Merit Based Award and Recognition of High Performance in the Board Exams of SSC and HSSC

Merit Based Award and Recognition of High Performance in the Board Exams of SSC and HSSC is a state scheme of Goa that rewards Scheduled Tribe students who perform well in their Class 10 and Class 12 board exams. Department of Tribal Welfare, Government of Goa runs this scheme to give cash awards and public appreciation to high-performing ST students, many of whom come from families with limited money.

Applications for the scheme are invited online every year on the Chief Minister Scholarship Portal of Goa. As of August 2026, the scheme is open and ST students who secure at least 50% marks in their SSC or HSSC board exams can apply for the merit award.

Merit Based Award and Recognition of High Performance in the Board Exams of SSC and HSSC - Introduction

The scheme brings a positive change by rewarding academic hard work among Scheduled Tribe students. Department of Tribal Welfare, Government of Goa implements it to support ST students who excel in their studies. By offering cash incentives, the scheme helps bright students achieve their academic dreams even if they belong to families with limited financial resources. It specifically aims to boost the confidence of ST students, as they are often under-represented in the top merit lists of Class 10th and Class 12th exams.

Under the scheme, students are recognised in two ways. First, the top five rank holders in each stream are felicitated in a public function with a cash award. Second, any ST student who secures the required benchmark percentage gets a merit-based cash award, subject to the family income limit. From the academic year 2022-23 onwards, applications are accepted only in online mode on the Chief Minister Scholarship Portal and no manual forms are taken.

Key Information

Benefits

The scheme rewards students through two main categories, and the award amounts have been revised on the application portal for the current cycle.

Felicitation of Rank Holders

• First five rank holders of SSC and first five rank holders of HSSC, separately for Science, Commerce, Arts and Vocational streams, receive ₹ 20,000 each.
• Rank holders are honoured with a Certificate of Appreciation during a formal public function, and there is no income ceiling for this category.

Merit-Based Awards

These figures are as shown on the Chief Minister Scholarship Portal for the current academic year. Students should check their exact percentage bracket on the portal while applying, as the award slabs may be updated from time to time.

Eligibility

To get the benefit, a student should meet the following conditions:

1. Student should belong to a Scheduled Tribe (ST) community in Goa.
2. Student should have secured at least 50% marks in the SSC or HSSC board examinations.
3. For the merit-based award, the total annual family income should be less than ₹ 5,00,000.

For example, if Ramesh is an ST student with a family income of ₹ 3,00,000 and 76% marks, he becomes eligible for the merit award. There is no income limit for the rank holder felicitation category.

Application Process

STEP 1 - Visit the official Chief Minister Scholarship Portal of Goa at cmscholarship.goa.gov.in and register using your name, email ID and mobile number.

STEP 2 - Sign in to your account using the credentials sent to your registered email ID or mobile number.

STEP 3 - Look for the application form titled 'Merit Based Award and Recognition of High Performance in the Board Exams of SSC and HSSC' under the Directorate of Tribal Welfare schemes.

STEP 4 - Fill in all the required details carefully and upload copies of the required documents in digital format. Each document should not exceed 200 kb.

STEP 5 - Submit the application and note down the generated Application Reference ID for tracking your status. The Nodal Officer at your institute verifies the application, and payment is made only to an Aadhaar-seeded bank account.

Documents Required

Keep these documents ready in digital format before you start the application:

• Caste Certificate issued by the competent authority.
• Income Certificate issued by the competent authority.
• Copy of the recent mark sheet.
• Receipt of fees paid.
• Self-attested copy of the bank passbook seeded with Aadhaar.
• Copy of the Aadhaar Card along with the signed consent form.

References

Latest Official Circular for Merit Based Award

View Official Guidelines

Citizen Charter

Chief Minister Scholarship Portal, Goa

FAQ's

Can you clarify the process of felicitation and when the certificates of appreciation are presented to the students?

The top five rank holders in each stream are honoured during a formal public function where they receive an award of ₹ 20,000 and a certificate of appreciation.

What are the award amounts under the merit category?

Students receive between ₹ 6,000 and ₹ 18,000 depending on their percentage marks, starting from 50% up to 75% and above, as per the current portal figures.

What is the difference between the two award types?

The Rank Holder award is for the top five students in each stream, while the Merit-Based award is for any ST student meeting the 50% score threshold and the income limit.

Which department oversees this scheme?

Department of Tribal Welfare, Government of Goa, manages this scheme.

Where is the Department of Tribal Welfare located?

It is located at Shram Shakti Bhavan, 5th Floor, Patto, Panaji-Goa, 403001.

Is this scheme for SC/ST students?

This scheme is exclusively for students belonging to the Scheduled Tribe community in Goa.

What do SSC and HSSC stand for?

SSC refers to the Secondary School Certificate (Class 10th), and HSSC refers to the Higher Secondary School Certificate (Class 12th).

Where can I find the official portal?

You can access the application portal at cmscholarship.goa.gov.in.