Ram Prasad, the Indian High Commissioner to Eswatini, and his Second Secretary are at the center of a controversy involving alleged scholarship fraud. The accusations stem from withdrawing an Andhra University scholarship initially awarded to Celiwe Grace Matsentjwa, which was reportedly reassigned to a royal family member.
Corruption issues are increasingly troubling Eswatini, with ordinary citizens often bearing the brunt as opportunities like university scholarships seem to favor the affluent and well-connected.
Swaziland News has conducted an independent investigation revealing that Matsentjwa, who had been awarded a scholarship for a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering at Andhra University, saw her scholarship revoked at the last minute. Matsentjwa claims that Sriram SS, the Second Secretary to the High Commissioner, informed her that the scholarship award was a mistake just before she was set to leave for India.
“I was thrilled when I received the scholarship and submitted all necessary documents at the Embassy. However, just as I was about to fly to India, the Second Secretary told me that the award had been made in error. I am deeply frustrated because I had resigned from my job in preparation for my studies, only to be left stranded,” Matsentjwa said.
Documentation reviewed by Swaziland News confirms that Matsentjwa received an acceptance letter from Prof. E.N. Dhanamjaya Rao, Dean of International Affairs at Andhra University. According to the standard procedure, the embassy was expected to handle the documentation required for her travel to India.
The acceptance letter stated: “The following student is selected provisionally for admission into B.Tech Mechanical Engineering (Full-Time) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Andhra University, under the foreign students’ category for the academic year 2024-25.”
In response, Sriram SS claimed that Matsentjwa was not included in the final list of scholarship recipients. He maintained that despite earlier instructions to prepare travel documents, her name was eventually omitted.
“She was not selected in the final list, and her name was not included. The Foreign Ministry has communicated this to her,” said the Second Secretary.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Matsentjwa received both acceptance and scholarship notifications in writing, yet the rejection was only communicated verbally by the embassy. This lack of formal documentation has raised significant concerns about the integrity of the process.
A former student from Eswatini who studied in India under similar conditions expressed doubt about the legitimacy of the process. “It is unusual for both the university and the embassy to make mistakes regarding a scholarship. Normally, you receive a formal acceptance letter from the university and a separate confirmation from the embassy about the scholarship. The verbal nature of the rejection in this case suggests possible fraud and corruption,” the former student remarked.
The unfolding controversy underscores broader issues of transparency and fairness in the allocation of educational opportunities in Eswatini.
