The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) at scholarships.gov.in is a single platform that hosts over 120 central and state government scholarships covering students from Class 9 all the way to PhD level. Despite the large amounts available, many eligible students never apply — either because they don’t know about it, or they miss the annual deadline.
This guide explains who is eligible, which scholarships to look for, and how to register and apply.
Who Can Apply?
The NSP covers scholarships for multiple categories:
- SC/ST students — Pre-matric (Class 9–10) and Post-matric (Class 11 and above) scholarships from Ministry of Social Justice and Tribal Affairs
- OBC students — Pre-matric and Post-matric scholarships
- Minority students — Pre-matric, Post-matric, and Merit-cum-Means scholarships from Ministry of Minority Affairs (for Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi communities)
- Disabled students — Scholarships from Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
- Girl students — CBSE Merit Scholarships and Pragati/Saksham scholarships from AICTE for technical education
- General merit students — Central Sector Scheme for Class 12 toppers
Key Scholarships and Amounts
- Post-Matric Scholarship (SC/ST/OBC): Full tuition fee reimbursement + maintenance allowance up to ₹1,200/month for hostellers
- Merit-cum-Means (Minority): Up to ₹30,000/year for technical/professional courses
- Central Sector Scheme: ₹10,000–12,000/year for Class 12 toppers in college
- AICTE Pragati (Women): ₹50,000/year for women in technical education
- National Means Cum Merit Scholarship: ₹12,000/year for Class 9–12 students from low-income families
Registration: Step by Step
- Visit scholarships.gov.in
- Click “New Registration” and choose your applicant type (Student)
- Fill in your state, academic details, and select the scholarship scheme
- Enter your Aadhaar number — OTP verification required
- Create a username and password
- Log in and fill in the full application form for each scholarship you want to apply for
- Upload required documents
- Submit — note your Application ID
Documents You’ll Need
- Aadhaar card
- Previous year’s marksheet (Class 10/12 board certificate)
- Caste/community certificate (SC/ST/OBC/Minority)
- Income certificate of parent/guardian
- Bank account details (in student’s name, linked to Aadhaar)
- Current year’s fee receipt or admission letter
- Disability certificate (if applicable)
Renewal of Existing Scholarship
Most NSP scholarships require annual renewal. Log in to your existing NSP account before the deadline each year, update your current academic details, upload your latest marksheet and fee receipt, and submit the renewal application. Failure to renew means losing the scholarship for that year.
Quick Summary
- Register at scholarships.gov.in with Aadhaar
- Available for SC, ST, OBC, minority, disabled, and merit students from Class 9 to PhD
- Applications open July–November each year
- Keep income certificate, caste certificate, marksheet, and bank details ready
- Renew every year — it’s not automatic
- Money goes directly to your Aadhaar-linked bank account
All information sourced from scholarships.gov.in. MeraHaq is not affiliated with any government body.