Selection Process

Staying true to our founder Jamsetji Nusserwanjee’s vision of rewarding the brightest and the best, we follow a rigorous selection process. It is a matter of pride to be called a JN Tata Scholar.

The entire selection process has been divided into four phases. It may be please be noted that the decision of the management will be final, at each stage of the selection process, no queries in this regard will be entertained.

If the information provided by a candidate is either incomplete or false, the application will not be proceed further, and the Endowment will not entertain any queries in this regard.

 Phase 1 – ends on 7th March 2025, which is the final date of submission of the applications:-

• Candidates will be required to submit preliminary details such as personal and academic information, work experience (if any), and statement of purpose. Scanned copies of the following documents will need to be uploaded:-
• Candidate’s photo (500 * 500 pixels in jpeg format)
• Aadhar card
• Passport (first & last page)
• Marksheet / Transcript/s for each academic qualification
• The Statement of Purpose (SoP), carries considerable weight in the selection process and while there is no set template for the same, it is expected that the content be written by the applicant and be free of plagiarism and biographical details. The narrative should not exceed 800 words. The SOP should clearly convey the thinking behind your academic choice and the preferred / chosen University and how the same ties in with your academic qualifications, work experience if any and career goals/ plans; both short term as well as long term.
• Working professionals need to upload 3 additional documents (if any):-
  • Work Experience certificate from the previous employer
  • Appointment letter from the existing employer and
  • Latest filed ITR / 3 months’ pay slips.
• Once the application is submitted, candidates cannot make any changes to the information submitted. If they need to make any changes/corrections in the application form, they are required to send an email to jnteapplication@tatatrusts.org quoting the reference number (which appears on the top left side of the application form.)
• All documents should be uploaded in a grayscale pdf suitably named to identify the nature of the document being shared.
• Candidates are required to validate the application form before final submission, after which they will not be able to make any changes therein.

Phase 2 – Aptitude test

• After the initial screening of applications, candidates whose applications will be processed further will be informed a week in advanced over email that they have been shortlisted to undergo the aptitude test. The remaining candidates will be notified that there application will not be processed any further.
• This is not a subject-specific test and is designed to primarily assess the critical thinking and problem solving skills of a candidate, more details of which will be shared when the candidate is intimated of the shortlisting.  The candidate will be guided with detailed instructions and a mock test will also be arranged for familiarization.  The technical requirements such as internet connectivity and related aspects will also be clearly conveyed to the candidate. The results of the test will be announced within a week from the date of the test by email.

Phase 3 –Interview with Subject Expert

• Of those who take the Aptitude test, some will be shortlisted for the technical interview and the remaining will be informed that their applications will not be processed any further.
• Candidates who are shortlisted for the interview will be required to complete the application form by providing the details of the University where admission has been secured and the respective course of study. Additional details of the family and funding source for the studies will also be sought.
• Scanned copies of the following documents will be required to be uploaded:-
  • Letter of admission to the University
  • Final year mark sheets and degree certificate
  • Scorecards (GRE/GMAT/TOEFL/IELTS/ PTE)
  • Certificate of scholarships/ranking/prizes (if any)
  • Certificates relating to extra-curricular activities
  • Research work/Project work
  • Resume
  • Cost of education
  • Source of funds

A Letter of Recommendation (LOR) is required (only one), specifically addressed to “The Trustees of the J N Tata Endowment” either from a Professor of the college or University or the employer, in case the applicant is/was working. Candidates should only furnish the details of the recommender such as name, designation, department, name of the college/university/organization, city, contact number, and their official email ID. The Endowment will directly communicate with the recommender for the purpose of the LoR.

• The interviews are generally conducted online (Microsoft Teams / Zoom) during the months of April to June, though they may extend to the first week of July if required, by a Representative of the Endowment and a subject expert. Performance at the interview carries the highest weightage in the selection process.
• Candidates will be required to share the admission letter with the Endowment a week prior to the Interview. This is a mandatory document for the interview to be held.
• The interview with the subject expert is intended to evaluate the candidates’ understanding of their subjects – current and future. As they will be examined in depth and detail, candidates are encouraged to be well prepared in relation to their subjects knowledge and chosen area of study/specialisation, as stated in their application form.
• Candidates preparing for their 2^nd year studies will be assessed also on their first year/semester transcripts.

Phase 4 – Final Selection

• At this stage the shortlist of awardees will be arrived at and announced by mid-July. The candidates who had gone through the interview stage will be intimated of their selection or otherwise over email.
• The awardees will be required to indicate their formal acceptance of the loan scholarship after which the following documentation formalities will need to be completed.
• Those accepting the loan scholarship will be required to upload scanned copies of the following documents on the portal :
• Candidate’s PAN card
• Candidate’s cancelled cheque / latest bank statement
• Guarantor’s PAN card and Aadhar card
• Guarantor’s passport size photograph (500*500 pixels in jpeg format)
• Guarantor’s income proof / latest filed ITR
• After obtaining the visa and flight ticket the candidate will have to fill in the formalities data sheet (which has the necessary directions) and upload the required documents in the JNTE application portal https://application.jntataendowment.org/TataEndowment/.  Upon submitting the above details and documents, an online / in – person appointment will be scheduled for the execution of the documentation formalities. You and your guarantor will be required to visit the Endowment Administrative Office to sign the necessary documents to complete the formalities.

Other points of relevance :

• Each candidate must have a guarantor whose liability is on par with the candidate.
• The guarantor should normally be a parent(s)/guardian of the candidate. In the case of a married person, the guarantor can be a spouse or the parents-in-law.
• In case parent/s/spouse are unable to be a guarantor owing to genuine reasons, a guardian or any relative (i.e. any member of the family such as brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, uncle, and aunt (both maternal and paternal) or any other relative may be the guarantor.)
• A non-relative may act as a guarantor subject to the Endowment’s prior approval and after submitting the relevant documents.
• The documents required to be submitted by the guarantor are: – (i) PAN card, (ii) Aadhar card, (iii) Passport-size photographs (500*500 pixels in jpeg format), (iv) Income proof / latest filed ITR.