Every student wants a Scholarship. Scholarships aim to promote education by covering the basic costs of studying, tuition fees or providing financial help to students. There are several Scholarships for Indian Students from schooling and college studies. Some scholarships are pre-matric (Class 1 to 10), some scholarships are post-matric (after 10), some scholarships are for undergraduate, postgraduate courses and PhD level. Some scholarships for Indian Students are offered by the Central Government, and some scholarships are offered by the state government.
Whether you are a General Category student or SC/ST/OBC student or minority student, there are scholarships for everyone that recognizes your talent and fulfil your needs. Students can easily apply for scholarships at the National Scholarship Portal. To help you find the right scholarship for you, we have researched, planned and prepared this article that provides information about Scholarship for Indian Students by Govt of India including scholarships for girls, minority students, college students and more.
Top Scholarships for Indian Students 2019
There are different types of scholarships for Indian Students offered by the Government of India. Each scholarship has its criteria and objective. Some scholarships aim to promote a particular career; some scholarships aim to encourage meritorious students, some scholarships aim to help poor and needy students. Let's understand the different types of scholarships for Indian students.
Scholarships for Indian Students - General category
A common misconception about scholarships is that they are only available for the needy, poor and SC/ST/OBC students. There are scholarships out there for every type of student including General Students. While exploring the different types of scholarships for students, let us first check the list of Scholarships for General Students in India. Below are the scholarships that General students can also apply. The one who fits the scholarship criteria (like family income, required percentage etc.) can apply for these type of scholarships irrespective of the Caste.
- Merit-Based Scholarships
- Merit cum Means scholarships
- Scholarships for Girl Students
- Scholarships for Differently Abled Students
- Region-based Scholarships
- Scholarships for Families of Defence Personnel
Scholarship for Indian Students - SC, ST, OBC, Minority
There are a lot of scholarships for SC, ST, OBC and these are the caste-based scholarships. Scholarships to Indian Students are also given based on religion and these are called minority scholarships. There are 6 religions identified by the Govt. Of India, as Minority (Their Representation in the total population is less) that is Muslims, Christians, Sikh, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists
- Scholarships for SC, ST, OBC
- Minority Scholarships - MOMA
Let us discuss each type of scholarships for Indian students:
Merit-Based Scholarships for Indian Students
Merit-based scholarships aim to encourage and reward meritorious students. Merit-based scholarships are based on Merit, i.e. student's performance and accomplishments. To get merit-based scholarships, students have to prove their interest and talent in that particular career. General students can also apply for Merit-based scholarships. Here are some great Merit-based scholarships for Students offered by the Govt. of India.
NTSE Scholarship - Class 10 Students
NTSE, National Talent Search Examination, is an all India scholarship exam for Class 10 Indian students which is given on merit basis. NTSE is conducted at two stages; Stage 1 is a state-level exam conducted by SCERT and stage 2 is a national level exam conducted by NCERT. The students who qualify in both exams are awarded NTSE scholarship by Govt. of India. Class 10 students interested in NTSE scholarship can check more details about registration, exam dates, scholarship amount, result etc.
KVPY Scholarship - Class 11, 12 and 1st Year (Basic Science Students)
KVPY, Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana, is one of the most prestigious scholarships for Indian students who are interested in Basic Science and research career. This scholarship is offered for graduation and post-graduation on merit basis. Students of Class 11, 12 and 1st year of BSc. can apply for KVPY scholarship. If you are interested in Basic Science Career, get more details about KVPY scholarship, registration, exam, eligibility, scholarship amount etc.
Post Graduate Merit Scholarship for University rank holders
Post-Graduate Merit Scholarship Scheme for University rank holders is offered by UGC with the help of MHRD. This scholarship is offered to 1st and 2nd rank holders in the university for pursuing post-graduate studies. This is a merit-based scholarship for Indian students for non-professional courses. The first and second rank holders at the Undergraduate level can apply for this UGC Post Graduate Merit Scholarship. Interested students can check more details on Post Graduate Merit Scholarship by UGC.
