Scholarships 2026: National & State Scholarship Portal, Eligibility & Apply

Q: 1. What is the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) One-Time Registration (OTR)?

NSP One-Time Registration (OTR) is a unique 14-digit identifier issued to students based on Aadhaar/e-KYC authentication on the official portal. It eliminates repetitive registration and allows students to apply for multiple central, UGC, and AICTE schemes with a single profile.

Q: 2. Can a student apply for more than one scholarship at the same time?

Students can register on multiple portals; however, as per government rules, a student can avail only one government-funded scholarship (either Central or State) at a time for tuition and maintenance. Availing multiple government scholarships for the same course is not permitted under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) norms.

Q: 3. Why is Aadhaar seeding mandatory for receiving scholarship amounts?

Scholarship funds are disbursed through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) via Aadhaar-based Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Even if a bank account is active, funds will fail to transfer if the bank account is not mapped/seeded with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) Aadhaar mapper.

Q: 4. How can university and college students calculate their eligibility percentage from CGPA?

Most scholarship schemes require minimum qualifying marks (such as 50%, 55%, or 60% in the previous academic year). You can convert your university grade point average into an exact percentage using our free Percentage Calculator.

Q: 5. What is the difference between Pre-Matric and Post-Matric scholarships?

Pre-Matric scholarships support school students studying in Classes 1 to 10. Post-Matric scholarships provide financial grants for students studying after Class 10, covering Class 11, 12, ITI courses, polytechnic diplomas, graduation, and postgraduate programs. You can check higher academic opportunities under University Notifications.

Discover the latest Scholarships 2026 for school, college, and university students across India. Whether you are searching for Central Sector Schemes on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), State Post-Matric welfare grants, merit-cum-means assistance, or higher education research fellowships, find all active notifications in one place. Explore eligible grant schemes for 10th Pass, 12th Pass, Graduates, and Postgraduates below.

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Manish Dhaker / July 15, 2026

Complete Guide to National & State Scholarships 2026: Schemes, Eligibility & Online Apply

Government scholarship programs play a transformative role in ensuring that financial constraints never hinder academic aspirations. The Government of India, along with state welfare departments and regulatory councils, provides extensive financial assistance to school students, diploma candidates, college undergraduates, and doctoral scholars. These schemes cover tuition fee waivers, monthly maintenance allowances, book allowances, and hostel charges.

On CareerDiksha Jobs, we bring daily updates for verified scholarships hosted on portals like the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), University Grants Commission (UGC), AICTE, and State Social Welfare Departments.

Major Categories of Government Scholarships in India

Scholarship opportunities in India are broadly classified into four major academic tiers:

Pre-Matric Scholarships (Classes 1 to 10): Targeted financial support for minority, SC, ST, and OBC school students to prevent dropouts and cover schooling expenses.
Post-Matric Scholarships (Classes 11, 12, ITI, & Diploma): Fee reimbursement and monthly maintenance support for students enrolled in higher secondary education, technical institutes under ITI Courses, and polytechnic diplomas under Diploma Programs.
Higher Education & Professional Degree Grants: Central Sector Scheme for College and University Students, PM-USP, and technical AICTE Pragati & Saksham schemes for Engineering Degree and Medical Degree students.
Research Fellowships (M.Phil / Ph.D.): Monthly research stipends like UGC Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), CSIR Fellowship, Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF), and Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) tracked under University Notifications.
Special Girls & Single Child Schemes: Dedicated financial programs for female education such as CBSE Single Girl Child Scholarship and AICTE Pragati under Women Govt Initiatives.

