National Scheme Of Incentive To Girls For Secondary Education
The National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education (NSIGSE) provides a fixed deposit of Rs.3,000 in a girl child's name when she enrols in Class 9, to encourage SC/ST girls who passed Class 8 to stay in school until Class 12. The amount matures and becomes accessible when the girl turns 18 years old. Applications are made through the National Scholarships Portal (scholarships.gov.in).
About This Scheme
The National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education (NSIGSE) provides a fixed deposit of Rs.3,000 in a girl child's name when she enrols in Class 9, to encourage SC/ST girls who passed Class 8 to stay in school until Class 12. The amount matures and becomes accessible when the girl turns 18 years old. Applications are made through the National Scholarships Portal (scholarships.gov.in).
Full official description
The National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education promotes the girl child's enrolment of 14-18 years age group at secondary stage, who passes class 8th and subsequently drops out for various socio-economic reasons. The proposed scheme is further intended to retain such girl children up to class 12th. In the year 2004-05, the dropout rate of girls from classes 1st to 8th was about 50.8%. For classes 1st to 10th the dropout rate of girls was about 64% in the same year. Hence, only 36% of the country's girl students could be retained up to class 10th. This is the combined result of several socio-economic factors, but a major contributor is no doubt the inability of the parents to afford the cost of education of the girl child.
Benefits
- Rs.3,000 deposited as a term/fixed deposit in a public sector bank or post office in the girl child's name
- Amount cannot be withdrawn until the girl turns 18 years of age
- Designed to incentivise continued enrolment through secondary education (up to Class 12)
Who Can Apply (Eligibility)
- Must be a girl child belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST)
- OR must be a girl who passed Class 8 from a Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) — regardless of caste
- Must be enrolled in Class 9 at a Government, Government-aided, or local body school from academic year 2008-09 onwards
- Must be unmarried at the time of enrolment
- Girls in private unaided schools are not eligible
- Girls in Central Government schools are not eligible
Exclusions
- Married girls will be excluded from the scheme.
- Girl children studying in private unaided schools are proposed to be excluded since a majority of such schools charge high fees and therefore, parents of such girl students may not require the financial assistance that is being offered under this scheme.
- Students enrolled in schools run by Central Government are also being excluded from the scheme, as these children are either fully provided for already, or are those of Central Government employees, who can afford the education of their children, without further support.
How to Apply
New Registration:
Step 1: Visit the Registration page of the National Scholarships Portal. Step 2: Guidelines for Registration will appear. Scroll to the bottom. Read carefully the undertaking. Accept the Terms. Click “Continue”. Step 3: A Registration Form will appear. (The fields marked as * are compulsory). Fill in the details and click “Register”. Your Application ID and password will be displayed. The same will also be sent as an SMS to your registered mobile number.
Fresh Application:
Step 1: Visit the applicant Login page of the National Scholarships Portal Enter your Application ID and password. Step 2: Type the Captcha and click “Login”. Step 3: On the next screen, provide the OTP received on your registered mobile number. You will be directed to the Password Reset screen. Create a new password and confirm. Step 4: Click “Submit”. You will be directed to the “Applicant’s Dashboard”. Step 5: On the left pane, click “Application Form”. The fields marked as * are compulsory. Fill in the details and upload the documents. The verification of credentials of the students (caste, educational qualifications etc.) will be done through the DIGILOCKER facility of the MeitY, Govt. of India. Step 6: You can either click on “Save as Draft” to complete the application later. Else, click “Final Submit” to apply.
Track Payment Status:
The student can track their payment status from the template “Know Your Payment” in the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) Portal either by indicating their Aadhaar Number, Bank Account number or NSP Application ID.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How Much Amount Will I Receive As A Scholarship Under The NSIGSE Scheme?
Ans: The eligible candidate shall receive a sum of INR 3000 and accrued interest at the end of the term of the interest-bearing account.
Q. I Am 17 Years Old And Married. I Have Enrolled In Class 9 In A Secondary School. Am I Eligible To Avail The Benefits Of The NSIGSE Scheme?
Ans: The maximum age of the girl child while applying for the benefits of this scheme shall not be more than 16 years. Moreover, married girls do not qualify for the incentive amount offered under this scheme.
Q. I Study At A CBSE School In Bangalore. Am I Eligible To Avail Of The Benefits Of This Scheme?
Ans: No. Candidates who have enrolled for their class 9 in any Central Government schools or private schools do not receive additional financial assistance.
Q. I Enrolled In Class 9 At The Age Of 16. However, I Could Not Continue My Studies After A Year. Will I Qualify For Withdrawing The Incentive Amount Under The NSIGSE Scheme?
Ans: No. Beneficiary female students are allowed to utilize the funds if they continue their studies for at least two years from the date of enrolment under the scheme. The passing certificate of the Class 10 board examination is a must to avail of the incentive benefits.
Q. I Am The Only Male Child In My Family. We Belong To SC And BPL Categories. Am I Eligible To Avail The Benefits Of The NSIGSE Scheme?
Ans: No. NSIGSE scholarships are offered only to eligible female students. However, you can explore various other schemes that may suit your requirement.
Q. Will My Parents Be Entitled To Withdraw The Money In Case Of My Death Before 18 Years Of Age?
Ans: No. The incentive amount of the NSIGSE Scheme shall be transferred to the savings account of the beneficiary girl child if only she survives the policy term. However, the amount is not transferable to the account of her parents or legal guardians in case of her unfortunate demise. In such cases, the amount shall be returned to the account of the Central government of India.
Q. Where Do I Find The Last Dates Of New Applications And Renewal Of Applications For The NSIGSE Scheme?
Ans: The tentative dates of applications every year lie between September and November. However, it would be best if you refer to the notifications on the official website for authentic information.
Q. Can I Apply For The NSIGSE Scheme Offline?
Ans: No. The scheme accepts applications only on an online platform. To learn more about the online application process, read through the 'How to Apply section of this page.
Q. Can I Withdraw My Amount Before Completing 18 Years?
Ans: No, you are not entitled for premature withdrawal of the incentive under the NSIGSE Scheme.
Q. How Much Money Do I Get As A Scholarship Under The NSIGSE Scheme?
Ans: Under the National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education, the eligible students are entitled to receive a one-time incentive of INR 3000. The term of the fixed deposit amount shall be calculated as the duration between the date of principal deposit and 18th birthday of the beneficiary girl child.
Q. Can I Use The Incentive Amount To Pay My School Fees?
Ans: No. Since you are not eligible to withdraw the amount till the completion of your class 10 and attaining 18 years of age, you cannot use the investive to pay school fees or carry out any other financial tasks. However, you can use the sum for your higher education in the future.
Ready to apply?
Visit the official government portal to apply for this scheme.
Apply on myScheme.gov.inDocuments Required
- 1. Scanned copy of the applicant’s Aadhaar card
- 2. Domicile Certificate
- 3. Income certificate of the parents or the legal guardian (issued by the respective state government or UT administration authorities)
- 4. Class 10th scorecard of the applicant
- 5. Certificate from the school head or the principal mentioning two-year continuation after her enrolment to Class 9th
- 6. Fees receipts of the current class
- 7. Bank account proof of the applicant’s existing account or joint account with any one of her parents
- 8. Disability certificate (if applicable)