The Department of Posts of the Ministry of Communications has launched a philately scholarship scheme – ‘Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana (Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby)’, to foster interest in philately among students from Class VI to IX.
What is Philately?
The study and collection of postage stamps is known as Philately.
- It also includes the acquisition, appreciation, and research of stamps and other philatelic products.
The hobby of collecting stamps include seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloguing, displaying, storing, and maintaining stamps or related products in thematic areas.
Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana
Objective: To promote Philately among children at a young age in a sustainable manner that can reinforce and supplement the academic curriculum in addition to providing a hobby that can help them relax and de-stress.
- According to the scheme, scholarships will be awarded to students in classes VI to IX who have strong academic records and who pursue philately as a hobby on the basis of a Philately Quiz and Philately Project that will be held by the circle offices.
Details of the Scheme:
i. About 920 scholarships will be awarded to students in India who are interested in philately as a hobby.
ii.Each postal circle will award a maximum of 40 scholarships to 10 students from Standard VI, VII, VIII, and IX.
iii. Regular students in classes VI to IX attending recognized schools will receive the scholarship amount on a quarterly basis.
- Scholarships will be given to students who meet the eligibility requirements and qualify in the selection process.
- The scholarship amount is Rs. 6000/- per year at Rs. 500/- every month.
iv.Selection for the scholarship would be for one year, and an already selected student can apply for the scholarship the following year if he or she met the other conditions.
v.A philately mentor will be assigned to each prospective school that enters the competition from among the renowned Philatelist.
Eligibility Conditions:
i. A candidate must be a student (class VI to IX) at a recognized school in India.
ii.A philately club should exist at the concerned school, and the candidate should be a member of the club.
iii. A student with his own Philately Deposit Account may also be taken into consideration in the absence of a School Philately Club.
iv.In order to be chosen for the scholarship, the candidate must have earned at least 60% or an equivalent grade/grade pointon the most recent final exam.
v.For Scheduled Castes (SC) & Scheduled Tribes (ST), there would be a 5 % relaxation.
Selection Process:
The Selection Process will consist of two levels (Level 1- Philately Written Quiz & Level- 2- Philately Project).
- Level 1: A Philately Written Quiz at regional level
- Level 2: Students selected at the Regional Level Written Quiz will have to submit a Philately Project for final selection
Recent Related News:
In June 2022, the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, successfully conducted a pilot project to use drone technology to deliver mail for the first time in India’s postal history in the Kutch district of Gujarat.
- The drone covered a distance of 46 km in 25 minutes from Habay village in Bhuj taluka to Ner village in Bhachau taluka of Kutch district in Gujarat.
About Ministry of Communications:
Union Minister – Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha – Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS) – Devusinh Chauhan (Kheda Constituency, Gujarat)
