National Scholarship for Post-Graduate Studies aids 10,000 students annually: Check benefits, eligibility, and how to apply
Financial aid and scholarships are essential resources that help students overcome financial barriers and pursue their educational goals. By providing necessary assistance, these programs allow deserving students to focus on their studies without the burden of financial stress. Government agencies and other institutions provide a variety of financial aid options.
One among those initiatives is the National Scholarship for Post-Graduate Studies.The initiative by the Government of India aims to provide financial assistance to 10,000 students pursuing higher education. Under this scheme, selected students receive a fixed amount each month for a period of ten months over two years.
What benefits are available through the National Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies?
Scheme introduced by the government aims to offer 10,000 National Scholarships to students pursuing postgraduate studies in India. Under the ‘National Scholarship for Post Graduate Studies‘ program, selected students will receive INR 15,000 per month for 10 months each year, for a period spanning two years.
The allocation of scholarships aligns with the Government of India’s reservation policy, with 30% reserved for women. Notably, the reserved slots for women will prioritise single, twin, or non-identical girl twins, irrespective of their undergraduate exam scores. The remaining slots are filled based on merit.
In order to be eligible candidates are required to hold an undergraduate degree from a recognised institution, and applications are to be submitted through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), where selections are made on an all-India merit basis.
What is the eligibility criteria for National Scholarship for Post-Graduate Studies?
The scholarship is only available for students pursuing their first postgraduate (PG) degree program. Those who have already earned a PG degree are not eligible. Here are the detailed eligibility requirements necessary-
- Applicants must already be enrolled in the first year of a PG degree at an eligible university, college, or institution.
- For integrated programs, the scholarship applies only to the PG component.
- Only students under 30 years of age at the time of admission to their first PG semester/year are eligible to apply.
- The scholarship is exclusively for students enrolled in regular, full-time PG programs. Students pursuing PG degrees through open, distance, correspondence, private, or part-time modes are ineligible.
- The PG degree program must align with the UGC’s specified degrees and course durations as outlined in its 2014 Notification on Specification of Degrees, with amendments as applicable.
- Eligible institutions include: Universities, colleges, or institutions recognised under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956, with valid National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation, deemed universities under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, with valid NAAC accreditation, institutions fully funded by the Central or State Government and authorised to award degrees. Institutions of National Importance.
- Students can receive only one scholarship at a time and must declare they are not receiving financial assistance from any other source. If selected, they must give-up any previous scholarship or benefit.
- Aadhaar seeding is mandatory for scholarship disbursement. Bank accounts must be Aadhaar-linked, as the scholarship is paid directly into the student’s account, in accordance with Government of India regulations.
- Students selected for the scholarship are not required to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from UGC if applying for other financial assistance, but must give-up on their UGC scholarship if selected for another scholarship or financial benefit.
National Scholarship for Post-Graduate Studies: Selection Process
The selection process will be strictly merit-based, except for the category of “Single/Twin/Fraternal Girl Child.” Allocations will follow the Government of India’s reservation policy, with 30% of the slots reserved for women.
Additionally, 50% of the available slots in each category are designated for students from Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, and Management, while the other 50% are reserved for Science, Engineering, Technology, Medicine, Agriculture, and Forestry programs.
In cases where multiple candidates have the same undergraduate marks, tie-breaking will be done by considering their UG scores in more detail. If further segregation is required, their Class XII marks will be used to create the final merit list.
The results are typically announced in November or December on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), where candidates can log in using their User ID and Password. The results will also be published on the UGC website at www.ugc.ac.in/notices.
National Scholarship for Post-Graduate Studies: Application Process
Take a look at the steps below to have a comprehensive knowledge of the application process for the National Scholarship for Post-Graduate Studies.
- Applications for the scholarship are invited annually through the National e-Scholarship Portal of the Government of India, with a brief notification posted on the UGC website.
- Incomplete applications will be automatically rejected, and only fully verified online applications will be considered for the scholarship award.
- Students do not need to upload any certificates or affidavits on the NSP when submitting their applications. However, they must provide the necessary documents to their respective institutions for verification as required by the scheme.
- Students who do not have a KYC-compliant bank account in their name must open one and provide accurate details in their online application. Scholarship payments may be delayed if there is a mismatch in the student’s name, bank account number, or IFSC code.
- It is important for students to fill out the online application on the NSP carefully, as errors may lead to rejection or payment delays. No corrections will be accepted once the application is verified by the institution.
- Additionally, for institutions, the NSP has advised to verify the accuracy of the information provided by students in their online applications. They are required to also verify students’ eligibility based on the submitted documents, which can include caste or category certificates from competent authorities.
- Institutions are required to retain students’ documents for the duration of the scholarship and for an additional two years after its conclusion.
National Scholarship for Post-Graduate Studies: Scholarship Renewal Guidelines
Scholarships awarded under the scheme are renewed annually based on the student’s good conduct and adherence to the required attendance criteria. Renewal is contingent upon successfully completing the first year of study, after which students must apply for renewal via the National e-Scholarship Portal
Failure to advance to the next academic level will result in the forfeiture of the scholarship. A change in the course of study or institution is not allowed; such changes result in immediate forfeiture of the scholarship.
The NSP typically opens for both ‘Fresh’ and ‘Renewal’ applications simultaneously. Only applications verified by institutions within the designated timeframe are be accepted. Institutions are required to verify and upload a scanned copy of the renewal certificate for these applications.
