🎓 Education · Ministry of Education · Updated January 2025
National Scholarship Portal (NSP) One Portal for All Central Government Scholarships
India's unified scholarship platform covering 50+ central government scholarship schemes for SC, ST, OBC, minority, and meritorious students from Class 1 through PhD. Apply once — get what you deserve.
50+
Central scholarship schemes on NSP
₹25,000
Maximum annual Post-Matric scholarship
Class 1
Scholarships start from Class 1
DBT
Direct bank transfer — no intermediary
📚
NSP Applications Open — Apply Before October 31 Deadline NSP scholarship applications for the current academic year typically open in July–August and close October 31. Late applications are not accepted. Log in or register at scholarships.gov.in now. Institute verification must also be completed before the deadline — start early to avoid last-minute issues.
📖 Overview
What Is the National Scholarship Portal — And Why It Matters
The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) at scholarships.gov.in is the Indian government's centralised platform for all central government scholarship applications, processing, and payment. Before NSP, students had to apply separately to multiple ministries with duplicated paperwork — and money often didn't reach students due to intermediary leakage. NSP unified the process and made all payments via Direct Benefit Transfer to students' bank accounts.
NSP hosts scholarships from multiple ministries: Ministry of Education (merit-cum-means scholarships), Ministry of Tribal Affairs (ST scholarships), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (SC/OBC scholarships), Ministry of Minority Affairs (minority scholarships), and Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwD scholarships).
The portal covers students from Class 1 through PhD level — pre-matric, post-matric, and top-class education scholarships. The amounts range from ₹1,000 per year for primary school children to ₹25,000+ per year for post-graduate and professional degree students. Some scholarships also cover hostel charges, book allowances, and maintenance allowances.
💡 Key Rule: Only One Scholarship Per Student Per YearNSP enforces strict deduplication — you can only receive one scholarship from NSP per academic year. If you apply for multiple, the system flags duplicates. Apply for the scheme that gives you the highest benefit for your category and education level.
📋 Major Scholarships
Key Scholarships Available on NSP — By Category
Scheme
For
Level
Annual Amount
Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC
SC students
Class 9–10
₹3,500–₹7,000 + maintenance
Post-Matric Scholarship for SC
SC students
Class 11 – PhD
Up to ₹25,000 + course fee
Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST
ST students
Class 9–10
₹3,500–₹7,000
Post-Matric Scholarship for ST
ST students
Class 11 – PhD
Up to ₹25,000 + course fee
Pre-Matric for OBC
OBC students
Class 1–10
₹600–₹1,500 per year
Minority Pre-Matric Scholarship
Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi
Class 1–10
₹1,000–₹10,000
Minority Post-Matric Scholarship
Minority communities
Class 11 – PhD
Up to ₹10,000 + maintenance
Central Sector Scholarship (Merit)
Top 80th percentile in Class 12 board
UG/PG
₹12,000/year (UG), ₹20,000/year (PG)
PM Scholarship for RPF/RPSF
Wards of RPF/RPSF personnel
UG professional courses
₹2,000–₹2,500/month
📝 How to Apply
Step-by-Step NSP Application — Fresh and Renewal Both
Fresh Application (First Time)
1
Register on scholarships.gov.inClick "New Registration." You'll be asked if you are from Aadhaar-registered state or not. Enter your mobile number, email, bank account details, and Aadhaar number. A Student ID is created.
2
Fill Application FormLog in with your Student ID and password. Select the scholarship scheme relevant to your category and education level. Fill personal details, academic details, institute details (must be NSP-registered institute), and income details of parents.
3
Upload DocumentsUpload: Aadhaar card, income certificate (state-issued), caste/community certificate, last year's mark sheet or Class 10 certificate, bank passbook (student's own account), current year admission fee receipt, and passport photo.
4
Submit and Get Institute VerificationAfter submission, your institute's NSP nodal officer must verify your application online. Visit your institute's accounts/scholarship office and request immediate verification. Unverified applications are rejected — this is the most common reason for failure.
5
Track Status and Receive PaymentTrack application at scholarships.gov.in with your application ID. Approved amounts are credited directly to your bank account via DBT. Processing takes 60–120 days from application close date.
Renewal Application (Continuing Students)
Log in with same Student ID → Click "Renewal Application" → Upload current year mark sheet showing you passed → Get institute verification again. Renewal applications are simpler and faster to process than fresh applications.
❓ FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions — Verified 2025
Common reasons for payment failure: (1) Bank account not linked to Aadhaar — get it linked at your bank branch. (2) Bank account is in parents' name, not the student's — scholarship requires student's own account. (3) Account was dormant — activate it by doing any transaction. (4) IFSC code was entered incorrectly — verify with your bank. Contact NSP helpline 0120-6619540 with your application ID for specific diagnosis.
No — only students enrolled at NSP-registered institutes can apply. Ask your institute to register on NSP through the institute login portal. Registration is free and mandatory for any institute with scholarship students. If your institute refuses to register, this is a disservice to students — escalate to your state's scholarship nodal officer.
State government scholarships and central (NSP) scholarships are separate systems. In theory, you can receive both — the NSP deduplication only applies within NSP schemes. However, some states have policies against double benefits. Check your state's scholarship portal rules. Many students successfully receive both — the central Post-Matric scholarship for tuition coverage and a state-specific stipend separately.
Apply for This Scheme Today
Visit the official government portal. Completely free — no payment to any agent or middleman at any step.
Disclaimer: MeraHaq is an independent citizen information platform. Not affiliated with any government department. All information sourced from official .gov.in portals. Last verified: January 2025.