ISLAMABAD: The good news for the students of Balochistan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is that the students enrolled in MS/MPhil and Undergraduate Programs would get 200 and 500 scholarships respectively, Daily Times learnt reliably. Higher Education Commission (HEC) has recently planned to provide 200 scholarships for the students of Masters and MPhil in Balochistan province and FATA region 100 for Balochistan and 100 for the FATA region. Moreover, to escalate education rate in these two regions, the HEC recently has also announced 500 scholarships for the undergraduate students. The information available suggests that the students belong to all discipline are illegible to apply for the announced scholarships. An official in the HEC wished anonymity said that the commission received 5500 applications from the Masters/M.Phil students desiring for scholarships. They were enrolled in various disciplines, he said adding that such large number was even beyond expectation of the commission because, he added, the literacy rate was not so significant in the both places (Balochistan and FATA). The official also showed the documentary records of the received applications from the desiring students. The sanctioned amount for Masters/M.Phil scholarships and the specialized varsities were unknown. However, when contacted HEC Chairperson Mukhtar Ahmed for the purpose he failed to respond till filling of this news report. The successful students would be given an average tuition fee and other charges including hostel fee fixed on Rs 60,000 per semester and Rs 6,000 per month with Rs 500 annual increments for residence purpose. Moreover, the money also determined for books, transportation as well as for the initial settlement. While commenting on the undergraduates scholarships for which the applications submission deadline fixed on August 26, the official said some 2000 applicants are also being expected. While sharing some other reasons for low literacy rate in these areas he said that the hurdles in establishment of any new university or its sub-campus in there, is one of them.