Eligibility Criteria

Also, please note the following:

4 letters need to be uploaded as follows:

[A] 2 letters are Letter of Recommendation (LoR) or Testimonials from the last University / Educational Institution of the student (But NOT from School) from 2 different professors, on the letter head of the education institution the student has last studied in and duly signed by the concerned professor. The letter generally talks about the academic credentials of the student.

[B] 2 letters from References.

1. 1. References have to be non-family members. Even distant relatives of the student cannot be references. References are social contacts of the student and have to be rank outsiders, such as neighbours, friends, family doctors, etc.
   2. References MUST be Indian Citizens
   3. References MUST be Residents of India.
   4. The person giving reference cannot stand as a guarantor. The 2 references and the 1 guarantor have to be 3 different individuals.
   5. Letters from 2 such references duly signed by them have to be uploaded
   6. The complete residence address of each of the reference has to be mentioned in the Application Form, in detail, including Pincode.
   7. Reference letters generally talk of
      
      1. The character of the student,
      2. How long the association has been of the reference with the student and
      3. Justification for the scholarship, by the reference.
         There is no specific format as such, but, the above 3 points (a to c) needs to be covered in the Refence Letter.
   8. Reference letters can be on a plain A4 size paper and may be even hand-written but they have to be signed by the references
   9. Aadhar Card, PAN Card and I-T (R) of the references are NOT mandatory.

Hence, the distinction between LoR and Reference Letter is:

LoR mainly talks of academic credentials of the student whereas Reference letter mainly talks about the character of the student.

[C] In case of student having prior work experience and now pursuing higher studies abroad, relieving letter giving his or her date of joining and last date of employment for each and every organisation the student has worked with so far, since his or her last qualification, needs to be uploaded.

For the current organisation the student is working in and has not resigned till date, he or she needs to upload his or her (1) Appointment letter, and, (2) His or her latest month’s Salary slip or Salary certificate, since he or she may not have the Relieving letter of his or her current organisation with him or her.

For all other organisations he or she has worked in and resigned, prior to his or her current organisation, he or she needs to upload Relieving letter giving his or her date of joining and last date of employment.

This is in lieu of LoR, for currently working students, who may find it challenging to procure an LoR from their Professors after a break of many years since his or her last qualification.

However, if such student is able to procure an LoR, then in that case they need to upload (1) LoR as well as (2) Relieving letter for past organisations and (3) Appointment letter for current organisation, and, (4) His or her latest month’s Salary slip or Salary certificate for current organisation.

[D] Anybody who fulfils the following 4 conditions of R D Sethna Scholarship Fund Trust, whether family member or not, can be the guarantor. The 4 conditions are as follows:

1. Guarantor MUST be an Indian Citizen
2. Guarantor MUST be a Mumbai (From Churchgate upto and including Dahanu Road) or Navi Mumbai (including Nerul upto and including Uran City) or Thane municipality (From Mumbai CST upto and including Thane, Kasara, Khopoli, Vasai, Diva and Panvel) or Pune or Nashik Resident, as per Aadhar Card and Utility Bill
3. Age less than 70 years as per PAN card
4. Income AFTER TAX of atleast Rs.25,000/- per month, as per Acknowledgement Page [Page shows amounts and bar code, both, as well as Income-Tax Department Watermark (Logo). Page showing only Barcode and no amounts, i.e., Verification Page is NOT acceptable] of Income-Tax Return for LATEST Assessment Year, i.e., Latest completed Financial Year or, alternatively, FORM-16 PART A bearing TRACES Logo and FORM-16 PART B bearing TRACES Logo, BOTH PARTS REQUIRED, for LATEST Assessment Year, i.e., Latest completed Financial Year
5. Last month’s Water or Electricity Bill or Landline Telephone Bill or Rent Receipt, any one document pertaining to the guarantor, to be mandatorily uploaded

All 4 documents (Aadhar, PAN, Income-Tax Return and Utility Bill) are mandatory to be uploaded where guarantor is concerned.

[E] Similar 4 documents are also to be uploaded of parents too. (Aadhar Card and Electricity Bill to be uploaded as a multipage pdf document under one single pdf file. PAN and Income-Tax Return as 2 separate pdf files)

[F] Similar 4 documents are also to be uploaded of siblings too. (Aadhar Card and Electricity Bill to be uploaded as a multipage pdf document under one single pdf file. PAN and Income-Tax Return as 2 separate pdf files)

[G] Also, if availing bank loan, then, bank loan letter sanctioning such loan needs to be uploaded as well as disclosed in the application form

[H] If scholarship to other trusts in India have been applied to, the same needs to be disclosed too. If such scholarship is sanctioned, then, in that case, cheque received or sanction letter received or bank statement showing credit of scholarship amount to bank account, such document, needs to be uploaded too.

[I] If scholarship from other trusts and / or education institutions outside India have been sanctioned, the same needs to be disclosed too. For such scholarship sanctioned, documentary evidence indicating the same needs to be uploaded too.

[J] Each and every semester marksheet, upto and including the last examination the student has appeared in (LAST SEMESTER EXAM RESULT MANDATORILY REQUIRED), of education completed after 12^th standard, if applicable, needs to be uploaded. No exceptions permitted.

[K] Expenses of the proposed course for the current academic year (1 Year ONLY), are eligible