Post-Matric Scholarship SC/ST/OBC 2026: Apply, Amount & Income Cap

पोस्ट-मैट्रिक छात्रवृत्ति 2026: कॉलेज के छात्रों के लिए पूरी गाइड

Quick facts: For Class 11 onwards — higher secondary, UG, PG, PhD, professional courses · covers tuition fees + monthly maintenance + book/thesis allowance · family income cap ₹2.5 lakh/year (SC/ST), ₹1 lakh/year (OBC national), ₹8 lakh/year (OBC Non-Creamy Layer for state) · via scholarships.gov.in.

The Post-Matric Scholarship (PMS) is the most important central scholarship for higher education in India. It supports students from SC, ST, and OBC families from Class 11 all the way to PhD — covering non-professional and professional courses. Over 60 lakh students apply each year; the aggregate annual budget is ₹12,000+ crore between central + matching state shares.

लाभ — What Students Receive

Benefits vary by course level (Group I, II, III, IV) and whether you’re a day scholar or hosteller.

Example: Graduation student, day scholar

Item	Amount
Maintenance allowance	₹380/month × 10 months = ₹3,800/year
Book grant	₹1,500/year
Ad-hoc grant	₹500/year
Tuition fee	Full reimbursement (as per college fee structure)
Disability allowance	Additional 50% (for PwD)

Example: Professional course (MBBS, Engineering), hosteller

Item	Amount
Maintenance	₹820/month × 10 months = ₹8,200/year
Book/stationery	₹3,000/year
Tuition	Full reimbursement
Study tour + thesis	₹1,500 + ₹1,600

PhD/Research

Tuition + maintenance + fellowship + book grant + thesis grant + contingency.

पात्रता — Who Qualifies

Student enrolled in a recognized institution for Class 11 / 12 / UG / PG / professional / PhD course
Belongs to SC / ST / OBC (caste certificate mandatory)
Family income below cap (see below)
Not availing another overlapping scholarship
Student is not a repeater (scholarship for the same class year is not given twice)

Income caps (2025-26)

Category	Income cap
SC (Post-Matric)	₹2.5 lakh/year
ST (Post-Matric)	₹2.5 lakh/year
OBC Central (National)	₹1 lakh/year
OBC-NCL State Scheme	₹8 lakh/year (non-creamy layer)
Minority Post-Matric	₹2 lakh/year

Check your exact scheme’s current income cap — it’s updated annually.

आवश्यक दस्तावेज़ — Documents Required

Aadhaar card (Aadhaar-seeded bank account)
Bank passbook
Caste certificate (state-issued)
Income certificate (within 6 months)
Class 12 / previous class marksheet
Current college / institution bonafide certificate
Admission + fee receipt for current year
Student ID card (college-issued)
Passport photograph

For PwD students: disability certificate (40%+).

For orphan/single-parent: parent’s death certificate.

आवेदन प्रक्रिया — How to Apply

Step 1: Login at scholarships.gov.in

If you applied for Pre-Matric in Class 10, use same Application ID
Else, register fresh — same process as Pre-Matric

Step 2: Select scheme

Click “Apply for Scholarship” and select:

“Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students”
“Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students”
“Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC Students”

Step 3: Fill form

Personal + address details (auto-filled)
Course name + year + college name (search from NSP’s institution database)
Mode (regular / distance / open university)
Course level (Group I / II / III / IV)
Bank details for DBT
Parent’s income + occupation

Step 4: Upload documents

Under 200 KB per file, PDF / JPG
Check each upload is readable before submitting

Step 5: Submit and track

Institution Nodal Officer (INO) verifies within 15-30 days
Ministry approves in 30-90 days
DBT payout 30-60 days after approval

Tuition Reimbursement — How It Works

For professional courses (MBBS, Engineering, MBA, etc.), tuition fees can be substantial (₹1-10 lakh/year). Post-Matric reimburses:

Full tuition for students in government colleges
Capped reimbursement for students in private colleges (based on State Fee Regulatory Committee-approved fee, not the full sticker price)

Extra fees beyond cap must be paid by student/family.

Timeline

Action	Typical dates
Fresh applications open	August
Fresh applications close	October-November
Renewal applications close	October
Institution verification	Nov-Dec
Ministry approval	Dec-Feb
First DBT tranche	Jan-March

Renewal — Critical Every Year

Unlike some one-time scholarships, Post-Matric must be renewed every academic year:

Login with same Application ID
Select “Renewal”
Upload current year marksheet + bonafide
Submit before renewal deadline
Faster processing (30-60 days)

Miss the renewal deadline = miss one year of scholarship.

स्थिति चेक — Status Check

Same as Pre-Matric — login at scholarships.gov.in, dashboard shows stage-wise status + payment details.

FAQ — Common Questions

My college charges ₹2 lakh tuition but I’m getting only ₹60,000 tuition reimbursement. Why? The reimbursement is capped at the State Fee Regulatory Committee‘s approved tuition rate for your course, not the college’s actual fee. Private colleges often charge above this cap; the excess is out-of-pocket.

Can I get both Post-Matric SC/ST scholarship and a merit scholarship from my college? Only if they don’t overlap in intent. Non-overlapping scholarships are allowed. A tuition-coverage Post-Matric + a merit-based stipend can usually stack; check specific scheme rules.

My course is distance education (IGNOU). Am I eligible? Yes, distance and open-university courses are eligible. Ensure your institution is on NSP.

I’m doing MBBS and my course fee is ₹5 lakh. Can Post-Matric really cover that? Only at the government-approved fee level for your course. MBBS in government college (~₹10-50K/year) is easily covered. In private MBBS college, the approved fee (~₹1-3 lakh) is covered; anything above is self-paid.

I already have PM-KISAN or BPL benefits. Can I also apply for Post-Matric? Yes. Post-Matric is independent of most other schemes. They don’t overlap in purpose (education vs livelihood).

What if my institution doesn’t register on NSP after I apply? You need to raise it with your institution. If they refuse, transfer to a registered institution or lose this year’s scholarship. Your application can’t progress without institution verification on NSP.

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Last verified: 20 April 2026. Official source: https://scholarships.gov.in