OUR STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD - The 19th meeting of the National Scholarship Management Committee (NSMC) was held at HEC secretariat, under the chairmanship of Dr. Sohail Naqvi, Executive Director Higher Education Commission. The meeting was attended by representatives of the four Provincial Governments, Planning Commission, Ministry of Science and Technology and HEC officials. The committee, for the first time, approved award of indigenous scholarships under the project PhD Fellowship for 5000 Scholars on quota basis as per Federal Government policy. As many as 650 scholarships were provisionally awarded in light of the decision of the ECNEC meeting held on July 29, 2011 which agreed to Higher Education Commissions proposal to award local scholarships on quota basis after 18th constitutional amendment. The participants were told that selection for Batch-7 of scheme PhD Fellowship for 5000 Scholars was prolonged due to decision at the govt level.