The National Scholarship Portal (NSP), a cornerstone of India’s National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), is a unified digital platform that consolidates scholarship opportunities from central and state governments, as well as bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Catering to students from Class 1 to PhD, NSP streamlines the application, verification, processing, and disbursement of scholarships through a SMART system—Simplified, Mission-oriented, Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent—ensuring efficient and transparent fund delivery via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). This guide provides a comprehensive overview of NSP for 2025, covering its purpose, benefits, scholarship schemes, application process, and key services.
Why Was NSP Created?
The NSP was established to address key challenges in scholarship distribution, with the following objectives:
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Ensure timely disbursement of scholarships to students.
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Provide a single platform for central and state government scholarships.
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Maintain a transparent database of scholars.
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Eliminate duplication in application processing.
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Harmonize diverse scholarship schemes and norms.
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Facilitate Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for seamless fund delivery.
Benefits for Students
Students can leverage NSP to:
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Check Eligibility: Verify eligibility for various scholarships.
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Register: Create an account to apply for eligible schemes.
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Submit Applications: Use a hassle-free online submission process.
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Track Applications: Monitor application status in real-time.
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Receive Funds: Get scholarship amounts credited directly to bank accounts via DBT and track payment status.
Scholarship Categories on NSP
NSP hosts a wide range of scholarships for students from Class 1 to PhD, categorized as:
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Central Schemes: Funded by various central government ministries.
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UGC Schemes: Offered by the University Grants Commission for higher education.
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AICTE Schemes: Provided by the All India Council for Technical Education for technical education.
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State Schemes: Managed by state governments for resident students.
Central Schemes
Key central schemes, offered by ministries like Minority Affairs, Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Social Justice, and others, include:
|
Scholarship Name |
Provider |
Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
|
Pre-Matric Scholarships Scheme for Minorities |
Ministry of Minority Affairs |
TBA |
|
Post-Matric Scholarships Scheme for Minorities |
Ministry of Minority Affairs |
TBA |
|
Merit Cum Means Scholarship for Professional and Technical Courses |
Ministry of Minority Affairs |
TBA |
|
Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship |
Ministry of Minority Affairs |
TBA |
|
Pre-Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities |
Dept. of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities |
TBA |
|
Post-Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities |
Dept. of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
|
Top Class Education Scheme for SC Students |
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
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Financial Assistance for Beedi/Cine/IOMC/LSDM Workers (Pre/Post-Matric) |
Ministry of Labour and Employment |
15th November/December 2025 (Tentative) |
|
National Means Cum Merit Scholarship |
Dept. of School Education & Literacy |
15th November 2025 (Tentative) |
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NEC Merit Scholarship for NER Region |
North Eastern Council, DoNER |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
|
Central Sector Scheme for College/University Students |
Dept. of Higher Education |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
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PM’s Scholarship for CAPF/Assam Rifles |
WARB, Ministry of Home Affairs |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
|
PM’s Scholarship for RPF/RPSF |
Ministry of Railway |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
UGC Schemes
The UGC, under the Ministry of Education, supports higher education with:
|
Scholarship |
Application Deadline |
|---|---|
|
National Scholarship for Post Graduate Studies |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
|
Ishan Uday Special Scholarship Scheme for NER |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
AICTE Schemes
AICTE supports technical education with:
|
Scholarship |
Application Deadline |
|---|---|
|
Pragati Scholarship for Girl Students (Technical Degree/Diploma) |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
|
Saksham Scholarship (Technical Diploma/Degree) |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
|
Swanath Scholarship (Technical Diploma/Degree) |
15th December 2025 (Tentative) |
State Schemes
NSP hosts state-specific scholarships from 15 states, including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, and others. Examples include:
|
State |
Scholarship Name |
Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
|
Assam |
Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC Students (Class IX-X) |
TBA |
|
Assam |
Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students |
31st October 2025 (Tentative) |
|
Chandigarh |
Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students |
31st October 2025 (Tentative) |
|
Goa |
Pre/Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students |
31st December 2025 (Tentative) |
|
Himachal Pradesh |
Mukhya Mantri Protsahan Yojana |
31st October 2025 (Tentative) |
|
Puducherry |
Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC Students (Class 6-10) |
31st August 2025 (Tentative) |
Union Territory Schemes
|
Scholarship Name |
Application Deadline |
|---|---|
|
Pre/Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC/SC/ST Students, Dadra Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu |
TBA |
|
Pre/Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students, Ladakh |
TBA |
|
Lakshadweep Scholarship Scheme |
TBA |
How to Apply for NSP Scholarships
To apply, ensure your institution is registered on NSP. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Verify Institution Registration
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Visit scholarships.gov.in.
