📚 Education Government Schemes 2026
27 schemes — eligibility, registration & benefits
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All Education Schemes (27)
PM YASASVI Scholarship Scheme 2025
PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India provides scholarships to OBC, EBC, and DNT students for education in Classes 9-12.
PM POSHAN — Free Mid-Day Meal Scheme 2025
PM Poshan Shakti Nirman (formerly Mid-Day Meal Scheme) provides free hot cooked meals to students in government and government-aided schools to improve nutrition and boost school attendance.
National Scholarship Portal (NSP) 2026 — Apply for Central Scholarships Online
The National Scholarship Portal is a one-stop platform for students to apply for all central government scholarship schemes including pre-matric, post-matric, and merit-cum-means scholarships for SC, ST, OBC, and minority students.
PM SHRI Schools Scheme 2026 — 14,500 Upgraded Schools | Smart Class + Career Counselling
PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) is a centrally sponsored scheme that upgrades 14,500 government schools across India into modern, green, and smart schools. Each selected PM SHRI school gets ₹2 crore+ for smart classrooms, digital libraries, labs, career counselling, vocational education, and NEP 2020 implementation over 5 years.
NMMS Scholarship 2026 — ₹12,000/Year for Class 9-12 Meritorious Students | scholarships.gov.in
National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) is a centrally sponsored scholarship scheme that provides ₹12,000 per year (₹1,000/month) to meritorious students from economically weaker sections studying in Classes 9 to 12 in government schools. The scholarship continues for all 4 years (Class 9 to 12) subject to annual renewal. Apply through scholarships.gov.in.
PM CARES for Children 2026 — COVID Orphans: ₹10 Lakh at 18 + Free Education + Health
PM CARES for Children scheme provides comprehensive support to children who lost both parents or legal guardian due to COVID-19. Benefits include: ₹10 lakh corpus deposited in their name (accessible at age 18), free education from Class 1 to Class 12 (Navodaya/KVS or state residential schools), PM-JAY health insurance up to ₹5 lakh, and monthly stipend after 18 years.
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan 2026 — Free Uniform, Books, Midday Meal for All Government School Students
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan is an integrated school education scheme covering pre-school to Class 12, implemented from 2018 by merging SSA, RMSA, and TE. It provides free textbooks, uniforms (₹600/year), Midday Meal, ICT labs, sports equipment, and special needs support to students in all government schools. It also funds teacher training, school infrastructure, and equity interventions for girls and marginalised communities.
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) 2026 — 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs + Startup Support | aim.gov.in
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), established in 2016 under NITI Aayog, is India's flagship initiative to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. Key programmes: Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) — Rs 20 lakh per school for STEM problem-solving in 10,000 schools; Atal Incubation Centres (AIC) — Rs 10 crore grant to set up startup incubators; Atal New India Challenges (ANIC) — grant up to Rs 1 crore for technology solutions to national problems; Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACIC) — innovation centres in Tier 2/3 cities. Over 10,000 ATLs operational.
PM Vidya Lakshmi Scheme 2026 — Collateral-Free ₹10 Lakh Education Loan | pmvidyalakshmi.co.in
PM Vidya Lakshmi Scheme, approved by Cabinet in November 2024, provides collateral-free education loans of up to ₹10 lakh to meritorious students admitted to Quality Higher Education Institutions (QHEIs). Students from families with annual income up to ₹8 lakh get a 75% credit guarantee, removing the need for collateral or guarantor. For families with income up to ₹4.5 lakh, the government pays the full interest during the moratorium (study period + 1 year). Students can apply to up to 3 banks simultaneously through a single Common Education Loan Application Form (CELAF) at pmvidyalakshmi.co.in.
PM VIDYA PRAVESH 2026 — 3-Month Play-Based School Readiness for Class 1 | Free Programme
PM VIDYA PRAVESH is a free 3-month school readiness module for children enrolling in Class 1 (age 6+), implemented under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It bridges the gap between Anganwadi/ECCE and formal schooling. The programme uses play-based, activity-based learning covering foundational literacy (alphabets, rhymes) and numeracy (counting, shapes) without formal homework or examinations. Teachers are trained under NISHTHA FLN module. Implemented across all government and government-aided primary schools in India. Module materials available in all scheduled languages on DIKSHA platform.