Also, Check
Merit cum Means Scholarships for Indian Students
Merit cum Means Scholarships are the scholarships offered to needy students who have an economically weaker background and are not able to afford fees. Merit cum Means scholarships for students aim to support needy but deserving students by providing them financial assistance for studies. There are many factors to determine student's financial students like family income. General students can also apply for these scholarships if they do not exceed the family income limit. Here are some Merit cum Means scholarships for Indian students.
NMMS Scholarship - Class 8 Students
NMMS, National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme launched by MHRD, Govt. of India. NMMS is offered to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to continue the study after Class 8. Under this scheme, the annual family income of the student should not be more than Rs. 1.5 lakhs per annum. Students studying in Class 8 can apply for NMMS exam. The scholarship will be given for four years from Class 9-12. Check more details about NMMS Scholarship, registration, scholarship amount, eligibility etc.
Central Sector Scholarship - Class 12 Passed Students
Central Sector Scholarship Scheme for College & University students is given by MHRD, Govt. of India to meritorious students for their higher studies. This scholarship is offered to Class 12 passed students who are from lower-income group families. Under this scheme, the total annual income of candidate’s parents must not exceed Rs. 6 lakhs per annum. The scholarship is offered for Graduation and Post Graduation Studies. Interested students can get more details on the Central Sector Scholarship, application form, eligibility, scholarship amount etc.
Scholarships for Indian Girl Students
Scholarships for Girls in India aim to encourage better education and career opportunities for the girls who want to prove that woman don’t lag behind men. Government is offering many scholarships for women who are deserving and talented. Girl students can find here the list of Scholarships for Girls in India. Some of these Scholarships for Girls in India are given below. Girl students looking for Scholarships can find detailed information about each scholarship by following the link and find the right one for them.
- CBSE Single Girl Child Scholarship
- Fair & Lovely Scholarship
- AICTE Pragati Scholarship
- Maulana Azad Scholarship
- Swami Vivekananda Scholarship for Single Girl Child
- Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust Scholarship
- Tata Housing Scholarship
- Kiran Girls Scholarship CBSE Udaan
- Kalpana Chawla Memorial Award
- Postdoctoral Fellowship for Women
Scholarships for Indian Differently Abled Students
Differently Abled Students face several barriers physical, mental and financial in pursuing studies. Differently-abled students deserve to live with dignity and prove their talent and skills. There are many schemes introduced by the Department of Empowerment of persons with disabilities and Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt of India for Visual, Hearing, and Orthopaedically handicapped students.
Scholarships for Differently abled students aim to encourage them by providing financial assistance to complete their studies. Here are some of the major scholarships for differently-abled students.
- Pre-matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
- Post-matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
- Scholarships for Top Class Education for Differently abled students
- Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship (RGNF)
- Saksham Scholarship Scheme
Scholarships for Indian Students based on Region
Region-based scholarships are scholarships that aim to promote education in a particular region of India. Ishan Uday and PMSSS scholarships are some examples of region-based scholarships for Indian students.
Ishan Uday Scholarship - For North Eastern States
Ishan Uday Scholarship aims to promote higher education in the North Eastern Region of India. Class 12 passed students of North Eastern region that is Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim & Tripura can apply for Ishan Uday Scholarship. This scholarship is provided for general degree courses, technical and professional courses, including medical and para-medical courses.
PMSSS Scholarship - For Jammu and Kashmir
PMSSS, Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme, aims to promote education in Jammu Kashmir. This scholarship is also known as AICTE JK Scholarship. Students from Jammu and Kashmir who have passed Class 12 can apply for PMSSS. This scholarship covers the tuition fee expenses, hostel fee, the cost of books and other miscellaneous charges. Get more details about PMSSS Jammu & Kashmir.
