students having parental income more than 300000/- but less than 450000/- and JEE Rank more than 1500 do not get MCM scholarship in their first year. Applications are invited every time in Fall semester for MCM scholarships from students in second, third and fourth year but there are almost no drop outs thus constraining the award for MCM scholarships to new students.
Before 2010, the cut off income for MCM scholarship was Rs.200000/- and consequently, the number of eligible students was less than the number of available scholarships. With the modified criteria, there were students in second, third and fourth year who are now eligible for MCM scholarships but no scholarship was available. Such students were usually awarded Heritage Fund (HF) Scholarship of Rs.1000/- per month for 10 months, and about 120 students every year used to get HF Scholarships.
Dean ACR was requested to release more funds from the Heritage Fund so that the amount of scholarships could be raised to at least half of that for MCM scholarship.
The Scholarship Committee recommended the award of Heritage Fund Scholarship equivalent to half the amount of MCM scholarship (Rs.25000/- towards tuition fee for one semester plus Rs.1000/- p.m. for 5 months) to the students of second year, third year and fourth year satisfying the criteria for the award of MCM scholarship for the first year students. This award was only for one semester (Spring 2011-2012) and renewal is subject to the availability of funds next year. The Dean ACR kindly agreed to it and provided the necessary funds.The Scholarship Committee also recommended the award of Heritage Fund Scholarship equivalent to half the amount of MCM scholarship (Rs.25000/- towards tuition fee for one semester plus Rs.1000/- p.m. for 5 months) to the first year students having first semester SPI > 6.5 and parental income < 1.5 lakhs, CPI > 7.0 and parental income < 3.0 lakhs, and CPI > 7.5 but parental income < 4.5 lakhs. This award was only for one semester (Spring 2011-2012) and renewal is subject to the availability of funds
next year. The Dean ACR kindly agreed to it and provided the necessary funds. For a very small number of students who were not eligible for MCM scholarship in the beginning but facing unfortunate circumstances (loss of parent, loss of job for parent,..) but having excellent academic record, special requests are made by the Scholarship Committee on case-to-case basis to the Dean ACR
for Heritage Fund scholarships equivalent to full MCM scholarships. This award was only for one year and renewal is subject to the availability of funds next year. The Dean ACR kindly agreed to it and provided the necessary funds.
The Scholarship committee asked Dean ACR to request the Heritage Fund Managing Committee to consider revising Heritage Fund Scholarships to make them equivalent to Half of MCM Scholarship. If there are limitations on available funds, number of scholarships can be reduced. Otherwise, additional funds need be raised to meet the requirements if number of scholarships is to be maintained. If enough resources could be raised to provide at least Half of MCM scholarships to all eligible B. Tech./DD students who could not get MCM scholarship due to limited Government funding (number of such students equals to 20 to 25 percent of students admitted to IIT Bombay, 2011 data), and could commit this support for all four years like MCM Scholarship, it will help the needy students. For about five students facing unfortunate circumstances but having excellent academic record, provision is required for Heritage Fund scholarship equivalent to full MCM scholarship with a commitment of two years. The Dean ACR is requested to work towards the goal of providing Half of MCM Scholarship (Rs.25000/- tuition fee for one semester plus Rs.1000/- p.m. for five months) to 25 percent of the students admitted to IIT Bombay from the Heritage Fund. He is requested to consider the expected increase in tuition fees when requesting the donors.