AI SummaryFood Bill Assistance to SC Students offers ₹1,500 per month for up to 10 months to eligible Scheduled Caste students who live in college-affiliated hostels in Gujarat. The support is given for the food bill and helps students meet hostel mess expenses while they continue their higher studies. Government of Gujarat runs this scheme through the Director, Scheduled Caste Welfare for the 2026-27 academic year.
Students of the Scheduled Caste community can apply online through the Digital Gujarat Portal. Application is free and the total benefit for one academic year can go up to ₹15,000. The scheme is open every year, so eligible students should submit a fresh application in the current financial year.
Food Bill Assistance to SC Students - Introduction
Food Bill Assistance to SC Students is a state scheme managed by the Director, Scheduled Caste Welfare, Government of Gujarat. It covers a part of food expenses for Scheduled Caste (SC) students who stay in hostels affiliated with their colleges. A student gets financial support of ₹1,500 every month for up to 10 months each year, which makes hostel food bills easier to handle during higher studies.
Students have to apply online on the Digital Gujarat Portal. The application form asks for personal details, college and hostel information, and family income details. Selection is done by the District Deputy Director (SCW) Office based on the eligibility rules and the documents uploaded with the form.
Key Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Food Bill Assistance to SC Students (BCK-10) |
| Level | State |
| Beneficiary State | Gujarat |
| Categories | Education & Learning, Social Welfare & Empowerment |
| Benefit Type | Cash Transfer |
| Benefit Amount | ₹1,500 per month for up to 10 months |
| Main Department | Social Justice and Empowerment Department |
| Department Running the Scheme | District Deputy Director (SCW) Office, Gujarat |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Official Website | sje.gujarat.gov.in and digitalgujarat.gov.in |
Benefits
Eligible students receive ₹1,500 per month to take care of their food and mess bills. This support is given for a maximum of 10 months in an academic year, which adds up to about ₹15,000 in a year. The money is meant only for food expenses of students studying in post-matric courses and staying in college-affiliated hostels. Payment is sent to the student bank account, so families do not have to pay the full hostel food bill on their own.
Eligibility
The following conditions decide who can get this benefit:
- Scheduled Caste community member - The applicant must belong to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community of Gujarat.
- College-affiliated hostel resident - The student must live in a hostel that is affiliated with the college where he or she is studying. Day scholars are not eligible.
- Family income limit - Total annual family income should be ₹6 lakh or less. If a parent is a government employee, income from all sources of the family must stay within this limit.
- One application rule - Only one application is accepted for a student. Submitting more than one application, from the same or different institutions, leads to rejection of all of them.
Application Process
Students apply online through the Digital Gujarat Portal. The same portal is used to apply for other Gujarat scholarship schemes. Follow these steps carefully while filling the form.
STEP 1 - Open the Digital Gujarat Portal at digitalgujarat.gov.in from a computer or mobile browser. If you are a new user, click on the 'Register' button and create an account with your mobile number and email id.
STEP 2 - Log in with your user name, which is your mobile number or email id, and your password. Then go to 'My Profile' and complete all the mandatory personal details.
STEP 3 - Under services, select 'Scholarship Services' and click on 'SC Scheme'.
STEP 4 - Choose the current financial year from the options and click on 'Change Financial Year'.
STEP 5 - Select Food Bill Assistance to SC Students from the list, read the instructions shown on the screen, and click on 'Continue to Service'.
STEP 6 - Fill the application form completely and upload all required documents in the correct format. A clear passport size photograph is mandatory for every applicant.
STEP 7 - Check all details, agree to the terms and conditions, and click on 'Confirm & Final Submit' to send the application. An incomplete form or a form with wrong information will be rejected.
Note that there is no option to change the selected institution after the application is submitted, so fill the details with care. Direct individual application is not accepted for students studying inside Gujarat, since the application has to go through the institution. There is no application fee for this scheme.
Documents
Keep these documents ready before you start filling the application:
- Passport size photograph - A clear photo is mandatory and must be uploaded with the form.
- Aadhaar Card - Used as identity proof while registering on the portal.
- Caste Certificate - Issued by a competent authority as proof of SC category.
- Income Certificate - For government employees, Form 16 is required. The income certificate is valid for 3 years, so check its issue date before uploading.
- Class 10th and 12th marksheets - Needed to confirm the academic record of the student.
- College ID card - Proof of current admission in the college.
- Hostel Certificate - Issued by the college warden to confirm hostel residence.
- Bank passbook front page or cancelled cheque - For receiving the benefit through bank transfer.
- Other documents - Death certificate of father, marriage certificate, break affidavit if the education gap is more than one year, and Leave Without Pay (LWP) certificate, if applicable to the student.
Scanned documents should be clear and readable. Unreadable documents give the department the right to reject the application.
Latest Government Resolution
As per the latest update on the official website of the Director, Scheduled Caste Welfare, the scheme is valid and the most recent government resolution for it was issued on 02/11/2022 (SJED/ASO/e-file/172022/0052/G). Earlier resolutions of 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020 are also available on the same page. The 2026 application cycle uses the same benefit amount and eligibility rules.
References
For more details, check these official resources:
- Official Scheme Page - Food bill Assistance to SC students (BCK-10) on the Schedule Caste Welfare website.
- Government Resolution 20/10/2016 (SCW/573162/G) - The scheme GR PDF.
- Latest Government Resolution 02/11/2022 (SJED/ASO/e-file/172022/0052/G) - The latest scheme GR PDF.
- Scheme Details (Page 88) - SC Sub Plan document of the department.
- State Planning Details (Page 444) - District planning document of Gujarat.
FAQ's
Who manages Food Bill Assistance to SC Students?
The scheme is managed by the Director of Scheduled Caste Welfare under the Government of Gujarat.
What is the main aim of this scheme?
The scheme gives financial support for food bills to Scheduled Caste students who live in college-affiliated hostels in Gujarat.
How much money will a student get?
A student gets ₹1,500 per month for a maximum of 10 months in a year, which comes to about ₹15,000 per academic year.
Who is eligible for this support?
SC students from Gujarat who stay in college-affiliated hostels and have an annual family income up to ₹6 lakh can apply.
Where can students apply?
Students apply online through the Digital Gujarat Portal at digitalgujarat.gov.in under Scholarship Services.
Can a student submit more than one application?
No, only one application is accepted. Multiple applications from the same student lead to rejection of all of them.
Is there any application fee?
No, applying for this scheme is completely free.