Centrally-sponsored Scheme of Pre-matric Scholarship for Scheduled Caste Students Studying in Classes 9th And 10th

Centrally-sponsored Scheme of Pre-matric Scholarship for Scheduled Caste Students Studying in Classes 9th And 10th is running and the online applications for the 2026-27 academic year are open on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) from 1 June 2026. SC students studying in class 9 and class 10 can apply before 31 October 2026 to get this scholarship.

This scheme is run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and gives money support to SC students from poor families so that they can continue their studies without dropping out. From the 2022-23 year onwards, eligible students get a fixed yearly allowance of ₹3,500 for day scholars and ₹7,000 for hostellers, paid directly to their bank account through DBT.

To qualify, the total yearly income of parents or guardians must not be more than ₹2.5 lakh. The scholarship is given for one year of study at a time and is available only for students studying in India. The state government or union territory where the student is domiciled manages the award.

The whole process, from applying to getting the money, is now online on the National Scholarship Portal. There is no fee to apply and no documents need to be uploaded, because the details are checked automatically through linked government databases.

Centrally-sponsored Scheme of Pre-matric Scholarship for Scheduled Caste Students Studying in Classes 9th And 10th - Introduction

This is a centrally sponsored scheme, which means the central government and the state governments share the cost. The centre gives 60% and the state gives 40% of the scholarship amount. For north eastern states, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh the sharing ratio is 90:10, and for union territories without a legislature the centre gives the full 100%.

Key Information

Benefits

From the 2022-23 academic year, the old monthly payment system was replaced with a single yearly allowance, called the consolidated academic allowance. This makes the amount simple to understand and the full money comes in one go.

Divyang (disabled) students get 10% extra on top of this amount. The disability is checked as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The full amount is paid in one installment directly into the Aadhaar linked bank account of the student or parent through DBT, so there is no middleman involved.

Eligibility

Students who meet all the conditions given below can apply for this scholarship:

1. Must be studying in class 9 or class 10 on a full time basis.
2. Must belong to a Scheduled Caste community.
3. Parents or guardians yearly income must be ₹2.5 lakh or less.
4. Must be an Indian national and must study in India only.
5. Must study in a government school or a private school recognized by the state government, UT administration or central board, with a valid UDISE code.

Exclusions

The scholarship stops or is not given in the following situations:

1. If a student repeats a class, the scholarship is not given for that class again.
2. The award continues up to class 10 only when the student passes every year with at least 75% attendance.
3. Getting the scholarship with false information leads to cancellation, recovery of the paid amount and being blacklisted from all scholarship schemes.
4. A student can hold only one scholarship for classes 1 to 10. If another scholarship is also awarded, the student has to choose one and inform the school.

Students who pass class 10 and want similar support for higher classes can look at the PM YASASVI scheme for OBC, EWS and DNT students, or the UP Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for class 11 and above.

How to Apply for Pre-matric Scholarship for SC Students on NSP

Applications for the 2026-27 academic year are open on the National Scholarship Portal. There is no offline form anymore, so every student has to apply online. The steps are given below.

STEP 1 - Go to the official National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in and complete the One Time Registration (OTR). OTR is a 14 digit number created from your Aadhaar and it is required for every NSP scholarship since the 2024-25 year.

STEP 2 - Login with your OTR ID and password and open the application form. Select the Pre-matric Scholarship for SC Students scheme for the 2026-27 academic year.

STEP 3 - Fill in your details like name, address, Aadhaar linked bank account, caste and income details, and school information. No documents need to be uploaded because the details are verified automatically through DigiLocker linked government databases.

STEP 4 - Submit the application before 31 October 2026. The school has to verify the admission by 15 November 2026 and the district level (L2) verification is done by 30 November 2026.

STEP 5 - Track your application status on the NSP portal itself. After approval, the scholarship money is paid in one installment through DBT to your Aadhaar linked bank account. Payment status can also be checked on the PFMS portal.

For renewal students, the scholarship is auto-renewed when the school confirms that the student has been promoted to the next class and has joined back, so a fresh application is not required every year.

Documents

Documents are not uploaded on NSP. The system checks them automatically through linked government databases. Still, students should keep these documents ready because the state or district office may ask for them during verification:

• Aadhaar Card - needed for OTR registration and for Aadhaar based payment. The bank account must be linked with Aadhaar.
• Caste Certificate - showing the student belongs to a Scheduled Caste, issued by a revenue officer.
• Income Certificate - showing the yearly family income is not more than ₹2.5 lakh.
• Previous year mark sheets and passing certificate - needed for fresh admission and renewal confirmation.

Definitions

Disability

Disability means the conditions defined under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. A disability certificate issued by the authorized medical authority is needed to get the 10% extra allowance for Divyang students.

Scheduled Caste

This refers to the communities listed in The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. Read the official list here

References

Official scheme guidelines PDF (Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment)

Official scheme page on socialjustice.gov.in

National Scholarship Portal (NSP)

NSP OTR Registration

FAQ's

What is OTR and why is it required?

OTR means One Time Registration. It is a unique 14 digit number created from Aadhaar and it is used for the entire academic career of the student on NSP. It is compulsory to create OTR before applying for any NSP scholarship.

What is the last date to apply for the 2026-27 academic year?

The NSP portal opened for the 2026-27 year on 1 June 2026 and the closing date for student applications is 31 October 2026. School verification has to be done by 15 November 2026 and L2 verification by 30 November 2026.

How much scholarship will I get?

From the 2022-23 year onwards, day scholars get ₹3,500 per year and hostellers get ₹7,000 per year as a consolidated academic allowance. Divyang students get 10% extra. The amount is paid in one installment through DBT.

Is there any application fee?

No. Applying on the National Scholarship Portal is completely free.

Will I get the scholarship again if I repeat a class?

No. Scholarship for any class is given only for one year. If you repeat a class, you will not get the scholarship for that class again.

Can I get another scholarship along with this one?

A student can hold only one scholarship for classes 1 to 10. If you are also awarded another scholarship for these classes, you have to choose one and inform your school about the choice.

When will the scholarship money be paid?

The full yearly amount is paid in one installment directly into the Aadhaar linked bank account of the student or parent through DBT, after the school and district verification is complete.

Do I need to upload documents with my application?

No. NSP verifies your details automatically through DigiLocker linked government databases. You only need to keep your caste certificate, income certificate and other papers ready in case the state or district office asks for them.

In what condition would the income of the guardian need to be mentioned?

If both parents of the student are deceased, the yearly income of the guardian has to be mentioned in the application.

How do I know if a field in the application form is mandatory?

Look for a red asterisk (*) next to the field name. Those fields must be filled before the form can be submitted.