AI SummaryMadhya Pradesh government is running Free Caste Hostel scheme in 2026 for students of de-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic communities, and admission applications open before every new academic session. Students living in these hostels get a monthly scholarship of ₹1,230 for boys and ₹1,270 for girls, paid for 10 months in a year.
Around 140 hostels, ashrams and community welfare centres are being run under this scheme across the state, with about 6,550 approved seats. Free stay plus the monthly amount means a student coming from a far-off village can study in a town without worrying much about room rent or daily costs.
Free Caste Hostel Scheme Madhya Pradesh 2026
Department of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-nomadic Welfare, Madhya Pradesh runs this scheme. Aim is simple. Students from these communities often travel far from home for school or college, and stay becomes the biggest problem. Free hostel seat with a monthly amount solves that part.
Admission is not automatic. New students have to apply on the prescribed form before the session starts, and seats are given only where a vacancy exists. Students already living in a hostel get renewal without filing a fresh application.
How to apply online for hostel admission
Whole process runs through Samarth portal of the department. Keep your caste certificate, Samagra ID and bank details ready before you sit down to fill the form.
STEP 1 - Open the Samarth portal at samarth.mp.gov.in and click on the Registration link given at the top right side of the homepage.
STEP 2 - Fill your basic details in the registration form, then verify your mobile number or email ID with the OTP that comes on it, and finish the registration.
STEP 3 - Log in with the same user ID and password, and open the online application form for hostel admission under the de-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic welfare schemes.
STEP 4 - Fill your school or college details, caste details and address, then upload the scanned documents in the file size the portal asks for.
STEP 5 - Check every entry once, tick the declaration box and click Submit. Save or print the acknowledgement, it helps later when you follow up at the hostel or district office.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Free Caste Hostel (De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-nomadic Communities) |
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| Main Department | Department of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-nomadic Welfare |
| Eligible People | Students of de-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes studying in local institutions |
| Benefit Amount | ₹1,230 per month for boys, ₹1,270 per month for girls, for 10 months |
| Hostels Running | About 140 hostels, ashrams and community welfare centres with nearly 6,550 seats |
| Apply Mode | Online through Samarth portal |
| Official Website | samarth.mp.gov.in |
Benefits you get
Main benefit is the free residential seat. On top of that, a monthly cash amount is paid so that food, books and small daily costs are covered.
| Student | Monthly Amount |
| Boys | ₹1,230 |
| Girls | ₹1,270 |
Payment runs for 10 months of the academic session, not for the full 12 months. So a girl student gets ₹12,700 in a year and a boy student gets ₹12,300.
Who can apply
Rules are kept short and the department mainly checks caste, study status and seat availability. Read these points before applying.
- Student must belong to a de-notified, nomadic or semi-nomadic tribe of Madhya Pradesh, and a permanent caste certificate issued by the Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue) is required.
- Student should be regularly studying in a local school, college or institution near the hostel.
- New students must apply before the new academic session starts, on the prescribed form.
- Seat is given only where a vacancy exists, and students with higher marks in the last passed exam get first preference.
- Students already staying in the hostel are renewed by the department itself, no fresh application is needed from them.
No income limit has been fixed for this hostel scheme, which is different from the post matric scholarship where a family income ceiling applies.
Documents required
Keep soft copies ready in the size the portal accepts, otherwise the upload step gets stuck.
- Passport size photograph of the student
- Aadhaar card
- Domicile certificate of Madhya Pradesh
- Caste certificate of de-notified, nomadic or semi-nomadic community
- Samagra ID
- Bank passbook copy for the DBT payment
- Marksheet of the last passed exam, since selection is on merit
Other study schemes for these communities
Same department runs a few more study schemes, and a student can often use them along with the hostel seat. Post matric students get fee support under Post Matric Scholarship for Class 11th, 12th and College, girls taking admission in class 11 for the first time get ₹3,000 under Girls Literacy Promotion Scheme for Class 11th, and students who do not get a hostel seat can look at the Chief Minister house rent allowance, which pays ₹2,000 per month in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior and Ujjain, ₹1,250 at district headquarters and ₹1,000 in other towns. Free hostel facility for other categories is covered under Integrated Hostel Scheme.
Help and complaint
For anything related to admission, renewal or a pending payment, first talk to the hostel superintendent. If it is not sorted there, contact the district office of the de-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic welfare department, or use the contact details given on the Samarth portal.
References
Official pages for scheme rules and online application are given below.
Scheme details on Samarth portal | Samarth portal registration page | Hostel management system login
FAQ's
Is Free Caste Hostel scheme still running in 2026?
Yes. Department of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-nomadic Welfare is running about 140 hostels and ashrams with nearly 6,550 seats, and admission continues before each academic session.
How much money does a student get every month?
Boys get ₹1,230 per month and girls get ₹1,270 per month, paid for 10 months of the session along with the free hostel seat.
Who can apply for a seat?
Students of de-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes of Madhya Pradesh who are studying in a local school or college can apply, with a caste certificate from the Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue).
Where is the application filed?
Application is filed online on Samarth portal, samarth.mp.gov.in, after registering with a mobile number or email ID.
Do old students have to apply again every year?
No. Renewal of students already staying in the hostel is done by the department, and no fresh form is taken from them.
What if all seats are full?
Admission happens only on vacant seats. If nothing is vacant, a student can apply for the house rent allowance scheme of the same department instead.
How are students selected when many apply?
Selection runs on marks. Student with the higher percentage in the last passed exam gets the vacant seat first.
Is there any income limit?
No income limit is fixed for this hostel scheme. Income limits apply to some other schemes like post matric scholarship.
When should a new student apply?
Before the new academic session starts. Applying late usually means the vacant seats are already filled.