PM Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) 2026: ₹3,000/Month for Defense Wards

pm scholarship scheme 2026

पीएम छात्रवृत्ति योजना (PMSS) 2026: रक्षाकर्मियों के बच्चों के लिए

Quick facts: ₹3,000/month (boys) or ₹3,210/month (girls) for wards and widows of ex-servicemen / police / paramilitary / coast guard personnel · for professional UG courses · 5,500 scholarships per year · portal ksb.gov.in/PMSS.htm.

The Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) is administered by the Kendriya Sainik Board for the education of children and widows of armed forces / police / paramilitary / Coast Guard personnel. Instituted after the Kargil War commemoration, PMSS supports approximately 5,500 students each year in professional undergraduate courses at recognized Indian institutions.

लाभ — Benefit Structure

Category Monthly Annual
Boys ₹3,000 ₹30,000 (10 months × ₹3,000)
Girls ₹3,210 ₹32,100
  • Duration: full course length (2-5 years, depending on course)
  • Mode: DBT to Aadhaar-linked bank account
  • Course requirement: enrolled in professional UG degree (engineering, medicine, dentistry, MBA, BEd, BBA, LLB, architecture, pharmacy, hotel mgmt, veterinary, etc.)

पात्रता — Who Qualifies

Eligible dependents

Wards (children) of:

  • Ex-servicemen (army, navy, air force) — including pensioners, recipients of disability pension, retirees
  • Serving or retired police personnel (from state + central police forces)
  • Serving or retired paramilitary personnel — BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, Assam Rifles
  • Serving or retired Indian Coast Guard personnel
  • Widows of the above who themselves pursue education (rare but eligible)

Academic criteria

  • Minimum 60% in Class 12 (or equivalent in admission course) — strict
  • Admitted to professional UG course (not diploma, not non-professional UG)
  • Admitted through centralized / state entrance test OR management quota (with proof)

Income

  • No income cap for dependents of ex-servicemen / police / paramilitary
  • Merit-based within the eligible pool

आवश्यक दस्तावेज़ — Documents Required

Parent’s service proof (critical)

  • Ex-servicemen: Pension Payment Order (PPO) / Discharge Certificate
  • Police: Service Certificate from department
  • Paramilitary: Service Certificate + ID card
  • Widow applicants: Part II Order / Death Certificate + Pension Payment Order

Student-specific

  • Aadhaar card
  • Bank passbook (Aadhaar-seeded)
  • Class 12 marksheet
  • Current college bonafide + admission letter
  • Course fee receipt
  • Caste certificate (if applicable)

आवेदन प्रक्रिया — How to Apply

Step 1: Register on KSB portal

  1. Open https://ksb.gov.in/PMSS.htm
  2. Click “Fresh Application”
  3. Enter basic details + parent’s service info
  4. OTP verification

Step 2: Fill detailed application

  • Personal + academic + bank + contact
  • Upload documents including parent’s service proof
  • Click Submit → receive PMSS Application ID

Step 3: Verification

  • KSB Secretariat verifies parent’s service authenticity (via Pension Payment authorities for ex-servicemen)
  • Academic verification cross-checked with institution and state board
  • Selection based on Class 12 merit + course demand

Step 4: Sanction and Payment

  • Merit list published, typically in October
  • Sanction letter issued
  • DBT begins from the same month (back-calculated to July for full-year coverage)

Timeline

Action Date
Application opens June-July
Last date September 30 (for fresh); October 15 (renewal)
Verification Sept-Nov
Merit list November
First DBT Dec (back-dated to July)
Second tranche March (for Jan-Mar)

Renewal

  • Automatic renewal if you maintain:
  • Minimum 50% aggregate in UG exams
  • Enrolled in same course + institution
  • Submit marksheet + bonafide by October renewal deadline
  • Failure to renew = skip one year

Important Restrictions

  • One family, one scholarship — only one ward/widow per family at a time
  • Cannot be received alongside another central-government scholarship covering the same purpose
  • Student must be in first-year of course (fresh applications only)

हेल्पलाइन — Official Helpline

Service Number
Kendriya Sainik Board PMSS Cell 011-26715250
Email ksb-mod[at]nic.in
Portal https://ksb.gov.in/PMSS.htm

FAQ — Common Questions

My father is a retired state police SI. Am I eligible? Yes — children of retired state police personnel are eligible. Get Service Certificate from his department as proof.

My father died in service. Can I apply? Yes — children of deceased service personnel are eligible with the same (or sometimes priority) treatment. Submit death certificate + PPO of widowhood pension.

I’m in Class 12, expecting admission to engineering in 2 months. Can I apply? Yes, but your application is confirmed only after you provide admission proof to the professional course. Start application; complete with admission docs when available.

Can I get PMSS + Post-Matric SC/ST scholarship? No, they overlap. PMSS is specifically designed as the single scholarship for defense-family wards; you must choose one.

Is PMSS available for ITI/diploma courses? No. PMSS is for professional UG degree courses only. Not for ITI, certificate, diploma, or short-term courses.

My parent is a veteran from Friends’ Force / state auxiliary. Am I eligible? Only regular armed forces / state police / paramilitary personnel are covered. State police is included; auxiliary forces typically are not. Check with KSB directly.


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Last verified: 20 April 2026. Official source: https://ksb.gov.in/PMSS.htm