Punjab government has opened online applications for SC Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for the 2026-27 academic session. Scheduled Caste students studying in Class 11 and above can apply through Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal at scholarships.punjab.gov.in from 1 July 2026 till 15 November 2026, with a correction window open till 30 November 2026.
Scheme is run by Department of Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, Punjab. It covers full tuition fee along with a monthly maintenance allowance between ₹230 and ₹1,200, depending on the course and hostel status of the student. Students from Class 11 right up to PhD level, including professional courses like engineering, medicine, law and MBA, can apply for support under this scheme.
Punjab SC Post Matric Scholarship 2026-27 Apply Online
Every new or renewal SC student needs to register on Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal to get a Freeship Card, which colleges ask for at the time of admission. No offline form is accepted, online registration through the portal is required for all students. Institutes and departments register separately on the same portal.
STEP 1 - Visit official website at scholarships.punjab.gov.in/sp/ and complete One Time Registration (OTR) if applying for the first time.
STEP 2 - On the homepage, click at the "Student Registration" link under 'Scholarship for SC and OBC' section as shown below:-
STEP 3 - Punjab SC Post Matric Scholarship online application form will open up as shown below:-
STEP 4 - Fill in Aadhaar number, personal details, institution and course details, and bank account information correctly, upload the required documents and click "Submit" to complete registration. Aadhaar must be seeded with the bank account since payment goes through Aadhaar-based DBT, a separate account number is not needed.
Login at scholarships.punjab.gov.in Portal
STEP 1 - Visit official website at scholarships.punjab.gov.in/sp/
STEP 2 - At the homepage, click at the "Login" link under 'Scholarship for SC and OBC' section as shown below:-
STEP 3 - Punjab SC Post Matric Scholarship Scheme login page for registered users will open up as shown below:-
STEP 4 - Registered students, institutes, district administrators and state administrators can all log in from this same page using their user ID and password.
Student Search at Punjab Scholarship Portal
STEP 1 - Visit official website at scholarships.punjab.gov.in/sp/
STEP 2 - At the homepage, click at the "Student's Search" link under 'Scholarship for SC and OBC' section as shown below:-
STEP 3 - Punjab SC Post Matric Scholarship Scheme Student's Search page will open up as shown below:-
STEP 4 - Enter roll number or applicant ID accurately to search a student's record in Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for Punjab.
Eligibility for Punjab SC Post Matric Scholarship
Not every SC student automatically qualifies, a few conditions apply. Applicant must belong to Scheduled Caste category and be a permanent resident of Punjab. Student should be studying beyond Class 10 in a recognised institution, either in Punjab or outside the state, and should have secured the minimum marks fixed under scheme guidelines in the previous exam. Family income should not cross ₹2.5 lakh per year, this is checked through an income certificate issued by Mamlatdar or Tehsildar.
Documents Required for Freeship Card and Application
Keep scanned copies of these documents ready before starting the online form, as the portal asks for uploads at the registration stage itself.
- Aadhaar card, since payment is made only into an Aadhaar-seeded bank account.
- Scheduled Caste certificate issued by the competent authority.
- Income certificate showing family income below ₹2.5 lakh per year.
- Marksheet of the previous qualifying exam.
- Admission or bonafide certificate from the current institute.
- Fee receipt issued by the college or institute.
- Passport size photograph and bank passbook copy.
Benefits of SC Post Matric Scholarship Scheme Punjab
Scheme pays for the full duration of the course, not just one year. Support given under the scheme includes the following:-
- Full reimbursement of tuition fee and compulsory non-refundable fees charged by the institute.
- Monthly maintenance allowance between ₹230 and ₹1,200, higher for hostellers than day scholars.
- Study tour charges wherever the course requires field visits.
- Thesis typing and printing charges for research scholars.
- Book allowance for students pursuing correspondence courses, and book bank facility for select courses.
- Additional allowance for students with disabilities.
Important Dates for 2026-27 Session
Online applications for 2026-27 session started from 1 July 2026 and will close on 15 November 2026. Students can correct mistakes in their submitted form till 30 November 2026, after which institutes verify applications and forward them for state level approval by 15 December 2026. Applying close to the last date is not advisable, portal traffic tends to slow down in the final days.
Overview of Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC
| Name of Scheme | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Scheme) |
| State Name | Punjab |
| Dept. Name | Department of Welfare of Scheduled Caste & Backward Classes |
| Academic Session | 2026-27 |
| Eligible Students | Scheduled Caste students, Class 11 to PhD level |
| Income Limit | Up to ₹2.5 lakh per year |
| Maintenance Allowance | ₹230 to ₹1,200 per month |
| Application Start Date | 1 July 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 15 November 2026 |
| Correction Window | Up to 30 November 2026 |
| Official Website | scholarships.punjab.gov.in/sp/ |
Students already receiving support under Punjab CM Scholarship Scheme for government college admissions cannot claim duplicate benefit under this scheme for the same course. Students from OBC and minority categories, meanwhile, can check PM YASASVI Scheme for a similar central government scholarship.
For technical queries related to the portal or application, students can write to pms[dot]dsjem[dot]punjab[at]gmail[dot]com.
FAQ's
What is the last date to apply for Punjab SC Post Matric Scholarship 2026-27?
Online application closes on 15 November 2026, with correction of submitted forms allowed till 30 November 2026.
Is Aadhaar seeding compulsory for this scholarship?
Yes. Scholarship amount is paid only into a bank account that is seeded with Aadhaar, a separate account number is not required at the time of application.
What is a Freeship Card and who needs it?
Freeship Card is a document that confirms a student's eligibility for fee concession at the time of admission. Every new and renewal SC student has to register for it on Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal.
Can Punjab domicile students studying in other states apply?
Yes, Punjab students studying in institutes outside the state can also apply online, offline forms are not accepted for this scheme.
Students can also check registration for scholarship at National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in), maintained by Government of India, for other central schemes they may be eligible for.
For more details, visit official Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal at scholarships.punjab.gov.in/sp/