The government is expanding financial support for students pursuing higher education and research through a range of scholarship and fellowship programmes.
According to information shared by India’s Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar in the Rajya Sabha, around 1.09 crore scholarships are being provided during the 2025–26 financial year for post-matric and higher education.
The initiatives are designed to improve access to higher education by providing financial assistance to students from different social and economic backgrounds.
National Scholarship for Post Graduate Studies
One of the programmes highlighted is the National Scholarship for Post Graduate Studies (NSPGS).
The University Grants Commission (UGC) introduced the NSPGS during the 2023–24 academic year by bringing together four existing scholarship schemes.
These included scholarships for:
- Postgraduate single girl children
- University rank holders
- SC/ST students pursuing professional courses
- Students pursuing postgraduate studies through GATE/GPAT
Selected students under the NSPGS receive Rs 15,000 per month for 10 months in an academic year.
The scholarship is available for two years for eligible students pursuing postgraduate studies in India.
Fellowship for Single Girl Child
The government has also highlighted the Savitribai Jyotirao Phule Fellowship for Single Girl Child.
The UGC launched the fellowship in September 2022, replacing the earlier Swami Vivekananda Single Girl Child Fellowship.
The programme provides financial support to eligible single girl children pursuing research.
Scholarships Through Direct Benefit Transfer
The government stated that scholarship and fellowship payments are being transferred directly into beneficiaries’ Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
The disbursement process is also supported by the SNA-SPARSH platform, which enables real-time and utilisation-based tracking of funds.
This system is intended to improve the delivery and monitoring of scholarship and fellowship payments.
1.09 Crore Scholarships in 2025–26
Around 1.09 crore scholarships are being provided during the 2025–26 financial year for post-matric and higher education.
According to the information shared by the government, the scholarships include:
- Approximately 36 lakh scholarships for students from OBC, EBC and Denotified Tribes communities
- Around 24 lakh scholarships for students from Scheduled Tribes
- Approximately 48 lakh scholarships for students from Scheduled Castes
The figures demonstrate the scale of government-funded education support being provided to students across different social groups.
Expanding Access to Higher Education
The scholarship and fellowship initiatives are aimed at helping more students continue their education and pursue research despite financial barriers.
For postgraduate students, researchers and students from eligible social groups, these programmes can provide important financial assistance toward their academic journeys.
Students interested in government-funded scholarships should carefully review the eligibility requirements, application procedures and deadlines of individual programmes before applying.
Key Takeaways
- Around 1.09 crore scholarships are being provided during 2025–26.
- The National Scholarship for Post Graduate Studies provides Rs 15,000 per month for 10 months each academic year.
- NSPGS support is available for two years for eligible postgraduate students.
- The Savitribai Jyotirao Phule Fellowship supports eligible single girl children pursuing research.
- Scholarship payments are being delivered through Direct Benefit Transfer.
- Around 36 lakh scholarships are for OBC, EBC, and Denotified Tribes students.
- Around 24 lakh are for Scheduled Tribe students.
- Approximately 48 lakh are for Scheduled Caste students.
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