Popular Government Scholarship Programs & Grant Amounts

Eligible students can apply for central and state-funded programs offering substantial annual financial assistance:

Scholarship Scheme	Target Beneficiary	Primary Eligibility Criteria	Estimated Grant / Amount
NSP Central Sector Scheme (CSSS)	College & University UG/PG	Top 20th percentile in 12th Board; Family income < ₹4.5 Lakh	₹12,000/yr (UG) to ₹20,000/yr (PG)
Post-Matric Scholarship (SC/ST/OBC)	11th, 12th, Degree, Diploma	Enrolled in recognized institute; Family income < ₹2.5 Lakh	Full Tuition Fee Reimbursement + Maintenance
AICTE Pragati & Saksham Schemes	Female & Divyang Tech Students	Admitted to AICTE approved technical degree/diploma	₹50,000 per annum
UGC Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)	Ph.D. / Research Scholars	Qualified UGC-NET / CSIR-NET Entrance Exam	₹37,000 - ₹42,000/month + HRA

To verify that your academic scores meet minimum percentage criteria, convert your GPA/grades using our free online Percentage Calculator Tool.

Step-by-Step Online Application Workflow via NSP Portal

Applying for national and state welfare schemes follows a secure and transparent procedure on the official National Scholarship Portal:

One-Time Registration (OTR): Generate your Unique OTR ID using your Aadhaar number and mobile OTP verification on the NSP portal.
Application Form Filling: Select your state, academic institute, course level, and eligible scholarship scheme based on family income criteria.
Document Uploading: Upload scanned marksheets, income certificate, caste certificate, and bank passbook details. Ensure file sizes fit prescribed limits using our Image Resizer & Compressor Tool and convert multipage records via our Image to PDF Converter.
Institute Level Verification (L1 Verification): Your school/college nodal officer verifies your regular enrollment and marks records on the portal.
District / State Nodal Verification (L2 Verification): Government welfare officers approve the application for final merit generation.
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): The scholarship amount is directly disbursed to your Aadhaar-seeded bank account via the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).

Essential Documents Required for Scholarship Application

Students must keep original and digital copies of the following documents ready before the application deadline:

Aadhaar Card (Must be actively linked and seeded with your bank account).
Previous academic passing marksheets (10th Class, 12th Class, or Semester Grade Cards).
Current year College/School Admission Fee Receipt and Bonafide Certificate.
Valid Family Annual Income Certificate issued by an authorized Revenue Authority (Tehsildar/SDM).
Caste / Category Certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/Minority) where applicable.
Student's active Bank Account Passbook (Account should not be minor or have transaction limits).

Explore State-Wise Scholarship & Welfare Portals

Check state-specific student welfare schemes and post-matric fee reimbursement portals:

Important Academic & Student Career Portals

Explore related academic notifications and career preparation guides on CareerDiksha Jobs:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) One-Time Registration (OTR)?

NSP One-Time Registration (OTR) is a unique 14-digit identifier issued to students based on Aadhaar/e-KYC authentication on the official portal. It eliminates repetitive registration and allows students to apply for multiple central, UGC, and AICTE schemes with a single profile.

2. Can a student apply for more than one scholarship at the same time?

Students can register on multiple portals; however, as per government rules, a student can avail only one government-funded scholarship (either Central or State) at a time for tuition and maintenance. Availing multiple government scholarships for the same course is not permitted under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) norms.

3. Why is Aadhaar seeding mandatory for receiving scholarship amounts?

Scholarship funds are disbursed through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) via Aadhaar-based Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Even if a bank account is active, funds will fail to transfer if the bank account is not mapped/seeded with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) Aadhaar mapper.

4. How can university and college students calculate their eligibility percentage from CGPA?

Most scholarship schemes require minimum qualifying marks (such as 50%, 55%, or 60% in the previous academic year). You can convert your university grade point average into an exact percentage using our free Percentage Calculator.

5. What is the difference between Pre-Matric and Post-Matric scholarships?

Pre-Matric scholarships support school students studying in Classes 1 to 10. Post-Matric scholarships provide financial grants for students studying after Class 10, covering Class 11, 12, ITI courses, polytechnic diplomas, graduation, and postgraduate programs. You can check higher academic opportunities under University Notifications.