FCSSOS
Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme
5.6/10Economically disadvantaged Scheduled Castes (SCs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and beneficiaries of the PM CARES Children Scheme can access high-quality free coaching for competitive exams in both public and private sectors. Eligible students receive a monthly stipend of ₹4,000 for up to 12 months, along with coverage for course fees that can reach up to ₹75,000, depending on the specific examination. All financial benefits, including stipends and course fees, are directly transferred to the students' Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, ensuring a seamless and efficient disbursement process. To qualify, applicants must be students from SC or OBC backgrounds with a total annual family income of ₹8,00,000 or less. Additionally, beneficiaries of the PM CARES Children Scheme are eligible without any income or caste restrictions. The scheme aims to empower individuals by providing them with the necessary resources to succeed in competitive examinations and secure employment in various sectors.
States / UT: All India
Ministry / nodal: Ministry Of Social Justice and Empowerment
Nodal department: Department of Social Justice & Empowerment
Scheme for: Individual
Scheme profile
DBT (direct benefit transfer): No
Categories: Education & Learning, Social welfare & Empowerment
Sub-categories: Education and training grants, fellowship, stipend, Financial assistance
Target beneficiaries: Individual
Tags: Coaching, Scheduled Caste, Other Backward Class, Examination, Stipend
Details
The scheme named "Scheme of Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme" is an Education Scheme by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The objective of the Scheme is to provide coaching of good quality for economically disadvantaged Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations for obtaining appropriate jobs in the Public/Private Sector and/or for securing admission in reputed technical and professional higher education institutions. The Scheme will be implemented by the Ministry with the assistance of Dr Ambedkar Foundation (DAF) through Central Universities empanelled under the Scheme.
Category-wise Ratio of Candidates
- 3500 students will be selected under this scheme annually.
- Maximum Limit:
- A total of 100 students per Central University can be admitted (excluding PM CARES beneficiaries).
- Category-Wise Ratio:
- The SC:OBC ratio must be maintained at 70:30.
- Minimum SC Representation:
- The percentage of SC students must not fall below 70%.
- In case of non-availability of sufficient SC candidates, Dr. Ambedkar Foundation (DAF) may relax the ratio.
- However, SC representation cannot be reduced below 50% under any circumstances.
- Reservation for Female Candidates:
- 30% of the slots under each category (SC and OBC) are reserved for female candidates.
- Relaxation for Female Quota:
- If adequate female candidates are not available in any category, male candidates from the same category will be considered to fill the reserved slots
- All willing/eligible beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme would be admitted by the Central University irrespective of crossing the 100 slots allotted.
Benefits
- 1. Stipend
- ₹4,000 per month (up to a maximum of 12 months) 1. Interview Incentive
- ₹15,000 for students who clear the mains stage of Central/State Civil Services (Class I & II) 1. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
- All financial benefits (stipend & fees) are transferred directly to the student's Aadhaar-linked bank account 1. Course Fee Coverage are as follows: Course Maximum Total Course Fee in Rupees Minimum and maximum duration of course in months Civil Services Exam by UPSC/SPSCs₹75,000/-12 monthsSSC/RRB₹40,000/-6 months - 9 monthsBanking/Insurance/ PSU/CLAT₹50,000/-6 months - 9 monthsJEE/NEET₹75,000/-9 months - 12 monthsIES₹75,000/-9 months - 12 monthsCAT /CMAT₹50,000/-6 months - 9 monthsGRE/GMAT/SAT/ IELTS/TOFEL₹35,000/-3 months - 6 monthsCA-CPT/GATE₹75,000/-9 months - 12 monthsCPL Courses₹30,000/-6 months - 9 monthsNDA/CDS₹20,000/-3 months - 4 months
- Stipend
- ₹4,000 per month (up to a maximum of 12 months)
- Interview Incentive
- ₹15,000 for students who clear the mains stage of Central/State Civil Services (Class I & II)
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
- All financial benefits (stipend & fees) are transferred directly to the student's Aadhaar-linked bank account
- Course Fee Coverage are as follows:
CourseMaximum Total Course Fee in RupeesMinimum and maximum duration of course in monthsCivil Services Exam by UPSC/SPSCs₹75,000/-12 monthsSSC/RRB₹40,000/-6 months - 9 monthsBanking/Insurance/ PSU/CLAT₹50,000/-6 months - 9 monthsJEE/NEET₹75,000/-9 months - 12 monthsIES₹75,000/-9 months - 12 monthsCAT /CMAT₹50,000/-6 months - 9 monthsGRE/GMAT/SAT/ IELTS/TOFEL₹35,000/-3 months - 6 monthsCA-CPT/GATE₹75,000/-9 months - 12 monthsCPL Courses₹30,000/-6 months - 9 monthsNDA/CDS₹20,000/-3 months - 4 months
Eligibility
For students belonging to SCs and OBCs Category:
- The applicant should be a student.
