Kabul/New Delhi, Sep 2 : In a significant outreach to support higher education for youth in Afghanistan, India has announced 1,000 e-scholarships for Afghan nationals for the academic year 2025-26.

The initiative, part of the Special Scholarship Scheme for Afghan Nationals (SSSAN) through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), allows students to pursue online undergraduate and postgraduate courses through the government's e-VidyaBharati (e-VB) i-learn portal.

The announcement, reported extensively by the Afghan media on Tuesday, extends India's commitment to Afghan students, following similar scholarship grants in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

According to the World Bank, Afghanistan has one of the youngest populations in the world, with two-thirds of the population being below the age of 25. Afghan youth are critical to the development of their country and have the potential to be drivers of peace and prosperity.

Under the scheme, Afghan nationals aged between 18 and 35 years can apply for a wide range of online programmes offered by nine Indian universities, including Jamia Millia Islamia, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Anna University, and Kurukshetra University.

The courses span across disciplines such as Business Administration, Commerce, Computer Science, Arts, Political Science, Education, Journalism, Psychology, and Mass Communication, ensuring Afghan learners can access globally relevant skill sets without leaving their country.

'The applicant could be residing in any part of the world, but should have a valid National ID/ Passport of Afghanistan,' read the official document.

Applications are open from September 1 to September 6, 2025, through the dedicated Afghan i-learn portal.

'Admissible amount of scholarship in each Semester shall be released by Ministry to its implementation agency which shall remit amount directly to the concerned Indian University/Institute at the start of each semester. The scholarships will consist of Tuition/OCF fee payable to the university/institute. No stipend or any other dues will be payable,' it said.

Highlighting India's long-standing educational partnership with Afghanistan, ICCR noted that students could study 'anytime, anywhere' using laptops, tablets, or mobiles with internet access.

Degrees awarded will be recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and physical certificates will be handed over through the Indian Mission in Kabul.

The selection process includes screening by Indian universities, identity verification by the Indian Mission in Kabul, and final approval by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and ICCR.

This initiative reaffirms India's role as a hub for inclusive, technology-driven education and its commitment to fostering people-to-people ties with Afghanistan through cultural and academic exchange.

/IANS