Central Sector Scholarship

The Government of India offers different types of scholarships to Indian students based on their eligibility. The Central Sector Scholarship scheme is a centrally-funded scholarship scheme provided by the Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). This scholarship is given to college and university students based on their merit. The objective of this scholarship is to provide financial assistance to students from economically underprivileged families. Every year, through the Central Sector Scholarship program, 82,000 graduate and postgraduate students receive financial aid.

The Central Sector Scholarship program is awarded by the Ministry of Education, Government of India on the basis of results of the Higher Secondary/ Class 12 Board Examination. The scholarship is given to UG and PG students who are in colleges and universities and also for professional courses, such as Medical, Engineering etc. Students who are looking for scholarships can read more about the Central Sector Scholarship here.

The Central Sector Scholarship scheme is given to both male and female students in equal proportion i.e., 41,000 of the total number of scholarships are reserved for boys and the other 41,000 are secured for girl candidates. The eligible students receive an annual scholarship amount of up to INR 20,000 so that they can meet their day-to-day expenses while pursuing higher studies.

To get an insight into the Scholarship 2024 scheme, refer to the highlights of the Central Sector Scholarship provided below:

There are often meritorious students from poor families who need financial assistance in the form of a scholarship to continue their studies. The Central Sector Scholarship is the ideal one for them as it will help them to meet their day-to-day expenses while pursuing higher education.

Students who have secured a minimum of 50% marks in their qualifying exam with an attendance of 75% can apply for the Central Sector Scholarship. This scholarship is given for a maximum period of 5 years including graduation and postgraduation studies in the same stream. Candidates who were not involved in any ragging activities can apply for this scholarship on NSP (National Scholarship Portal) for renewal. 

The Central Sector Scholarship scheme is given to bright young minds who belong to economically weaker sections. While applying for this scholarship 2023, students should ensure they meet the eligibility criteria. Given below are the eligibility requirements for Central Sector Scholarship:

• Students who are above the 80th percentile of successful candidates in the relevant stream from the respective Board of Examination in Class 12 or equivalent are eligible.
• Applicants should be pursuing regular degree courses and not correspondence or distance mode or Diploma courses.
• They should be enrolled in courses at colleges/ institutions recognized by the All India Council for Technical Education and the respective Regulatory Bodies concerned.
• To get this scholarship, students have to make sure that they are not benefiting from any other scholarship schemes including State-run scholarships or fee waiver & reimbursement schemes.
• Students with a total family income of up to Rs 4.5 lakh per annum are eligible for scholarships under the scheme. However, fresh applicants need to provide an income certificate.
• Those who will be changing their college/ university of study can continue/ renew the scholarship provided the course of study and the college has a valid AISHE Code
• The applicants belonging to reserved categories of SC, ST, OBC and PWD will get a reservation of 15%, 7.5%, 27% and 5%, respectively.
• Candidates who missed applying for renewal of online application on NSP will be allowed to apply for renewal of the scholarship for a subsequent year on NSP if they meet the eligibility requirements for renewal.
• The scholarship has to be renewed every year. Apart from that, students should be getting at least 50% marks in the Annual Examination, and maintain adequate attendance of at least 75%. 
• Any kind of complaints against the student regarding any disciplined or criminal behaviour including any complaints of having indulged in ragging, will lead to forfeiture of scholarship.
• Candidates have to apply for the Central Sector Scholarship online in the National Scholarships Portal (www.scholarships.gov.in) for fresh/ renewal scholarships. However, fresh/ renewal applications sent directly to the Ministry of Education shall not be accepted.

Applicants interested in applying for the Central Sector Scholarship scheme can do so online. They need to apply for the scholarship through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) by visiting the official website, www.scholarships.gov.in. 

Central Sector Scholarship - Application Process

The application process for the Central Sector Scholarship has been made easy for applicants by the MHRD. Students can fill out the scholarship application form online through the government scholarship portal, NSP (National Scholarship Portal). Candidates can follow the below-given steps to fill out the Central Sector Scholarship application form. 

• New users who are applying for the first time in NSP need to register themselves with NSP. 
• National Scholarships Portal (NSP) (www.scholarships.gov.in) provides the timelines for opening & closing of the portal.
• To register yourself, fill in the important details and click on ‘Register’. An application ID and password are generated for the students on the registered mobile number. 
• Students need to log in to NSP using the newly generated application ID and password. An OTP is sent to the registered number with the help of which applicants can change their password.
• After changing the password, students are redirected to the dashboard of the applicants where they need to click on the ‘Application Form’ to get started with the application process.
• All the necessary information such as the registration details, academic details, basic details, contact details and scheme details have to be filled up.
• The applicants have to upload the required documents in support of their identity and academic eligibility.
• After filling up the application form, the candidates should preview the application form once again to check all the details. 
• Lastly, click on the ‘Submit’ button to submit the application form for the Central Sector Scholarship. 

Note: These online scholarships submitted by the candidates are verified at two levels – one at the institute level where the candidate is studying and the other at the education board level through which the applicant passed his/ her class 12 exam.

To apply for the Central Sector Scholarship online, candidates need to submit some important documents. Find here the list of documents required during the application process for the Central Sector Scholarship scheme:

• A bank passbook issued in the name of the applicant for filling bank details
• Aadhaar card number (In case an Aadhaar is not yet assigned, alternatives like an Aadhaar enrolment ID slip, voter ID card, driver's license, PAN, passport etc. can be used)
• Class 12 mark sheet
• An income certificate issued by the competent authority
• Caste certificate (if applicable)
• Disability certificate (if applicable)

To understand when to apply for the Central Sector Scholarship program, students can check the scholarship 2024 last date. 

82,000 Central Sector Scholarships are given out to eligible students every year. The scholarship is divided into 50%-50% each for female and male candidates. These merit scholarships are distributed to the State Education Boards for the age group 18 to 25 years in the respective state after segregating the share of CBSE and ICSE.

Again, the scholarships allotted to State Education Boards are divided in the ratio of 3:2:1 among the graduated students of Science, Commerce and Arts, respectively. The selected students receive the scholarship amount directly into their account through Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) mode. Given below is the detail of the Central Sector Scholarship benefits: 

1. Graduation

• An annual scholarship amount of INR 10,000 for 1st three years of graduation.
• For a 5-year integrated course (professional studies), INR 20,000 per year is given to students during the 4th and 5th years of study.
• If the candidates are pursuing technical courses such as B.Tech or BE, the scholarship is given up to graduation level.

2. Postgraduation

• An amount of INR 20,000 is provided to students studying at postgraduation level.

People having doubts or queries regarding the Central Sector Scholarship, candidates can contact the authorities through the below-mentioned details:

• Address: Section Officer National Scholarship Division Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, West Block 1, 2nd Floor, Wing 6, Room No. 6, R. K. Puram, Sector 1, New Delhi 110066
• Email ID: es3.edu@nic.in
• Telephone No: 011-26172917, 26172491, 26165238

Applicants can check the Central Sector Scholarship status Online from the official website. Candidates will be selected on the basis of their merit and need. The list of selected candidates will be updated on the website within a month or two of the application date.