- The applicant should be from Scheduled Caste or Other Backward Class.
- The total annual family income of the applicant (from all sources) should be ₹8,00,000/- or less.
- For the competitive exams for which the qualifying exam is class 12th, the candidate should have passed class 12th or be studying in class 12th as of the date of receiving the benefit under the scheme.
- Further, in case of competitive exams for which the qualifying exam is Undergraduate level, the candidate should have completed the undergraduate level course or studying in the final year of the undergraduate course concerned at the time of receiving the benefit under the scheme shall be eligible.
- Benefits under the Scheme can be availed by a particular student not more than twice, irrespective of the number of chances he/she may be entitled to take in a particular competitive examination and irrespective of the number of stages in the exam.
- The applicant should not already be availing of the benefits of any other coaching scheme.
NOTE: A list of beneficiaries availing the scheme will also be uploaded on the website of the Ministry and shall be shared with Central Universities/Central Institutes to avoid the possibility of the candidate availing benefits of a similar coaching scheme simultaneously or more than twice.
For beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme:
- All beneficiaries of the PM CARES Children Scheme who have a certificate (with beneficiary ID) issued by the Central Government confirming their status as beneficiaries are eligible.
- There will be no income or caste-related restrictions for such beneficiaries to avail of the benefits under this scheme.
Exclusions
- For the competitive exams for which the qualifying exam is class 12th, students having less than 50% marks in their class 10th exam, shall not be considered under the scheme.
- Further, in case of competitive exams for which the qualifying exam is Under Graduate level, students having less than 50% marks in their class XII exam, shall not be considered under the scheme.
How useful is this scheme?
A practical look at this scheme for citizens
AI-generated insights showing how useful, accessible, and practical this scheme may be — combining deterministic scoring rules with a public-policy LLM analyst.
- Accessibility6.0
- Financial impact4.0
- Rural utility3.0
- Awareness7.5
- Simplicity5.0
- Inclusivity8.0
What problem does this scheme solve?
The scheme provides essential coaching support to economically disadvantaged groups, enhancing their chances in competitive exams.
Key challenges addressed
- Access to quality coaching for SCs and OBCs
- Financial support for exam preparation
Most beneficial for
- Students from SC and OBC backgrounds
- Beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme
Likely challenges
- Awareness among eligible beneficiaries
- Digital literacy for online application
Practical insights for citizens
The scheme is practical but may face challenges in rural outreach and digital access.
Rural challenges
- Limited internet access
- Awareness of the scheme
Digital challenges
- Need for Aadhaar-linked bank accounts
- Online application process may exclude some
Implementation bottlenecks
- Verification of eligibility by universities
Awareness challenges
- Low awareness in rural areas
Application analysis
- Application mode
- Online Mode of Application
- Documents burden
- Minimal, no specific documents listed
- Verification complexity
- Moderate, requires eligibility verification by universities
- Office dependency
- None, fully online
- DBT dependency
- High, benefits are DBT to Aadhaar-linked accounts
- CSC support
- Limited, primarily online
- Estimated citizen effort
- Moderate effort required for application
Estimated beneficiary reach
Benefit analysis
- Benefit type
- Cash and coaching support
- Benefit frequency
- Monthly stipend for up to 12 months
- Benefit practicality
- High, as it directly supports exam preparation
- Financial meaningfulness
- Significant, with stipends and course fee coverage
- Long-term impact
- Positive, as it enhances employability and educational opportunities
Plain-language guidance
This scheme offers free coaching and financial support for students from SC and OBC backgrounds to help them prepare for competitive exams. Eligible students can receive a monthly stipend and coverage for course fees.
- Who should apply
- Students from SC and OBC backgrounds with an annual family income of ₹8,00,000 or less.
- Who may struggle
- Semi-literate individuals and those without internet access.
- Best application route
- Apply online through the respective Central University.
This intelligence section is generated by an AI policy analyst combined with rule-based scoring. Scores and narrative are estimates derived from the publicly available scheme information shown on this page; actual experience may vary by state, district, and department. Always confirm details on the official portal before you apply.
Application Process
Online
Mode of Application:
- Applications must be submitted online only through the respective empanelled Central University.
- Offline applications will not be accepted.
Notification & Advertisement:
- Central Universities will issue public advertisements inviting applications from eligible candidates.
Clarifications
Additional points from the scheme information published on myScheme (not legal advice).
- How is the scheme monitored and coordinated?
The Ministry, in association with DAF, monitors the scheme by obtaining periodic reports from Central Universities and conducting physical verifications.
- An you elaborate on the establishment of the Online Learning Management System?
DAF is responsible for establishing an Online Learning Management System for knowledge sharing and coordination among different Central Universities.
- What is the responsibility of Central Universities regarding eligibility of students?
Central Universities should verify the credentials of students and certify their eligibility; they are solely responsible for any ineligible students.
- How is the shifting of students from one Central University to another managed?
