‘Indian Govt Gives Me ₹18,000–₹20,000, I Send It Home’: Tanzanian Student On Samay Raina’s Latent; Know Which Scholarship Schemes Fund Foreign Applicants

A Tanzanian student recently appeared on comedian Samay Raina’s popular YouTube show India’s Got Latent, where he spoke about his experience of studying in India. During the interaction, the student said that the Indian government provides him with a stipend once a month or once every three months, which he uses to cover expenses such as rent and electricity while studying in India. His remarks have drawn attention to the scholarship and funding programmes through which students from developing countries can pursue higher education in India with financial assistance.

For Tanzanian students, one of the key routes is the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship programme, including the India-Africa Maitri Scholarship Scheme. The scholarships are fully funded by the Government of India and enable eligible Tanzanian students to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma and PhD programmes at accredited Indian universities and institutions.

Which Scheme Could Provide The Student With A Stipend?

The India-Africa Maitri Scholarship Scheme is administered by ICCR, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of External Affairs. The scheme is intended for students from African countries and supports higher education in India across disciplines such as engineering, science, humanities, arts, commerce and cultural studies.

According to Tanzania Daily News, Tanzanian students are eligible for scholarships under both the Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme and the India-Africa Maitri Scholarship Scheme. The report stated that the scholarships cover tuition fees, monthly stipends, accommodation allowances and medical insurance. In some cases, round-trip airfare is also included.

Tanzanian student studying in India under an applicable ICCR scholarship can receive a monthly maintenance or living stipend from the Government of India, along with other scholarship benefits.

Tanzania Gets 135 ICCR Scholarship Slots

India has increased the number of ICCR scholarship slots allocated to Tanzanian students from 85 to 135 for the 2026-27 academic year. The increase of 50 slots was reported by Tanzania Daily News in February 2026. The newspaper also reported that India’s overall scholarship allocation for African countries increased from 1,103 slots in 2025-26 to 1,499 slots in 2026-27.

The High Commission of India in Dar es Salaam has subsequently confirmed as per the report that the ICCR allocation for Tanzania has been increased to 135 for FY 2026-27 from the earlier 85. It said the allocation is the highest for any country in Africa.

Tanzania had received 85 ICCR scholarship slots annually during 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26. Under the increased allocation, successful Tanzanian applicants can study at more than 130 accredited universities and institutes across India, according to Tanzania Daily News.

The scholarships cover a range of programmes, including undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma and PhD courses. The financial assistance can include tuition fees, monthly stipends, accommodation support and medical insurance, while airfare may be provided in certain cases.

What is Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)?

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, established in 1950. It promotes India’s cultural relations and people-to-people ties with other countries through cultural exchanges, educational programmes, scholarships and international cooperation.

The idea for ICCR emerged at the Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi in 1946. It was formally established in April 1950 under the Education Ministry and was transferred to the Ministry of External Affairs in 1970 to make it an instrument of India’s foreign policy. One of its major activities today is offering scholarships to international students to study in India.

What Is The Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme?

The Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme is another ICCR scholarship route through which students from eligible countries can pursue higher education in India. Tanzanian students are among those eligible under the ICCR framework, alongside the India-Africa Maitri Scholarship Scheme.

ITEC Is Another India-Tanzania Programme

India also provides training opportunities to Tanzanian professionals and officials through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. However, ITEC is different from the ICCR degree scholarship programmes.

ITEC primarily focuses on capacity-building and professional training for participants from partner countries. The High Commission of India says Tanzania receives more than 1,000 ITEC slots annually, and that more than 10,000 Tanzanians have benefited from the programme since it was first extended to Tanzania in 1972.

As per the High Commission, it was also noted that Tanzania continues to be one of the major beneficiaries of ITEC, with more than 1,000 slots offered annually covering short-term professional courses and longer-term academic opportunities.

Does The Tanzanian Student On Samay Raina’s Show Receive This Scholarship?

The student's statement that he receives a monthly amount from the Indian government is consistent with the type of financial assistance offered under ICCR scholarship programmes. However, there is no publicly available information confirming the exact scholarship scheme or programme under which the particular student featured on the show is studying.

Published on: Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 03:27 PM IST