Scholarships Every Indian Student Should Know About

Every year, many eligible students miss scholarships simply because they did not know a scheme existed, applied on the wrong website, or let a small document problem stall their application. This guide covers genuine government scholarships, where to apply, and the steps that decide whether your money actually arrives. One rule applies throughout: scheme details change from year to year, so always read the current official notice and guidelines on the official site before you apply. We have mentioned only details we could confirm on official portals at the time of writing.

Start with the National Scholarship Portal

The National Scholarship Portal (NSP), at scholarships.gov.in, is the Government of India's single platform for a large number of scholarship schemes run by different central ministries and departments, along with schemes from several states and union territories. For the 2026-27 academic year, the portal states that it opened on 1 June 2026. Its "Schemes on NSP" page groups them into Central Sector, Centrally Sponsored and State Schemes.

One Time Registration (OTR)

Before applying for anything on NSP, you need a One Time Registration number. According to the portal, OTR is a unique 14-digit number issued on the basis of your Aadhaar or Aadhaar Enrolment ID, and it stays valid for your entire academic career, so you do not register afresh every year. OTR has been required to apply on NSP from the 2024-25 academic year. You can generate it on the portal or through the NSP OTR app on the Google Play Store, which uses face authentication.

A practical tip from the portal itself: if face authentication keeps failing, check whether your Aadhaar biometrics are locked, using the mAadhaar app or the My Aadhaar portal, and unlock them before trying again.

How many schemes can you apply for?

NSP's announcement for the 2026-27 academic year says students may apply for one merit-based scheme and one or more welfare-based schemes, as per each scheme's eligibility criteria. Each scheme on the portal carries one of these labels.

Central schemes listed on NSP

The portal lists many schemes. Here are some of the most widely relevant ones, grouped by who they are meant for. Open the "Specifications" document for each scheme on NSP to see its exact eligibility, benefits and conditions.

If you have a disability, note one extra step that NSP highlights: you must first log in to the UDID portal (swavlambancard.gov.in) and give consent to share your UDID details before submitting your NSP application, or the application will not go through.

AICTE scholarships for technical education

The All India Council for Technical Education (aicte.gov.in) runs several schemes for students in AICTE-approved institutions. Some are applied for through NSP, while others have their own portals. As described on AICTE's Students Development Schemes page at the time of writing:

• Pragati Scholarship: for meritorious girl students admitted to AICTE-approved technical institutions at degree or diploma level. AICTE's page states a total of 10,000 scholarships at Rs 50,000 each year as incidentals.
• Saksham Scholarship: for differently abled students admitted to AICTE-approved technical institutions at degree or diploma level, stated at Rs 50,000 each year as incidentals.
• Swanath Scholarship: for students who are orphans, who lost either or both parents to Covid-19, who are wards of Armed Forces and Central Paramilitary Forces personnel martyred in action, or whose parent suffers from a critical life-threatening disease or died or was severely disabled in an accident. AICTE states support of Rs 50,000 per annum through NSP.
• PG Scholarship: for full-time GATE or GPAT qualified students admitted to M.E., M.Tech, M.Arch and M.Pharm courses in AICTE-approved institutions, stated at Rs 12,400 per month.
• Sarswati Scholarship: for meritorious girl students pursuing BBA, BMS or BCA in AICTE-approved institutions, with its own registration portal.
• Yashasvi Scholarship: AICTE's scheme for students in core engineering branches (Civil, Chemical, Electrical, Electronics and Mechanical) at diploma and UG level. Do not confuse it with PM YASASVI on NSP, which is a different scheme.

Pragati, Saksham and Swanath appear on NSP in separate degree and diploma versions, so pick the one that matches your course.

INSPIRE for science students

INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) is a programme of the Department of Science & Technology, with its portal at online-inspire.gov.in. Its stated aim is to attract talented young people to the study of science. A notable feature, according to the portal, is that it does not run its own competitive exam to identify talent and relies on the existing education system instead. The portal hosts INSPIRE Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) notices, results and application instructions. Read the current guidelines there for eligibility, as they are specific about courses and qualifying criteria.

State government scholarships

Many states run their own scholarships for residents, often for SC, ST, OBC, minority and economically weaker students. Some state schemes are on NSP (the portal lists schemes for several states and union territories), while other states use their own portals. Search for your state's official scholarship portal on its government website, which normally ends in .gov.in or .nic.in, and check whether your college is registered there.

Step-by-step: applying without hiccups

1. Prepare documents early: Aadhaar, recent marksheets, income certificate, caste or disability certificate if relevant, admission proof or fee receipt, and a bank passbook.
2. Seed Aadhaar with your bank account. Scholarship payments are made by Direct Benefit Transfer. NSP links to tools to check Aadhaar seeding status, and to PFMS (pfms.nic.in) to track payments.
3. Generate your OTR and keep the number safely.
4. Check that your institution is on NSP using "Find Institutes on NSP". If it is missing, tell your college's scholarship nodal officer immediately.
5. Fill the application carefully. Names, dates of birth and bank details must match your documents exactly.
6. Follow up on verification. After you submit, your institute verifies the application, followed by district, state or ministry nodal officers. Check your status regularly and fix any defects flagged.
7. Remember renewals. Many schemes need a renewal application every year. Missing the renewal window can stop the money even if you qualified earlier.

If you do not have reliable internet, NSP services are also available at Common Service Centres (CSCs). The portal states a fixed total charge of Rs 30 per candidate for the full process there, including OTR generation and the application.

Avoiding scholarship scams

Never pay an agent a "processing fee", share your OTP on a call, or apply through a link from an unknown number. Apply only on official .gov.in portals. If someone promises a guaranteed scholarship for a fee, walk away. Delays and complaints go through NSP's own helpdesk and grievance registration link.

FAQs

Do I need a new registration on NSP every year?

No. The OTR number is valid for your entire academic career. You still need to submit a fresh or renewal application for each scheme as required.

Can I receive two scholarships at once?

For the 2026-27 academic year, NSP says students may apply for one merit-based scheme and one or more welfare-based schemes, subject to each scheme's rules. Read each scheme's guidelines for any restrictions.

My college is not listed on NSP. What should I do?

Contact your college's scholarship or nodal officer. Institutions must register and complete their verification on NSP before students can apply through them.