ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: The Comstech awarded scholarships to 190 students under its MSc scholarship programme in science and technology for OIC least developed member states in five years.

The Comstech proposal for scholarships at MSc level in science and technology was approved by the Islamic Development Bank, (IDB) and the programme was jointly announced an 1998.

The cost of the programme was projected at US dollars 2.1 million over a period of five-years, sources at OIC Standing Committee For Scientific and Technological Cooperation (Comstech) said here Saturday.

The sources said out of total 190 scholarships, 20 were earmarked for the first year, 30 in second year, 40 in third year and 50 each in the fourth and fifth years.

Under this programme, some 190 scholarships were envisaged to be offered to brightest students from the OIC region, to receive training in the best universities and centres of excellence of the OIC region.

The programme is initially confined to the least developed member states. Scholarships are offered in science and technology relevant to the needs and national development projects of the member states.

The programme's parameters require placement for a two-year M.Sc. degree programme in institutions within the OIC region.

The programme is open to students from the 18 least developed member states including Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Uganda and Yemen.-APP