Scholarships for Indian Students - Families of Defence Personnel
Prime Minister’s Scholarship Schemes (PMSS) have been introduced for the Defence Sector in India. PM Scholarship Schemes aim to encourage higher education for the dependent wards & widows of CAPFs/AR Personnel and RPF/RPSF Personnel. These scholarships assist their families so that they don’t suffer from financial crises and ensure proper education of their children. The scholarships for the defence sector in India are namely -
- Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles (AR)
- Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) for RPF/RPSF
Scholarships for Indian SC, ST and OBC Students
SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe), OBC (Other Backward Class) are categories of Castes in India. SC, ST and OBC are considered as socially and educationally unprivileged sections of the Country. For ST, SC and OBC Students, there are several scholarship schemes introduced by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India. Scholarships of SC, ST and OBC candidates aim to provide financial help to all those students who can’t afford to carry on their studies due to lack of money. Students can find scholarships for SC, ST and OBC here.
Scholarships for SC/ ST Students
- Pre Matric Scholarship for SC/ST Students - Class 9 and 10
- Post Matric Scholarship for SC/ST Students - Class 10 Passed
- Scholarship Scheme of Top Class Education for SC/ST Students - After Class 12
Check List of SC/ST Scholarships in India
Scholarships for OBC Students in India
- National Fellowship for OBC
- Pre-Matric Scholarship to OBC Students in India
- Post-Matric Scholarship to OBC Students in India
- National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for OBC candidates
Check List of OBC Scholarships
Scholarship for Indian Minority Students
Minority scholarships are for students belonging to the minority communities of Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi. Minority scholarships are commonly known as MOMA scholarships as they are initiated by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Minority Scholarships aim to provide financial assistance to the poor and meritorious students belonging to minority communities to enable them to complete their studies. Here are some Minority Scholarships for Indian Students.
- Pre Matric Scholarships Scheme for Minorities (Class 1 to 10)
- Post Matric Scholarships Scheme for Minorities (Class 11 to PhD)
- Merit Cum Means Scholarship MOMA (Professional & Technical Courses)
- Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority Students (M.Phil/ PhD)
Scholarship for Indian students by CBSE
After exploring different types of scholarships available for students in India, let us discuss some major Scholarships by CBSE for students in India. CBSE, Central Board of Secondary Education, offers many scholarships to students who belong to a low-income family and need financial help to pursue studies. Students who can’t afford a quality education can apply for CBSE Scholarships. The list of some CBSE scholarships for Indian students is given below. Students can check more details about these scholarships and find the right one for them.
- CBSE Central Sector Scholarship Scheme
- CBSE Udaan Free Coaching Scholarship
- CBSE Merit Scholarship for Girl Students
Scholarship for Indian Engineering/Medical Students
Students who dream to pursue Engineering or Medical career but face financial problems need not worry anymore. There are many scholarships for engineering and medical students in India. With proper research, we have prepared a list of Scholarships for Engineering students in India and Scholarship for Medical St Students which comprises merit cum means based, merit-based scholarships and internships for engineering and medical students. Most of the scholarships for medical students are the same for engineering students. The scholarships are offered for entire course duration and can be renewed every year. Some of the Scholarships for Engineering and Medical students in India are:
- Central Sector Scholarship Scheme
- North South Foundation Scholarship
- ONGC Scholarship
- LIC Golden Jubilee Scholarship
- OP Jindal Scholarship (Engineering Students only)
- Siemens Scholarship (Engineering Students only)
Scholarship for Indian Students for BSc Basic Science Courses
Many scholarships have been introduced by Govt. of India to encourage students who are studying basic sciences and promote research career in Science. Students interested in Basic Science Courses can apply for these scholarships. Among the scholarships for Basic Science Courses, KVPY is one of the prestigious important scholarships for basic science students. Apart from KVPY, there are many other scholarships available for BSc Students. Students can check the list of Scholarships for Basic Science Courses for Indian students are:
- KVPY Scholarship
- Inspire Scholarship
- POSE Scholarship
- Jagadis Bose National Science Talent Search Scholarship (JBNSTS)
- J&K ST & IC Science Scholarship
National Scholarship Portal for Indian Students
National Scholarship Portal also is known as NSP Portal 2.0 has been launched by the government of India as part of its Digital India program. National Scholarship Portal aims to provide a one-stop solution for all Scholarship related queries of Indian students. National Scholarship Portal has provided all scholarships information at one place for students and to ensure timely disbursement of scholarships to students.
