Pre-Matric Scholarship

Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Castes & Others

Promoting literacy and continuous education, this scheme provides financial assistance to Scheduled Castes and children of parents engaged in unclean or hazardous occupations. Effective from 2021-2022, it combines two previous scholarship programs, offering up to ₹8,000 per annum based on the student's category and status, with applications open from April to July each year.

Central Financial Assistance

Ministry / nodal: Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

Department: Department of Social Justice & Empowerment

Nodal department: Department of Social Justice & Empowerment

Scheme for: Individual

Scheme profile

DBT (direct benefit transfer): Yes

Target beneficiaries: Scheduled Castes, Children of parents in unclean/hazardous occupations

Tags: Education, Scholarship, Scheduled Castes

Details

Why this scheme

The scheme aims to promote literacy and uninterrupted education for Scheduled Castes and children of parents/guardians engaged in unclean and hazardous occupations, minimizing drop-out rates especially during transitions from primary to secondary education.

Overview

This scheme provides financial assistance to support the education of children from Scheduled Castes and other disadvantaged categories at the pre-matric level.

Additional details

The scheme merges two previous scholarship schemes into one, effective from 2021-2022, with two components targeting SC students and children of parents in hazardous occupations.

Timeline & validity

Applications are open from 1st April to 31st July. The State share must be released by 15th August and the Central share by 30th August. The scholarship is valid until the student passes Class X, subject to attendance and academic performance.

Benefits

  • Day Scholar: ₹3 500per annum; Hosteller: ₹7 000per annum for SC students (Component 1) and ₹8 000per annum for children of parents in hazardous occupations (Component 2). An additional 10% allowance is provided for Divyang (Disabled) students

Day Scholar: ₹3,500 per annum; Hosteller: ₹7,000 per annum for SC students (Component 1) and ₹8,000 per annum for children of parents in hazardous occupations (Component 2). An additional 10% allowance is provided for Divyang (Disabled) students.

Eligibility

Students must be Indian Nationals. For Component 1, they must be studying in classes IX and X full-time, belong to a Scheduled Caste, and have a parent/guardian income not exceeding ₹2.50 lakh per annum. For Component 2, students must be in classes I to X, with no income ceiling, and belong to specific categories such as manual scavengers.

Exclusions

A scholarship holder cannot hold any other educational scholarship for studying in classes I to X.

Application Process

Online

Where to apply

Applications must be submitted on the IT portal on the day of admission. The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) is the online platform for application.

How to apply

Students must apply on the IT portal on the same day as admission. Institutions will verify student admission on the scholarship portal.

Contact & grievance redressal

Helpline and email not provided in the document. For grievances, students can contact their educational institutions.

Documents Required

  • Certificate from District Social Welfare officer for Component 2
  • Aadhaar ID/Aadhaar EID for verification

References

Apply

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Opens the official application or programme portal in a new tab. If in doubt, confirm details on the ministry site.

Documents Required for Government Schemes

Most government schemes require basic documents for verification. While the exact requirements vary, common documents include:

  • Aadhaar Card
  • Income Certificate
  • Caste Certificate (if applicable)
  • Residence Proof
  • Bank Account Details
  • Educational Certificates (for student schemes)

How to Apply for Government Schemes?

The application process for government schemes may be online or offline depending on the scheme. In most cases, you can follow these steps:

  1. Check eligibility criteria
  2. Collect required documents
  3. Fill the application form
  4. Submit the application online or at the relevant office
  5. Track application status