NSP Central Sector Scholarship 2026-27 - ₹12,000/Year for Meritorious UG/PG Students | Apply by 31 Oct

About the Central Sector Scheme

The Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships for College and University Students is a flagship scholarship programme by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It is available on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) at scholarships.gov.in.

The scheme aims to reduce the dropout rate at the undergraduate level by providing financial assistance to meritorious students from lower-income families. It is one of India’s most widely accessible central scholarships — available to eligible students across all states, all boards, and all disciplines.

The NSP portal for 2026-27 is open from 1 June 2026. Last date to apply: 31 October 2026.

Scholarship Amount

Stage	Annual Scholarship
UG 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Year	₹12,000/year
UG 4th and 5th Year (professional courses like B.Tech, MBBS)	₹20,000/year
Post-Graduate (PG) — 1st and 2nd Year	₹20,000/year

Amount is disbursed directly to the student’s Aadhaar-linked bank account through DBT. Typically credited annually in two instalments.

Eligibility

All of the following must be true:

1. Class 12 Performance: Must have scored in the top 20 percentile of successful candidates in the Class 12 examination of their respective Board (State Board, CBSE, ICSE, etc.)

   • Check your board’s top 20 percentile cut-off — it is published by each board separately (not the same for all states)

2. Enrolled in Regular Course: Must be pursuing a regular full-time undergraduate or postgraduate degree course at a recognised college/university. Distance or correspondence courses are not eligible.

3. Income: Annual family income from all sources must be below ₹4,50,000 (₹4.5 lakh)

4. Not availing another scholarship: Cannot simultaneously receive the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship or any other full scholarship covering the same academic expenses

5. For renewal: Must have cleared all subjects in the previous year of study

Eligible courses: Any UG or PG programme — BA, B.Com, B.Sc, B.Tech, MBBS, BBA, LLB, MA, M.Sc, MBA, MCA, M.Tech and all other recognised degrees.

How to Check If You Are in the Top 20 Percentile

Each board publishes its top 20 percentile cut-off separately. General guidance:

• CBSE: Look up the CBSE scholarship top 20 percentile cut-off published by CBSE for your stream (Science, Commerce, Arts) for the 2026 board results
• State Boards: Your state’s Directorate of Education or NSP portal publishes the cut-off
• The cut-off varies significantly — for competitive boards, it may be 90%+; for others, 75-80%

When in doubt, apply. The NSP system checks eligibility automatically during verification.

Application Window

Event	Date
NSP Portal Opens	1 June 2026
Last Date to Apply	31 October 2026
Institute Verification Deadline	November 2026
Disbursement	November-December 2026

How to Apply — Step by Step

Apply at: scholarships.gov.in

1. Go to scholarships.gov.in
2. Click “New Registration” (or log in if you already have an NSP account)
3. Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) — requires Aadhaar-linked mobile number, name, DOB
4. Log in to your NSP student account
5. Click “Application Form” for 2026-27
6. Search for “Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships” under Ministry of Education
7. Fill in:
   • Personal and contact details
   • Academic details (Class 12 board, year, roll number, percentage/marks)
   • Current course and college details
   • Bank account details (Aadhaar-linked)
   • Family income details
8. Upload required documents
9. Submit for Institute Nodal Officer (INO) verification — your college verifies the application
10. After INO verification, your state-level nodal officer verifies
11. Track status on NSP dashboard

Required Documents

• Aadhaar Card
• Class 12 Marksheet and Passing Certificate
• Current Year College Admission Letter or Bonafide Certificate
• Income Certificate from a government authority (Tehsildar, DM, etc.) for FY 2025-26
• Bank Passbook front page (showing Aadhaar-linked account number and IFSC)
• Caste Certificate (if applicable for SC/ST/OBC — while this scholarship is for all categories, it helps verify priority)
• Photograph (passport size, digital)

Renewal Process

For existing scholarship holders (continuing UG/PG students):

• Apply for renewal on NSP in the same annual window (June-October 2026)
• Upload current year’s marksheet and bonafide certificate
• Institute verifies continuation

Common Reasons for Rejection — Avoid These

1. Bank account not linked to Aadhaar
2. Income certificate expired or not from a competent authority (ration card not accepted)
3. Application not verified by Institute Nodal Officer before the deadline — check with your college’s scholarship coordinator immediately after applying
4. Duplicate application (applying for multiple scholarships covering same expenses)
5. Marks percentage entered differently from what the board certificate shows

Quick Facts

Fact	Detail
Scholarship Type	Merit-cum-means
Administering Body	Ministry of Education, GoI
Portal	scholarships.gov.in
Mobile App	Available on Google Play Store as “NSP Mobile App”
Helpdesk	0120-6619540
Email	helpdesk@nsp.gov.in

Apply early — don’t wait for October. The portal sees millions of applications and technical issues are common near the deadline.