Scholarship scheme for philately lovers

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 12

Students pursing philately as hobby can now avail scholarship under the Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana through the local post office.

Under the scheme, annual scholarships shall be awarded to students from Class VI to IX with good academic record, who are also pursuing philately as a hobby through a competitive selection process in all postal circles.

SPARSH stands for Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude and Research in stamps. Forty scholarships, including 10 students from Class VI, VII, VIII & IX standard, has to be selected. The scholarship amount will be Rs 6,000 per annum that will be disbursed Rs 500 per month.

To avail this scholarship, a child must be a student of a recognised school within India and the concerned school should have a philately club and the candidate should be a member of that club. In case the school philately club hasn’t been established, a student having his own philately deposit account will also be considered. Every prospective school, which participates in the competition, would be assigned a philately mentor to be chosen from amongst the renowned philatelists.

The mentor would help in formation of the school-level philately club, providing guidance to young and aspiring philatelists on how to pursue the hobby and also helping the aspiring philatelists on their projects. Selections under the Deen Dayal SPARSH scheme would be made based on the evaluation of project work on philately and performance in philately quiz conducted by the circles.

The details of the scheme are available at www.postagestamps.gov.in and www.indiapost.gov.in. One can get himself enrolled by August 31 this year at the post office.

Enroll before Aug 31

• The details are available at www.postagestamps.gov.in and www.indiapost.gov.in. 
• One can get oneself enrolled by August 31 this year at the post office.