Government Scholarships for Students in India — Complete List 2025

Central Government Scholarships

The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMSS) is one of the most significant central government scholarships for school students. It is awarded to students from families with annual income below Rs 3.5 lakh who score above 55% in Class 7 and clear the state-level NMMS exam. Selected students receive Rs 12,000 per year from Class 9 to Class 12 — a total of Rs 48,000 over four years. Applications are submitted through each state's education department.

The PM YASASVI (PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India) scheme provides scholarships for OBC, EBC (Economically Backward Class), and DNT (Denotified Tribes) students for Class 9 and Class 11. The scholarship amount is Rs 75,000 per year for Class 9–10 and Rs 1,25,000 per year for Class 11–12. Selection is through the YASASVI Entrance Test conducted by NTA.

The INSPIRE Scholarship (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) supports students who rank in the top 1% in Class 10 or 12 board exams and pursue natural sciences at graduation. It provides Rs 80,000 per year for 5 years at the BSc/Integrated MSc level. This scholarship is specifically targeted at encouraging science research careers among academically exceptional students.

Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means Scholarships

The Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships for College and University Students (CSSS) supports students who scored above 80% in Class 12 board exams and whose family income is below Rs 8 lakh per year. It provides Rs 10,000 per year for undergraduate students and Rs 20,000 per year for postgraduate students. This is one of the largest scholarship schemes by number of beneficiaries.

Post-Matric Scholarships are available through several central schemes for SC, ST, OBC, and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students studying from Class 11 through postgraduate level. The scholarship covers maintenance allowance (a monthly living allowance) and in some cases, full course fee reimbursement. Income limits and amounts vary by community category and state.

Merit-cum-Means Scholarships for Professional and Technical Courses provide support to minority community students (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, Jain) enrolled in professional courses (engineering, medicine, law, MBA, BCA, BBA) where admission is based on merit. Family income must be below Rs 2.5 lakh per year. The scholarship covers course fees up to Rs 20,000 per year and maintenance allowance.

Kerala State Government Scholarships

Kerala has a well-developed state scholarship ecosystem administered through the Social Welfare Department, Backward Community Development Department, and the Scheduled Castes Development Department.

The Kerala State Merit Scholarship (DC Scholarship) is awarded by District Collectors to outstanding SSLC students in each district, particularly from economically weaker backgrounds. Schools nominate eligible students based on SSLC marks and family income. The scholarship amounts vary but provide meaningful support for Plus One and Plus Two expenses.

SC/ST Post-Matric Scholarships in Kerala cover tuition fees and maintenance for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students continuing education beyond SSLC. Applications are made annually through the school or college and require a valid caste certificate, income certificate (below Rs 2.5 lakh for SC, no income limit for ST), and admission proof. These scholarships cover a wide range of courses including arts, science, commerce, polytechnic, and professional programmes.

OBC scholarships in Kerala are administered through the Backward Community Development Department. These cover students from OBC communities whose family income is below Rs 1 lakh per year (for central OBC scheme) or Rs 1.5 lakh (for state schemes). The Kerala BC Development Corporation also provides educational loans with subsidised interest for higher education.

Minority Community Scholarships

The Maulana Azad National Fellowship provides financial assistance to minority community students (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, Jain) for research programmes (M.Phil and PhD). It covers Junior Research Fellowship and Senior Research Fellowship amounts comparable to UGC fellowships.

The Pre-Matric Scholarship for Minorities supports students from minority communities studying in Classes 1–10 from families with income below Rs 1 lakh per year. The scholarship provides Rs 1,000 per month as day scholar allowance and Rs 3,000 per month as hostel allowance, plus an ad hoc grant of Rs 500 per year for stationery. This scholarship is administered through the National Scholarship Portal.

The Post-Matric Scholarship for Minorities (Central) supports minority community students from Class 11 through postgraduate level, with family income below Rs 2 lakh per year. It covers admission and tuition fees and a monthly maintenance allowance. Priority is given to students in professional and technical courses. Kerala's Muslim, Christian, Jain, Sikh, and Buddhist communities are eligible.

How to Apply — The National Scholarship Portal (NSP)

The National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in) is the single platform for most central government scholarships. Create an account using an Aadhaar-linked mobile number. The portal opens for new applications typically in October–November each year. All fields must be filled accurately — wrong information leads to rejection.

The application process: (1) Register on NSP with Aadhaar-linked mobile. (2) Fill the application form for the specific scholarship category. (3) Upload required documents (see next section). (4) Submit through your school or college for institution verification. (5) The institution forwards to the district education officer. (6) District officer forwards to state authority for final processing.

Timelines are strict — NSP applications submitted after the deadline are not accepted for that year. Watch for the annual notification from your state education department. For Kerala state schemes (SC/ST post-matric, OBC scholarships), apply through the respective department portals — these are separate from NSP.

Required Documents and Common Mistakes

Documents required for most scholarship applications: Aadhaar card of student and parent/guardian, Class 10 (SSLC) mark sheet, Class 12 mark sheet (for college-level scholarships), income certificate from a revenue authority (Tahsildar or equivalent), community/caste certificate (for category-specific scholarships), bank account details in student's name (direct benefit transfer), current year admission letter or fee receipt from school/college, and passport-size photographs.

The most common reason for scholarship rejection is an income certificate that is too old — most schemes require an income certificate dated within 6 months of application. Obtain a fresh income certificate before the scholarship application window opens. The second most common rejection reason is a mismatch between Aadhaar name spelling and the name in school/college records — check and correct this in advance.

Bank account issues also cause disbursement failures: the account must be in the student's name (not parents'), must be an active account with transactions in the past 6 months, and must be linked to Aadhaar. NPCI Aadhaar bank linkage can be checked at the bank branch or through the NPCI website. Many students lose their scholarship money because the NPCI link is not active — verify this before the application.