All scholarships offered to Indian students from various Government departments including scholarships by Central Government, State Government or any other ministry have been integrated at a single place. Students can find all the Govt. scholarship information and scholarship forms at National Scholarship Portal. National Scholarship Portal has listed all Central Scholarship Schemes, UGC Schemes, AICTE Schemes and State schemes for students. Students can log in at NSP portal (scholarships.gov.in), find the scholarship and register for the scholarship.
Scholarship for Indian Students by State Government
Every State provides scholarships for its students, and every state has its scholarship portal. Apart from National Scholarships, students can also search for scholarships by State Government on State scholarship portal and apply for the same. The table given below provides the list of States along with its Scholarship Portal for managing state scholarships schemes for Indian students.
| State Wise Scholarships | Scholarship Portal |
| Andaman & Nicobar Scholarships | and.nic.in/goi.html |
| Assam Scholarships | highereducation.assam.gov.in |
| Andhra Pradesh Scholarships | epass.apcfss.in |
| Bihar Scholarships | bcebcwelfare.bih.nic.in |
| Chandigarh Scholarships | chdeducation.gov.in |
| Chhattisgarh Scholarships | mpsc.mp.nic.in/cgpms |
| Dadar and Nagar Haveli Scholarships | dnh.nic.in |
| Daman & Diu Scholarships | daman.nic.in/education.aspx |
| Delhi Scholarships | delhi.gov.in |
| Goa Scholarships | socialwelfare.goa.gov.in |
| Gujarat Scholarships |
scholarships.gujarat.gov.in |
| Haryana Scholarships | haryanascbc.gov.in |
| Himachal Pradesh Scholarships | hpepass.cgg.gov.in |
| Jammu & Kashmir Scholarships | jkdswdj.jk.gov.in/scholarship.html |
| Jharkhand Scholarships | ekalyan.cgg.gov.in |
| Karnataka Scholarships | karepass.cgg.gov.in |
| Kerala Scholarships | kerala.gov.in/scholarship |
| Lakshadweep Scholarships | lakshadweep.gov.in |
| Manipur Scholarships | mobcmanipur.gov.in |
| Maharashtra Scholarships | scholarships.dtemaharashtra.gov.in |
| Meghalaya Scholarships | megeducation.gov.in/dhte/scholarship_schemes.html |
| MP Scholarships | scholarshipportal.mp.nic.in/Index.aspx |
| Mizoram Scholarships | msb.mizoram.gov.in |
| Nagaland Scholarships | nagaland.gov.in//portal |
| Odisha Scholarships | stscodisha.gov.in |
| Punjab Scholarships | punjabscholarships.gov.in |
| Rajasthan Scholarships | scholarship.rajasthan.gov.in |
| Sikkim Scholarships | www.sikkimservice.in |
| Telangana Scholarships | telanganaepass.cgg.gov.in |
| Tripura Scholarships | tripura.gov.in |
| Tamil Nadu Scholarships | tn.gov.in |
|
Uttarakhand Scholarships |
escholarship.uk.gov.in |
| scholarship.up.nic.in | |
|
West Bengal Scholarships |
scholarships.wbsed.gov.in |
| Arunachal Pradesh Scholarships | arunachalpradesh.gov.in |
| Puducherry Scholarships | socwelfare.puducherry.gov.in |