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Click “Options” and select “Registered Institutes on NSP.”
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If unregistered, request your institution to register via NSP.
Step 2: Register on NSP
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Go to scholarships.gov.in, click “Students,” then “Login” under OTR.
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Select “Register,” read guidelines, and agree to terms.
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Enter mobile number, verify with OTP, and input CAPTCHA.
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Provide Aadhaar number (or parent’s Aadhaar) and verify with OTP.
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Fill in personal details (parents’ names, email) and click “Finish.”
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Download the OTR mobile app for face authentication to complete registration and receive a temporary registration number.
Step 3: Log In
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Click “Login,” enter application ID and password.
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Complete face authentication via the OTR app.
Step 4: Change Password
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Verify OTP sent to your registered mobile.
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Change password as prompted.
Step 5: Complete Application
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Access the Applicant Dashboard and click “Application Form.”
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Enter registration, academic, and scheme details.
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Upload required documents and save as draft.
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Verify details and click “Final Submit.” Note: No edits are allowed post-submission.
Key Documents Required
For scholarships above ₹50,000, upload:
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Bank Passbook
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Educational Certificates
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Aadhaar Number (or Enrollment ID)
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Domicile Certificate
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Income Certificate
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Caste Certificate (if applicable)
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Bonafide Student Certificate (if studying outside domicile state) For scholarships below ₹50,000, submit document copies to your institution.
Key Services on NSP
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NSP 2.0 User Manual: Guides users on registration and application processes.
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Scheme Eligibility Checker: Filter scholarships by domicile, course, caste, income, etc.
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Ministry/State Nodal Officer Details: Contact information for scheme-specific officers.
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AISHE Code Lookup: Verify or obtain AISHE codes for institutions.
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Applicant List: View selected scholarship recipients by year, scheme, and region.
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Institute Operational Manual: Guides institutions on registration and profile updates.
NSP Mobile App
Launched in 2018, the NSP Mobile App (available on Google Play Store and UMANG) simplifies scholarship applications. It supports end-to-end services, from registration to application submission and tracking.
Contact Details
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Helpdesk: 0120-6619540
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Email: [email protected]
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Complaints: Register and track grievances via the NSP complaints section.
FAQs
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What is NSP? A centralized platform for government scholarships, offering application, verification, and DBT services.
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What are NSP Scholarships? Scholarships from central/state governments and UGC/AICTE, categorized by provider and level.
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Who Can Apply? Students from Class 1 to PhD; eligibility varies by scheme (check individual guidelines).
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Application Period? Central schemes: August–November; state schemes vary (e.g., 31st August/October 2025 (Tentative) for Pre/Post-Matric).
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Is Aadhaar Mandatory? No, Aadhaar Enrollment ID is sufficient if Aadhaar is unavailable.
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Renewal Process? Apply via NSP’s “Renewal” login using previous application ID and password.
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Forgot ID/Password? Use “Forget Application ID/Password” on the login page.
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Track Application? Check status via “Check Your Status” in the user dashboard.
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Edit Application? Not possible after final submission; verify details before submitting.
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Disbursement Process? Funds are credited via DBT; track via PFMS using bank details and NSP ID.
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Scholarship Amount? Varies by scheme, covering maintenance, fees, books, etc.
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States on NSP? Includes Assam, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and 12 others.
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Documents Required? Bank passbook, educational certificates, Aadhaar, income/caste certificates, etc.
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Post-Matric Scholarship Amount? Varies, includes maintenance, fees, book allowances, etc.
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Last Date for NSP 2025? 31st August 2025 (Tentative) (Pre-Matric), 31st October 2025 (Tentative) (Post-Matric).
For detailed information, visit scholarships.gov.in or contact the helpdesk.