Chandigarh University Launches Indo-Nepal Friendship Scholarship

Kathmandu, Nepal – Chandigarh University has launched the Indo-Nepal Friendship Scholarship 2025-26 to mark the 75th anniversary of India-Nepal friendship, peace, and love. The initiative aims to support talented yet economically weaker students of Nepal in fulfilling their dreams of quality higher education.

The scholarship was jointly inaugurated in Kathmandu by Nepal’s Minister for Social Development Dhanshyam Bhandari, Chairperson of Nepal’s Education, Health and IT Committee and Member of Parliament Ammar Bahadur Thapa, and Advisor to the Chancellor of Chandigarh University, Prof. (Dr.) R.S. Bawa. On this occasion, Rajan Sharma, Executive Director of International Affairs, Chandigarh University, Mohali, was also present.

Through this initiative, Chandigarh University (Mohali and Lucknow campuses) has allocated an annual budget of INR 9.40 crore to ensure that Nepalese students can pursue their studies without financial barriers.

Prof. (Dr.) R.S. Bawa highlighted that India and Nepal share over 3,000 years of deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, dating back to the epic era of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Modern diplomatic relations were formally established with the signing of the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1950, now completing 75 years in 2025. He added that India has always played the role of an elder brother by supporting Nepal across diverse fields such as science, healthcare, infrastructure, energy, education, defense, airports, railways, agriculture, disaster relief, as well as cultural and religious cooperation.

Indian universities, known for their world-class programs and global recognition, remain a first choice for Nepalese students. Chandigarh University takes pride in contributing to this educational partnership by announcing the Indo-Nepal Friendship Scholarship.

Prof. Bawa also underlined that Chandigarh University has been offering quality higher education for the last 13 years. To facilitate Nepalese students further, a futuristic next-generation AI-augmented multidisciplinary campus has been set up in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow campus), closer to Nepal. Students from Nepal who pass Class 12 from the National Examination Board in any stream are eligible for up to 50% scholarships under this scheme.

In the past decade, 1,265 Nepalese students have enrolled at CU Mohali across disciplines such as Engineering (450), Hotel Management (240), MBA (180), and others. These students have also been awarded scholarships during their academic journey. The university’s placement record for Nepalese students is equally remarkable, with 745 students securing jobs through campus drives. Out of these, 521 students received offers from top companies within Nepal, while 224 secured placements in Indian and multinational companies.

Highlighting success stories, Prof. Bawa mentioned:

Dharub Kumar, Gold Medalist in ME Civil Engineering (Construction Technology & Management, batch 2021-24), received a job offer from Senmi Company Ltd., Japan as CAD Design Engineer with a package of 3.8 million Yen (INR 22.51 lakh).

Abhishek Anand, alumnus of CU (B.E. Computer Science & MBA Marketing & Finance, batch 2015-25), is currently serving as Lecturer and Head of R&D at Islington College, Kathmandu, with an annual package of INR 12.06 lakh.

Suman Poudel, CU alumnus (B.E. Computer Science with Honors in Cloud Computing, batch 2017), was offered a senior AI Engineer position at Leapfrog Technology, Nepal, with a package of INR 25 lakh per annum.

Chandigarh University has also signed MoUs with five Nepalese universities, the most significant being with Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu – the country’s oldest and largest university. These collaborations enable research, training programs, and academic exchanges benefiting Nepalese students.

On rankings, Prof. Bawa stated that Chandigarh University has achieved significant progress in the QS World University Rankings 2026, leaping 125 positions to secure the 575th rank globally and being placed among the top 2% of universities worldwide. In the QS Asia University Rankings 2025, CU has been ranked as India’s No. 1 private university. The university also secured an impressive 231st position in the world for Engineering and Technology. Among private Indian universities, CU ranked first in Social Sciences & Management and second in Engineering & Technology.

Through the Indo-Nepal Friendship Scholarship, Chandigarh University has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering Nepalese students with access to quality, world-class education while strengthening the academic and cultural bonds between India and Nepal.