Government scholarships: from school to PhD

Money should never be the reason a child leaves school. Central and state governments pay scholarships every year to students from poor families, minorities, OBC and other groups. Applying is free. The money goes straight to the student’s bank account.

2026-27: most National Scholarship Portal applications close on 31 October 2026. Apply now and do not wait for the last day.

Find your scholarship

How to apply

Which one fits you?

Your stage	Scholarship	Who it is for	Where to apply
Class 8	National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS)	Students from low-income families in government and aided schools. Take the state exam in class 8; support continues to class 12 if you keep studying.	State SCERT exam, then NSP
Class 9–10	Pre-Matric Scholarship for Minorities	Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi students from poor families	NSP
Class 9 and 11	PM YASASVI	OBC, EBC and DNT students with good marks. Many Muslim communities are in OBC lists: check yours.	NSP
Class 11 to PhD (including ITI and diploma)	Post-Matric Scholarship for Minorities	Minority students from poor families	NSP
Class 11 onwards	Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC / BC (state)	Students in your state’s OBC or BC list	NSP or your state portal
Professional or technical course (engineering, medicine, law, etc.)	Merit-cum-Means Scholarship for Minorities	Minority students admitted to professional or technical UG/PG courses	NSP
College, after a top class 12 result	Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships (CSSS)	Students in the top results of their board who join a regular degree	NSP
Girls in technical courses	AICTE Pragati	Girl students in AICTE-approved degree or diploma courses	NSP
Science degree, top students	INSPIRE SHE	Top performers who study basic or natural science	INSPIRE portal

We do not quote amounts or income limits because they change every year. Read the current scheme guidelines on scholarships.gov.in before you apply.

Your state has scholarships too

Every state runs its own schemes for BC, MBC, minority and first-graduate students. Some are on NSP; others are on the state’s own portal. Ask your school or college scholarship desk which ones are open.

Tamil Nadu: Pudhumai Penn

Monthly support for girls who studied in Tamil Nadu government schools from class 6 to 12 and join college, diploma or ITI. Apply through your college.

Tamil Nadu: Tamil Pudhalvan

The same monthly support for boys from Tamil Nadu government schools who go on to higher studies.

Tamil Nadu: BC, MBC and minority

Pre-matric and post-matric scholarships, and the first-graduate fee concession for the first in a family to attend college.

How to apply on NSP

Go to scholarships.gov.in and complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) with your Aadhaar and mobile number.
Log in, choose the scheme that fits you and fill the form. Upload clear scans of your documents.
Submit before the last date and save the application number.
Ask your school or college to verify your application on NSP. Many applications fail because the institute never verifies them.
Check your status regularly. Renew every year: most scholarships do not continue on their own.

Documents to keep ready

Identity and bank

Aadhaar card
Student’s own bank account, linked (seeded) with Aadhaar
Passport-size photo

Certificates

Current-year income certificate
Community / OBC certificate, or minority self-declaration as the scheme asks
Domicile certificate if asked

Study records

Last year’s marksheet
Admission proof and fee receipt
Bonafide certificate from the institute

Your name must be spelled the same on Aadhaar, bank account and marksheet. A small difference is the most common reason for rejection. Keep copies in DigiLocker: Digital basics.

Stay safe

The official portal is scholarships.gov.in. Many look-alike websites have “NSP” or “scholarship” in their name but are not government sites.
Applying is free. Never pay anyone who promises a “guaranteed” scholarship.
Never share your OTP, bank PIN or NSP password, even with someone helping you fill the form.
Calls saying “pay a fee to release your scholarship” are always fraud.

More help

Free training schemes

Skill courses with no fee, and trust or zakat scholarships.

Courses

Find the right course after 10th, after 12th and beyond.

Seeking knowledge is a duty

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 224). A scholarship is a door to that duty. Help one child in your street apply this year.

Check the table, gather your documents, and apply this week. Then remind a friend.