AI SummaryICAR National Talent Scholarship Postgraduate is open for the academic year 2026-27, and postgraduate students of agricultural universities can apply on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) before 31 October 2026. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) runs this merit-based scholarship for students who get admission in an agricultural university outside their home state. Selected students receive ₹5,000 per month for the entire duration of their master's degree.
Students who clear the ICAR All India Entrance Examination for Admission (AIEEA) (PG) 2026 and take admission under the All India Quota seats become eligible for this support. The stipend was earlier ₹3,000 per month; it has now been revised to ₹5,000 per month. The scholarship is paid directly into the student's bank account through DBT, so the money reaches the student without any delay.
This support covers the full master's programme, subject to the student maintaining the required academic performance every year. There is no separate contingency grant under this scheme, and the scholarship stops if the student fails to keep up the minimum marks or takes up any job during the course.
ICAR runs the scheme under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Students who are studying in their own state can check the related ICAR PG Scholarship post for another option. National Talent Scholarship is a part of the Strengthening and Development of Higher Agricultural Education in India project of ICAR.
Key Information
| Key | Details |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | National Talent Scholarship Postgraduate (NTS-PG) |
| Launched By | Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) |
| Level | Central |
| Beneficiary States | All |
| Category | Education & Learning |
| Nodal Ministry | Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare |
| Nodal Department | Department of Agricultural Research and Education |
| Implementing Agency | Indian Council of Agricultural Research |
| Benefit Type | Cash |
| Scholarship Amount | ₹5,000 per month |
| Duration | Entire master's degree duration |
| Application Mode | Online on National Scholarship Portal |
| Last Date to Apply | 31 October 2026 |
| DBT | Yes |
Benefits
Students selected under this scheme get ₹5,000 every month for the whole duration of their master's degree. The amount is paid into the student's bank account through DBT, which keeps the process clear and on time. Students need to maintain a minimum CGPA to continue receiving the amount.
One important point: this scheme does not give any extra contingency grant. The monthly stipend is the only benefit, so students should plan their expenses accordingly. The stipend was earlier ₹3,000 per month and has been increased to ₹5,000 per month for the 2026-27 academic year.
Eligibility
To get this scholarship, a student needs to meet the conditions given below:
- Admission through ICAR AIEEA (PG): the student must be admitted through the ICAR All India Entrance Examination under the All India Quota seats in an agricultural university of the ICAR-AU system. Students admitted through a state agricultural university's own entrance test are not eligible.
- Outside home state: the student must study in an agricultural university located outside their state of domicile. For example, a student from Karnataka must take admission in a university in another state.
- Good academic record: the student should maintain merit and good conduct as certified by the college or university.
- Full-time study: the student must study full time and cannot take up any job, even part-time. Accepting any other scholarship also makes the student ineligible.
Students should also avoid changing the subject allotted at admission, because that can stop the scholarship.
Application Process
The application for this scholarship is done online. There is no offline process, and no application fee is charged for the scholarship. Students admitted through ICAR AIEEA (PG) are automatically eligible for the NTS-PG, but they still need to apply on the National Scholarship Portal to receive the amount. The steps are given below:
STEP 1 - Get admission through ICAR AIEEA (PG) 2026. The exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), and the 2026 exam was held in July 2026. All details of the exam, admit card and results are available on the official NTA website for ICAR AIEEA (PG).
STEP 2 - Complete the One Time Registration (OTR) on the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in using Aadhaar. OTR is required to apply for any scholarship on NSP from the academic year 2024-25 onwards.
STEP 3 - After OTR, log in and open the ICAR National Talent Scholarship (NTS-PG) scheme from the All Scholarships list on NSP. Fill in the application with correct details and submit it before 31 October 2026. The NSP mobile app can also be used for applying; see the NSP Mobile App post for details.
STEP 4 - After submission, the institute verifies the application, and the scholarship amount is released to the bank account linked with Aadhaar. Students can track the application and payment status from the NSP dashboard.
Documents
Students should keep the following documents ready before filling the NSP application form:
- Scanned photograph, signature and thumb impression of the student.
- Award letter issued by ICAR, which may be required at the time of NSP application.
- Bank account details linked with Aadhaar for receiving the DBT payment.
References
For the full rules and conditions, students can check the official documents below:
Official scheme guidelines: ICAR NTS Scholarship Guidelines PDF.
Official NSP FAQ: ICAR NTS-PG FAQ PDF.
NSP help number: 0120-6619540 (available from 8 AM to 8 PM on all days except government holidays).
FAQ's
How much money does a student get under ICAR NTS-PG?
A selected student receives ₹5,000 per month for the entire duration of the master's degree, subject to maintaining the minimum required CGPA. Earlier this amount was ₹3,000 per month, and it has been revised to ₹5,000.
Who is eligible for the National Talent Scholarship Postgraduate?
Students admitted through ICAR AIEEA (PG) under the All India Quota seats in an agricultural university located outside their state of domicile are eligible. Students admitted through state agricultural university entrance tests are not eligible.
Do students need to apply separately for this scholarship?
No separate application is needed for the scholarship itself, because students admitted through ICAR AIEEA under All India Quota seats are automatically eligible. But students must apply on the National Scholarship Portal to receive the scholarship amount.
What marks are needed to continue the scholarship?
Students need to secure a minimum OGPA/CGPA of 7.00 out of 10.00 (6.50 out of 10.00 for SC/ST students) along with good conduct and punctuality to continue receiving the scholarship.
Can students apply through offline mode?
No. The application is accepted only online through the National Scholarship Portal. Offline applications are not accepted for this scheme.
Where can students get help if they face problems while applying?
Students can call the NSP help number 0120-6619540 between 8 AM and 8 PM on all days except government holidays. The NSP portal also has a complaint section for application related issues.