If the number of students in a particular Central University is insufficient, with the consent of both universities and the student, they can be shifted to other entities.
- Can Central Universities enroll students beyond the allocated slots?
Yes, they can enroll additional students beyond the allocated slots, but the Ministry does not provide funds for these extra students.
- How are payments made to students under this scheme?
All payments are released through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in the Aadhar-enabled bank accounts of the students.
- How is attendance of students monitored during coaching?
Central Universities record Aadhar-based biometric attendance and share it with DAF. Students absenting without valid reasons may have their candidature canceled.
- What is the minimum duration of coaching for different courses?
The minimum duration of coaching varies for different courses, as specified in Annexure-A of the guidelines.
- How is the selection of students carried out for coaching?
Central Universities issue advertisements inviting eligible students to apply for coaching. Only online applications are considered, and selection is based on a merit list prepared by the institution.
- What is the process for renewing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Central Universities?
The MoU with Central Universities is signed for a three-year period and can be renewed subject to performance criteria and willingness of the Central University.
- What is the role of the Selection Committee in empaneling Central Universities?
The Selection Committee recommends Central Universities for selection based on their infrastructure and other requirements necessary for implementing the scheme.
- How are Central Universities empanelled for this scheme?
Central Universities willing and capable of providing coaching apply online to DAF. The Selection Committee considers their applications based on specific criteria set by the Ministry.
- Who is responsible for implementing the 'Free Coaching Scheme'?
The scheme is implemented by the Ministry with the assistance of Dr. Ambedkar Foundation (DAF) through Central Universities empanelled under the Scheme.
- Why is having a valid Aadhar number important for students applying to this scheme?
A valid Aadhar number is essential as the payment will be disbursed to the Aadhar-seeded bank account of the student.
- What is the income limit for students to be eligible for this scheme?
Students belonging to SCs and OBCs with a total family income of Rs. 8.00 lakh or less per annum from all sources are eligible.
Official links
References
- Guidelines
- https://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/84931739961630.pdf
- Contact Us
- https://socialjustice.gov.in/
Apply
Apply nowOpens the official application or programme portal in a new tab. If in doubt, confirm details on the ministry site.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the purpose of Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme is a government welfare initiative designed to support Individual, Individual through benefits related to Education & Learning, financial assistance, subsidies, social welfare, healthcare, education, or livelihood support.
- Who can apply for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Eligibility for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme may depend on factors such as income category, age, gender, occupation, state of residence, social category, and government-defined beneficiary criteria.
- What benefits are offered under Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Benefits under Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme may include financial assistance, subsidies, scholarships, insurance support, healthcare benefits, pension support, training assistance, or welfare services depending on the scheme guidelines.
- Which department manages Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme is managed by Department of Social Justice & Empowerment and may be implemented through district offices, online portals, CSC centres, banks, or authorised government agencies.
- Can users apply online for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Yes, eligible applicants may be able to apply online for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme through official government portals, authorised service centres, or digital application systems depending on the implementation process.
- Is Aadhaar mandatory for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Many government schemes may require Aadhaar verification, identity proof, or linked bank account details for beneficiary validation and direct benefit transfer processing.
- Where can users apply for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Applications for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme may be submitted through government departments, official scheme portals, CSC centres, district offices, welfare departments, or authorised service centres.
- What documents may be required for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Applicants may need Aadhaar card, income certificate, residence proof, bank account details, caste certificate, photographs, educational records, or occupation-related documents depending on scheme eligibility requirements.
- Is income certificate required for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Income certificate requirements may vary depending on beneficiary category, subsidy eligibility, and financial assistance criteria defined under Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme.
- Is Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme a central government scheme?
- Yes, Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme is a central government welfare initiative that may be implemented across multiple states through authorised departments and agencies.
- Can students apply for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Eligible students studying in recognised institutions may apply for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme depending on educational qualification, category, income limit, and academic eligibility.
- Is scholarship amount provided under Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme may provide scholarship assistance, tuition support, educational reimbursement, or financial aid for eligible students.
- Can CSC centres help users apply for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Many government schemes may be accessible through nearby CSC centres, authorised digital service centres, or welfare facilitation offices.
- How can users check the latest updates for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Users should verify official notifications, department announcements, application deadlines, and eligibility updates through authorised government portals or implementing agencies.
- Can beneficiaries track application status for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme?
- Certain schemes may provide online application tracking, beneficiary verification systems, or status-check facilities through official portals.
- Where can users get help for Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme in All India?
- Users in All India may seek assistance through CSC centres, district welfare offices, government departments, agriculture offices, social welfare departments, or authorised facilitation centres.
- Which nearby public services may help with Free Coaching for SCs, OBCs and beneficiaries of PM CARES Children Scheme applications?
- Depending on the scheme, users may require support from Aadhaar centres, CSC centres, banks, hospitals, post offices, or government welfare offices for document verification and application assistance.