One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) 2026 — Free Research Journal Access for 1.8 Crore Students | ₹6,000 Crore
One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) is a Government of India scheme approved in November 2024 with Rs.6,000 crore outlay to provide free access to 13,000+ international research journals and databases to over 6,300 government higher education institutions (universities, colleges, IITs, NITs, AIIMS) and 1.8 crore+ students, faculty, and researchers. Previously, institutions paid individually — ONOS centralises subscriptions via the government, saving institutions lakhs per year. Implemented by INFLIBNET Centre under Ministry of Education. Access via e-Shodh Sindhu portal (ess.inflibnet.ac.in).
ULLAS — Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram 2026 — Free Adult Literacy Programme for Non-Literates 15+
ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society) — also called Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram or New India Literacy Programme (NILP) — is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in February 2022 to make 5 crore adult non-literates (age 15+) functionally literate by 2027. The scheme has five components: (1) Foundational Literacy and Numeracy; (2) Critical Life Skills (financial, digital, legal, electoral); (3) Vocational Skills; (4) Basic Education (Class 3–8 equivalency); and (5) Continuing Education. ULLAS leverages volunteers (teachers, students, NGOs, retirees) and the DIKSHA + ULLAS App for self-paced digital learning in 22 Indian languages. Annual Foundational Literacy Assessment Test (FLNAT) certifies learners.
PM-USHA Higher Education Scheme 2026 — ₹12,926 Crore | Quality Higher Education Across States
Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) is the restructured higher education scheme approved in 2023 with Rs 12,926 crore outlay for 5 years. PM-USHA replaces the earlier RUSA (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) with stronger NEP 2020 alignment. It funds state and central universities, colleges, multi-disciplinary education and research universities (MERUs), and cluster universities. Key components: (1) Strengthening existing universities; (2) New model degree colleges in underserved districts; (3) Grants to gender-inclusive and accessible institutions; (4) Multi-disciplinary curriculum reform; (5) Equity initiatives for SC/ST/OBC/women/PwD. Implemented through Project Approval Boards (PABs) at central and state levels.
Khelo India Scheme 2026 — ₹5 Lakh/Year Athlete Scholarship | Khelo India Youth Games | KIRTI Talent Search
Khelo India is the Government of India's flagship sports development scheme launched in 2018 to revive sports culture, identify talent, and create world-class sports infrastructure. Components: (1) Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) — annual multi-sport competition for under-17 and under-21 athletes; (2) Khelo India University Games (KIUG) — for university students; (3) Khelo India Talent Identification — top athletes get ₹6.28 lakh/year scholarship (₹120,000 stipend + boarding/lodging + training + competition exposure) for 8 years through Khelo India Athlete (KIA) status; (4) KIRTI (Khelo India Rising Talent Identification) — talent hunt scheme for under-14 to under-17 with 1 lakh+ athletes assessed annually; (5) Khelo India Centres — 1,000+ sports centres across districts.
PMGDISHA 2026 — Free Digital Literacy Training for 6 Crore Rural Indians | pmgdisha.in
Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) is the largest digital literacy programme in the world — training 6 crore adults in 40% of rural households to be digitally literate. Free 20-hour training on smartphone use, internet, email, digital payments, government services, and online banking. After training, learners take a NIELIT exam — those who pass get a Digital Literacy certificate. Implemented through 5+ lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs). 6.39 crore registered, 5.93 crore trained, 4.62 crore certified as of 2024.
PM Scholarship Scheme (PMSS-CAPF) 2026 — ₹3,000/Month for Defence & CAPF Dependents | scholarships.gov.in
Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) — administered by the Welfare and Rehabilitation Board (Defence Ministry) and Ministry of Home Affairs (CAPFs) — provides ₹3,000/month (boys) and ₹3,250/month (girls) to wards/widows of ex-Defence personnel (Army/Navy/Air Force/Coast Guard) and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF — BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, Assam Rifles) for professional courses (engineering, medical, MBA, dental, veterinary, computer applications). 5,500 scholarships annually for Defence, 2,000 for CAPF.
Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students 2026 — Full Tuition + ₹13,500 Maintenance | scholarships.gov.in
Centrally Sponsored Post-Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Caste (PMS-SC) is the largest scholarship scheme in India by coverage — benefiting 60+ lakh SC students annually for studies after Class 10 (Class 11/12, ITI, diploma, graduation, post-graduation, PhD). Covers full tuition fees (including hostel charges in some categories), maintenance allowance (₹230-₹1,200/month based on group), book allowance, study tour allowance, and disability allowance for PwD students. Annual outlay: ₹6,000+ crore. Implemented through National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC/ST Students 2026 — ₹350-₹1,000/Month for Class 1-10 | scholarships.gov.in
Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC and ST students is the centrally-sponsored scheme for Class 1-10 students from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. Provides maintenance allowance, book allowance, and additional allowances for SC/ST students whose families earn ≤ ₹2.5 lakh/year. Two separate schemes: Pre-Matric for SC (administered by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment) and Pre-Matric for ST (administered by Ministry of Tribal Affairs). Covers Class 1-10 — different rates for day scholars vs hostellers. Over 50 lakh SC + 30 lakh ST students benefit annually. Implemented through NSP.
PRABUDDHA Scheme 2026 — Overseas Education Funding for Marginalised Students | scholarships.gov.in
PRABUDDHA Scheme is the Government of Karnataka's initiative — emulated by other states — providing financial assistance to meritorious students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Backward Communities to pursue higher studies in top global universities. Up to ₹50 lakh per student covering tuition + living + travel. Top 200 universities (QS Rankings) eligible. Originally Karnataka state scheme but now central counterpart National Overseas Scholarship Scheme covers similar mandate for SC/ST nationally. Combined coverage benefits over 100 marginalised students per year for Masters/PhD abroad.
PM Research Fellowship (PMRF) 2026 — ₹70,000/Month + ₹2L Research Grant for IIT/IISc PhD | pmrf.in
PM Research Fellowship (PMRF) is a prestigious scholarship scheme launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Education to attract the best Bachelor's/Master's students into PhD programmes at IITs, IISc, IISERs, NITs, and other premier research institutions. Fellowship amount: ₹70,000/month for all 5 years (revised from the earlier ₹31,000-70,000 slab structure). Research grant of ₹2 lakh per year for first 2 years, ₹2 lakh for 3rd year, ₹2 lakh for 4th and 5th year — total ₹10 lakh over 5 years. Selection is through direct admission or lateral entry from premier IITs/IISc/IISERs. Three channels: (1) Direct Admission from 4-year BS/B.Tech final year at premier institutes; (2) Lateral Entry from 2nd year of ongoing PhD; (3) Supernumerary seats for other students through national test. Target: 3,000 new fellows per year across Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Currently 4,000+ active PMRF fellows.
Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) 2026 — Free Residential School for Tribal Children | tribal.nic.in
Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs providing FREE quality residential education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) children from Class 6 to Class 12. Launched in 1997, EMRS schools are fully residential — providing free boarding, lodging, tuition, uniform, books, stationery, and medical care. The scheme aims to establish one EMRS in every block with ST population above 50% and at least 20,000 tribal population, by 2022 (extended to 2026). Currently over 688 EMRS schools are functional across 27 states/UTs, benefiting over 1.5 lakh students. Each EMRS school has capacity for 480 students. Budget enhanced to ₹38,000 crore for 2018-2022. Schools follow CBSE curriculum and have modern facilities including science labs, libraries, computer rooms, and sports facilities. Tribal students also get JEE/NEET coaching at EMRS. National Admission Test (EMRS-NAT) conducted for admission.
AICTE Saksham Scholarship 2026 — ₹50,000/Year for PwD Engineering Students | aicte-india.org
AICTE Saksham (Scholarship for Aiding the Careers of Students with Specially-Abled Merits) is a scholarship scheme by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) that provides ₹50,000 per year to Persons with Disability (PwD) pursuing undergraduate technical/engineering degree programmes at AICTE-approved institutions. The scholarship covers B.Tech, B.E., B.Arch, B.Pharma, HMCT, and other 4-year technical programmes. Eligibility: disability of 40% or more, family income ≤ ₹8 lakh per annum, admission to 1st year of AICTE-approved institution. Up to 1,000 scholarships awarded per year on merit. Application through National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in). Fresh and renewal applications accepted. Scholarship paid directly to student bank account.
Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) 2026 — ₹37,000/Month for Minority PhD Students | minorityaffairs.gov.in
Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) is a central government fellowship scheme for students belonging to notified minority communities (Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi, Jain) pursuing M.Phil and PhD at recognised universities in India. Fellowship amount: ₹37,000/month for JRF (first 2 years) and ₹42,000/month for SRF (next 3 years), plus contingency allowance ₹10,000/year (Humanities/Social Sciences) and ₹12,000/year (Sciences). HRA as per university norms. Duration: up to 5 years total (2 years JRF + 3 years SRF). 756 new fellowships per year. Selection through NET-JRF score (UGC-NET or CSIR-NET). Implemented by University Grants Commission (UGC) on behalf of Ministry of Minority Affairs. Application on NSP/scholarship portal. Note: As per 2023 Supreme Court ruling and government review — verify current status before applying as scheme has had regulatory changes.
Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child 2026 — ₹36,200/Year for PG | ugc.ac.in
The Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child is a UGC (University Grants Commission) scholarship scheme recognising the value of Single Girl Child and promoting higher education for girls who are the only child in their family. It provides ₹36,200 per year (₹3,100/month for 10 months + HRA as applicable) for Post-Graduate (PG) students. Duration: 2 years (for 2-year PG programme). The scholarship is available for full-time regular first-year PG courses at any recognised university. 3,000 scholarships awarded per year through merit-cum-means basis. Family income: no income limit specified. Eligibility: Indian woman student, only child of her parents (OR one of 2 girl children with no male sibling — check latest UGC guidelines), admission to 1st year PG. Application through NSP (scholarships.gov.in) or UGC portal. Note: This is the PG fellowship; the PhD-level Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child National Fellowship has separate guidelines (₹37,000/month for PhD).
Padho Pardesh Scheme 2026 — Interest Subsidy on Overseas Education Loans for Minority Students | minorityaffairs.gov.in
Padho Pardesh is a central government scheme under the Ministry of Minority Affairs that provides interest subsidy on education loans for students from minority communities (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Jain) who take bank loans to pursue higher studies abroad — at Masters, M.Phil, or PhD level. The scheme pays the full interest on the education loan during the moratorium period (course duration + 1 year grace period). Post-moratorium, the student repays EMI normally. Family income limit: ₹6 lakh per annum. Loan through member banks of IBA (Indian Banks Association). No loan amount ceiling — but typically covers actual overseas tuition/living costs. Priority to students from economically weaker minority families. Applications through Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) via bank. Note: Scheme was under review/discontinued and later revised — verify current 2026 status at minorityaffairs.gov.in.
National Fellowship for SC Students (NFSC) 2026 — ₹37,000/Month PhD Fellowship for SC | socialjustice.gov.in
National Fellowship for Scheduled Castes (NFSC) is a central government scholarship scheme under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment that provides full financial support to SC students pursuing M.Phil and PhD at universities and institutions recognized by UGC/AICTE. Fellowship amount mirrors UGC standards: JRF ₹37,000/month (first 2 years) and SRF ₹42,000/month (next 3 years), plus contingency allowance (₹10,000/year Humanities, ₹12,000/year Sciences). HRA as per university. 2,000 new fellowships per year. Selection through NET-JRF qualification (UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, SET). Application on NSP (scholarships.gov.in). Not to be combined with other central fellowships. Open to all SC students — not limited to specific disciplines. Up to 5 years duration. Administered by UGC.
National Fellowship for ST Students (NFST) 2026 — ₹37,000/Month PhD Fellowship for Tribal Students | tribal.gov.in
National Fellowship for Scheduled Tribes (NFST) is a central government scheme under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs providing full financial fellowship to ST students pursuing M.Phil and PhD at UGC-recognised institutions. Amount: JRF ₹37,000/month (2 years) + SRF ₹42,000/month (3 years) + contingency ₹10,000/year (Humanities) or ₹12,000/year (Sciences) + HRA. Duration: 5 years. 667 new fellowships per year. Selection through UGC-NET-JRF or CSIR-NET-JRF score. Application through NSP/scholarships.gov.in or tribal.gov.in. Not combinable with any other central fellowship. Covers all disciplines. Implemented by UGC on behalf of Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Primarily targeted at reducing the PhD dropout rate among tribal students by providing financial security.
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About Education Schemes in India
The Government of India runs several welfare schemes under the education category to support citizens across all states. These schemes provide financial assistance, subsidies, training, and other benefits to eligible beneficiaries. All residents of India can apply for central government education schemes by meeting the required eligibility criteria and submitting the necessary documents.
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