Government and private scholarships for school and college students — NSP, state schemes, merit-cum-means, SC/ST/OBC awards, and corporate grants.
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India's scholarship ecosystem is extensive but often poorly understood. The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) alone hosts dozens of central government schemes covering SC/ST/OBC students, minorities, economically weaker sections, and meritorious students. State governments, public sector undertakings, and private foundations add hundreds more opportunities. Our scholarship guides break down eligibility, application processes, document requirements, and deadlines for every major scholarship available to Indian students from Class 1 through postgraduate level.
A comprehensive guide to the best central government and state scholarships for school and college students in India — eligibility, amounts, application process, and deadlines for 2025–26.
NSP (scholarships.gov.in) is the Government of India's single portal for all central government scholarship applications. Students apply once and can be considered for multiple schemes. All payments are made via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) directly to the student's Aadhaar-linked bank account.
Most government scholarship rules prohibit holding more than one government scholarship at the same time. However, you can apply to multiple schemes and accept the most beneficial offer. Some private scholarships may be combinable — check each scheme's terms.
Standard requirements: Aadhaar card, bank account linked to Aadhaar, income certificate from government authority, caste/category certificate (if applicable), marksheet of qualifying examination, current admission proof, and passport photograph. Documents must match the student's name exactly.