This scholarship is for degree students at AICTE-approved institutions whose family has faced a serious loss or illness. That includes orphans, children of parents who died of Covid-19 or were martyred in service, and children of seriously ill or severely disabled parents. The main condition is a family income of no more than Rs 8 lakh a year. Start with the checklist below.
Before You Apply
| Check | You are ready if… |
|---|---|
| ☐ Eligible category | You are an orphan, a ward of a parent who died of Covid-19, a ward of martyred Armed Forces or Central Paramilitary personnel, or your parent has a life-threatening illness or severe disability |
| ☐ Income of Rs 8 lakh or less | Family income from all sources is within the limit this financial year |
| ☐ AICTE-approved regular course | Your institute and degree course are both approved, and you study in regular mode |
| ☐ No conflicting scholarship | You hold no Central, State or AICTE scholarship |
| ☐ Aadhaar | You have your own Aadhaar number, which the application requires |
| ☐ Required certificates | Your category documents, bonafide certificate, mark sheets and category certificate are ready (see the documents table) |
If one box stays empty, fix it before you start the form.
Student application deadline: 31 October 2026
Institute verification closes 15 November 2026. Nodal officer verification closes 30 November 2026.
Application status
| Item | Position as of 2 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Student application | Open until 31 October 2026 (29 days left) |
| Institute verification | Open until 15 November 2026 (44 days left) |
| Defective application correction | Open until 15 November 2026 |
| Nodal officer verification (shown on the portal as DNO/SNO/MNO) | Open until 30 November 2026 (59 days left) |
Your institute must verify your form after you submit it, so do not leave submission to the last week. Windows are sometimes extended or closed early, so check the scheme page on the portal before you start.
Source: National Scholarship Portal scheme listing, as checked on 2 October 2026.
Quick overview
| Detail | What the guidelines and portal say |
|---|---|
| Provider | AICTE, through its Student Development Cell |
| Scheme name | AICTE Swanath Scholarship Scheme (Welfare Based Scheme) |
| Level | Degree in this portal listing (the guidelines also cover diploma) |
| Course | AICTE-approved courses, regular mode, 1st to 4th year |
| Who can apply | Four categories, explained under eligibility |
| Amount | Rs 50,000 per year |
| Awards | Up to 1,000 for degree students each year |
| Duration | Up to 4 years, fewer if you are already in a later year |
| Income limit | Rs 8 lakh a year, all sources |
| Minimum marks | Not stated. Selection is by merit. |
| Domicile or state | Not stated as a condition |
| Application mode | Online on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) |
| Last date for students | See the deadline box above |
No mark cut-off is published, so your rank depends on how other applicants score.
Who should apply and who should skip
Apply if:
- You are an orphan in any year of a regular degree course.
- One or both of your parents died because of Covid-19.
- Your parent was in the Armed Forces or a Central Paramilitary Force and was martyred in action.
- Your parent has a life-threatening illness such as cancer, or died or was left more than 80% disabled in an accident, as defined under the RPwD Act 2016.
Skip if:
- You already receive any Central Government, State Government or AICTE scholarship.
- Your family income is above Rs 8 lakh, or your course is not a regular-mode course at an approved institution.
Eligibility
The guidelines require all four of these together: one of the categories above, family income within the limit, study in an approved regular course, and no other Central, State or AICTE scholarship. The income certificate must be issued by a State or UT Government authority.
If you fail one condition, the scheme is closed to you. If your only doubt is whether your institute is approved, ask its office to confirm before you give up. Aadhaar is listed separately, under the terms and conditions, as a requirement for any application.
Source: AICTE Swanath guidelines (May 2025), sections 2.0 and 11.0 (point 3).
What you get
The guidelines state Rs 50,000 per year, paid as a lump sum by direct benefit transfer (DBT) once a year. It is meant for college fee, a computer, stationery, books, equipment and software. Hostel and medical charges are not covered, and no extra grant is given for them.
The number of years depends on your current year of study.
| Your current year (degree) | Years of scholarship |
|---|---|
| 1st year | Up to 4 |
| 2nd year | Up to 3 |
| 3rd year | Up to 2 |
| 4th year | 1 |
A first-year student can therefore receive up to Rs 2 lakh over the course, if selected and renewed each year. The notice promises no payment date.
Source: AICTE Swanath guidelines (May 2025), sections 4.0 and 9.0.
Documents to keep ready
Everything is uploaded on NSP. What you need depends on your category.
| Category | Documents the guidelines list | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Orphan | Death certificates of both parents (if available), or a certificate from a Tehsildar or SDM in the Annexure I format | Use the exact Annexure I format |
| Parent(s) died of Covid-19 | Death certificate; current-year income certificate if one parent is alive | The certificate must name Covid-19 as the cause of death |
| Ward of martyred personnel | Death certificate, shaheed certificate from the Armed Forces or Paramilitary Force, current-year income certificate | The income certificate must say family income is below Rs 8 lakh |
| All categories | Bonafide certificate from your institute, 10+2 and 10th mark sheets, category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL) | Names and dates of birth should match across documents |
The orphan list does not name an income certificate, even though the eligibility rule asks for one. The parent-illness category has no document list at all. Both gaps are in the “What the notice does not say” table at the end.
