Government plans to raise income limit for post-matric scholarship for SCs, OBCs, DNTs from 2026-27 onwards

The Union Ministry of Social Justice plans to increase annual family income eligibility criteria for post-matric scholarship schemes for Scheduled Caste, Other Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes and Scheduled, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes students from ₹ 2.5 lakh to ₹ 4.5 lakh from the financial year 2026-27.

Informing a Parliamentary panel on the ministry, the government also stated that widespread revisions are planned in various scholarship schemes managed by the Ministries of Social Justice and Tribal Affairs for students from SC, ST, OBC and DNT communities.

The government plans to rename the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) scheme for SC students as “Baba Saheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Overseas Scholarship Scheme”, increase the number of seats under this scheme from 125 to 250, increase the maintenance allowance by 25% and introduce a new category to accommodate children of sanitary workers.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs informed the delegation that a similar NOS scheme for ST students is also being revised and a proposal has been made to increase the number of seats from 20 to 50 and increase financial aid from $15,400 to $19,250.

In addition, the government is proposing changes in schemes such as free coaching scheme for SCs and OBCs; It is also planned to double the number of quotas and salaries in this program and to allow state universities to be assigned to provide coaching. Also, XII. It is proposed that first-year scholarships for SC students beyond the classroom be changed to a “saturation-based” program rather than having a fixed number of places.

Additionally, a proposal is also being prepared to launch a new scheme called “SAMRAS” to build “high capacity hostels in Central universities for SC, ST, OBC, EBC and DNTs and even general category students”.

The proposed changes for post-matric scholarship for SCs also include a provision to allocate 1% of the budget allocation to raise awareness about the scholarship.

These changes to the plans from the next financial cycle (2026-27 to 2030-31) are being proposed to the Expenditure Finance Committee by the relevant ministries. The committee is expected to review these and make a decision in time for the start of the next cycle. The proposals for changes to these plans were revealed by the government during its interactions with the departmental standing committee on social justice and empowerment.

This committee had last year recommended increasing the income ceiling eligibility criteria for various scholarship programs and also called for increasing the number of quotas under these programmes. On Wednesday, reports on the Request for Grants submitted by this committee to both the Ministries of Social Justice and Tribal Affairs recorded the responses submitted by the government on proposals for changes in scholarship, coaching and hostel programmes.

Lack of consistency

The Committee also expressed concerns that Department of Social Justice expenditures did not meet the Budget Estimates planned at the beginning of the financial year. It was also noted that significant funds for SC, Backward Classes and Social Defense departments have been delivered by the Ministry in the financial year 2024-25. However, the bench concluded that the underutilization of funds was due to “lack of consistency between the Central and State Governments”.

In its submissions to the House of Representatives panel recorded in reports submitted by the committee on Wednesday, the government has proposed to increase annual scholarship amounts for degree and postgraduate levels (from ₹20,000 to ₹25,000), professional courses leading to degrees, diplomas and certificates (from ₹13,000 to ₹13,000) under the Post-Matric Scholarship scheme for OBCs, EBCs and DNTs. he said. ₹15,000) and for Class XI and XII levels (₹5,000 to ₹7,000).

In addition, under this scheme, there will be an additional amount of ₹2,000 per annum for technical and vocational courses pursued at Class XI and XII levels.

Also, under the free coaching scheme for SCs and OBCs, the government proposes to increase the number of seats from 3,500 to 7,000. Of these new total quotas, the department plans to keep 3,000 quotas for Central universities and 2,000 quotas for State universities. In addition, it is also planned to introduce “student-centred mode”, where students will be able to choose to study at coaching centers of their choice and the remaining 2,000 seats will be reserved.

The parliamentary panel, in its report on the Ministry of Social Justice Grant Demand, said the NAMASTE scheme to address deaths due to hazardous cleaning of drains and septic tanks needed more allocations and expressed “shock” that “only seven States/union territories have special police stations” despite the Prevention of Atrocities Act (SC/ST Act) being in force for over three decades.

Among proposals submitted to the EFC for the next cycle, the committee says the government also plans to increase the amounts of assistance paid to victims and their families under this law and increase funds sent to States to establish special police stations.

It was published – 11 March 2026 22:51 IST