The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has officially launched the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) for the academic year 2026-27, starting from June 1, 2026. This centralized platform allows students to access various Central Government financial aid programs all in one place.

For the 2026-27 academic session, a major update is that completing a One Time Registration (OTR) is strictly mandatory before applying for any scholarship. Currently, there are 18 active schemes available on the portal, while two University Grants Commission (UGC) scholarships have yet to open. To qualify for most of these schemes, a student's total annual family income must be between ₹2.5 lakh and ₹8 lakh.

Here is the exact step-by-step breakdown of the schemes, eligibility, amounts, and deadlines, exactly as structured by the government updates.

What Is the National Scholarship Portal (NSP)?

The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) is an official Government of India platform where students can find and apply for eligible scholarship schemes offered by central government ministries, departments, and other participating authorities. The portal brings scholarship application, processing, verification, and tracking services together in one place.

1. PM-USP Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship (CSSS)

Deadline: September 30, 2026
Eligibility: Currently accepting renewal applications only. This scheme is for students pursuing regular undergraduate or postgraduate degrees in premier institutions like Delhi University (DU), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI).
Scholarship Amount:

Students in Graduation (1st to 3rd year) and B.Tech/B.E. (1st to 3rd year) receive ₹12,000 annually.
Students in Post-Graduation, the 4th year of B.Tech/B.E., or the 4th and 5th years of Integrated courses receive ₹20,000 annually.

2. PM YASASVI Top Class Education

Deadline: October 31, 2026
Eligibility: Targeted at students holding OBC, EBC, or DNT certificates. Fresh applications are limited to first-year students only. Applicants cannot be receiving any other state or central government scholarship.
Scholarship Amount: Reimburses tuition fees up to ₹2.00 lakh per year for private institutes (and up to ₹3.72 lakh per year for private flying clubs). Additionally, students receive a ₹3,000 monthly living allowance, ₹5,000 annually for books and stationery, and a one-time grant of ₹45,000 for a computer or laptop.

3. Top Class Education for SC Students

Deadline: October 31, 2026
Eligibility: Exclusive to SC certificate holders, with fresh applications open only to first-year students. There is a strict 30% seat reservation for female candidates. This scheme is highly utilized by students taking admission in SC-reserved quotas at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Hyderabad Central University (HCU), and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
Scholarship Amount: Covers tuition fees up to ₹2.00 lakh per year for private colleges. The academic allowance is fixed at ₹86,000 for the first year and ₹41,000 for all subsequent years.

4. National Fellowship & Scholarship for ST Students

Deadline: October 31, 2026
Eligibility: Available to ST students admitted to notified institutions based on merit. Notably, there is no upper limit on the number of slots—every eligible ST student who applies will receive the scholarship.
Scholarship Amount: Provides complete fee coverage for government colleges and up to ₹2.50 lakh per year for private institutions. It also includes a ₹3,000 monthly stipend, ₹5,000 per year for books, and a one-time ₹45,000 computer allowance.

5. DEPwD Post Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Deadline: October 31, 2026
Eligibility: For students possessing a benchmark disability of 40% or more. The scheme offers approximately 17,000 slots annually (including renewals), with 50% of these reserved for girls. (Note: Disabled students pursuing technical courses are advised to use the AICTE SAKSHAM scheme instead).
Scholarship Amount: Provides up to ₹1.40 lakh per year for admission and tuition fees, plus up to ₹10,000 for miscellaneous expenses. Maintenance allowances are ₹1,200 per month for hostellers and ₹650 per month for day scholars. The specific disability allowance is ₹4,000 annually for visual/intellectual disabilities and ₹2,000 annually for others. An extra ₹1,500 is provided for books.

6. Additional Specific Scholarship Schemes (Deadline: October 31, 2026)

Beyond the major categories above, the NSP also hosts scholarships for highly specific groups:

For Wards of Force Personnel: Dependents of RPF/RPSF personnel should apply under the Railways PMSS. Meanwhile, dependents of martyred Police personnel, CAPF, and Assam Rifles apply under the Home Affairs PMSS.
For Wards of Workers: Students from families of Beedi, Cine, Mica, IOMC, or LSDM workers are covered under the Labour Ministry schemes.
For North East Students: Residents of the North East Region should apply for the Ishan Uday or NEC Merit schemes.
For J&K and Ladakh Students: Applicants eligible for the SSSJKL scheme must remember that applications are submitted through the AICTE portal, not directly on the NSP.

Students are advised to immediately visit scholarships.gov.in to complete their OTR process and secure their financial aid before the respective September 30 and October 31 deadlines expire.

Conclusion

The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) 2026-27 gives eligible students access to various government scholarship schemes and financial support. Since eligibility, scholarship amounts, and deadlines differ by scheme, students should check the requirements carefully before applying. AdmissionWala helps students understand scholarship schemes, eligibility, deadlines, and application processes so financial challenges do not become a barrier to continuing their education.