Source: AICTE Swanath guidelines (May 2025), section 10.0 and Annexure I.
How to apply
- Wait for the application window on NSP and confirm it is open for this scheme.
- Register or log in on the National Scholarship Portal with your Aadhaar number.
- Fill in the application and upload the documents for your category.
- Submit before the student deadline.
- Your institute verifies the application online (first level).
- The State or UT Department of Education verifies it (second level). The portal also lists nodal officer verification and a window to correct defective applications.
- Watch the AICTE website for the provisional merit list.
Incomplete applications are rejected outright, and only verified applications are considered. After you submit, ask your institute when it will verify.
Source: AICTE Swanath guidelines (May 2025), sections 7.0 and 11.0 (point 2).
How selection works
Selection is by merit alone. For degree students, that means the percentage in 10+2 or an equivalent exam, counted from any five subjects. Reservation follows Government of India norms, but the guidelines give no split.
If percentages tie, the guidelines break the tie in this order: 10th percentage, then age (the older candidate ranks higher), then lower family income.
For conversions, multiply CGPA by 9.5 to get a percentage. If your mark sheet shows both CGPA and total marks, total marks are used. Letter grades such as A1 or B2 are first converted to CGPA.
Sources: AICTE Swanath guidelines (May 2025), section 5.0 for selection and tie-breaks; section 11.0, points 7 to 10, for conversion.
Renewal and conditions
Each year you renew on NSP by uploading a promotion certificate and a bonafide certificate from your Head of Institution. You lose the scholarship if you are not promoted or do not renew in time. A student who fails or drops out is not eligible for further scholarship.
You also cannot receive other financial help. The guidelines name scholarships, emoluments, salary and stipend from any source. If you do, the scholarship stops and you must refund the full amount by demand draft to the Member Secretary, AICTE, payable at New Delhi.
Source: AICTE Swanath guidelines (May 2025), sections 8.0 and 11.0 (points 4 and 5).
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Death certificate that does not state Covid-19 as the cause | The guidelines ask for the cause to be stated explicitly |
| Old income certificate | A current-year certificate is asked for, and it must show income below Rs 8 lakh |
| No Aadhaar number | The application will not be accepted |
| Not following up on institute verification | Only verified applications are considered |
| Applying while holding another Central, State or AICTE scholarship | You fail the fourth eligibility condition |
| Wrong 10+2 percentage | Rank rests on this figure, so a miscalculation can cost you places |
Is it worth applying?
If you fit a category, yes. The effort is mostly collecting certificates, and Rs 50,000 a year can pay for a laptop, books and fees, though not hostel charges. There are up to 1,000 degree awards a year and ranking is by 10+2 marks, but the notice does not publish applicant numbers, so you cannot judge your odds in advance. Applying does not guarantee selection.
How to prepare your application
- Apply for the Tehsildar, SDM or income certificate now, because offices can take days.
- Compare your name, date of birth and parents’ names across Aadhaar, mark sheets and certificates. Fix spelling differences before you upload.
- Work out your 10+2 percentage from five subjects, using the conversion rules above, so you know where you stand.
- Check that your bank account is active and the number is correct. Queries about non-payment from a wrong account number are entertained only up to six months after the merit list is published.
- Tell your institute’s scholarship cell you are applying, so it is ready to verify.
Scam warning
A real scholarship does not ask for a fee to book or confirm an award, or for OTPs or bank PINs. Apply only through the official portal.
FAQs
I am in 3rd year. Can I still apply?
Yes, if you meet the conditions. You would receive up to two years of scholarship.
Does an internship stipend count as other assistance?
The guidelines name stipend among the things you must not receive from another source. Ask AICTE before accepting one.
What if the merit list has a mistake in my entry?
You can raise a grievance within one month of the list being published on the AICTE website. Later queries are not entertained.
Is the scholarship paid monthly?
No. It is paid once a year by DBT.
What if I am not SC, ST or OBC-NCL?
The category certificate is listed for those groups only. Ask the NSP helpdesk what, if anything, to upload instead.
Can I submit more than one application?
Applications are invited once a year, and the guidelines do not discuss duplicates. Submit one clean application.
Who runs the scheme?
AICTE implements and monitors it.
Source for grievance and payment windows: AICTE Swanath guidelines (May 2025), section 11.0, points 11 and 12.
What the notice does not say
| Missing fact | Who to ask |
|---|---|
| Academic year the 2026 cycle covers | Your institute or the NSP helpdesk |
| Documents for the parent-illness or accident category | NSP helpdesk or AICTE Student Development Cell |
| Whether orphans need an income certificate | NSP helpdesk |
| Exact reservation percentages | AICTE |
| Document size and format limits | The NSP application page |
| Merit list date and payment timeline | AICTE website |
Official links
Amounts, categories and rules in this article come from AICTE’s May 2025 guidelines. Dates come from the NSP scheme listing. If AICTE has revised the guidelines for the 2026 cycle, the official notice prevails.
- AICTE Swanath Scholarship guidelines (May 2025)
- National Scholarship Portal, Swanath (Technical Degree) scheme page
- AICTE website, for the merit list and notices
