Post-Graduate Scholarships for Professional Courses for SC/ST Candidates
₹4,500–₹7,800/month · SC/ST students · professional postgraduate courses
UGC provides financial support to SC/ST students pursuing their first-year postgraduate studies in professional fields such as engineering, management, pharmacy, and other regulatory-body-approved courses at recognized universities and institutions. Selected students receive ₹7,800/month for M.E./M.Tech. or ₹4,500/month for other professional courses, for the full duration of the PG program. Apply online through the National Scholarship Portal once a year when UGC issues an advertisement.
About This Scheme
UGC provides financial support to SC/ST students pursuing their first-year postgraduate studies in professional fields such as engineering, management, pharmacy, and other regulatory-body-approved courses at recognized universities and institutions. Selected students receive ₹7,800/month for M.E./M.Tech. or ₹4,500/month for other professional courses, for the full duration of the PG program. Apply online through the National Scholarship Portal once a year when UGC issues an advertisement.
Full official description
The scheme “Post Graduate Scholarships for Professional Courses for SC/ST Candidates” has been initiated to provide opportunities to the deprived sections of the society, viz. the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) for undertaking postgraduate level studies in Professional subjects like Engineering & Technology, Management, Pharmacy etc. in recognized Indian Universities/Institutions/Colleges.
Objective:
The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to 1000 SC/ST candidates to pursue postgraduate level studies in Professional courses.
Benefits
- ₹7,800/month for M.E./M.Tech. (engineering technology) PG students
- ₹4,500/month for other professional PG courses (management, pharmacy, etc.)
- Scholarship paid from the date of joining, for the full duration of the course (2–3 years depending on the program)
- Disbursed via DBT to student's bank account through PFMS
- No contingency grant is payable from 2017-18 onward
💡 Why Startups Should Care
If you are an SC/ST founder currently pursuing or recently completed a professional PG course, check whether you qualified — the scheme covers 1,000 candidates per year and is often under-claimed due to low awareness.
Who Can Apply (Eligibility)
- Must belong to the Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) category
- Must have a UG degree in the relevant professional subject and be admitted to a first-year, full-time PG course at a recognized university (UGC 2(f)/12B, or central/state-funded)
- Only first-year PG students are eligible to apply in the current academic year
- Professional courses include engineering/technology, management, pharmacy, agriculture, law, medicine, and others approved by regulatory councils (AICTE, MCI, PCI, etc.)
- MA, MSc, MCom, MSW are considered non-professional and are not covered
- Distance/correspondence PG students are not eligible
- General and OBC candidates are not eligible
Exclusions
- Not available to General or OBC category students
- Does not cover postgraduate courses pursued through correspondence or distance education mode
- Scholarship is cancelled if the student fails to pass the first year in first division or equivalent CGPA
How to Apply
- Watch for the annual advertisement in leading newspapers, Employment News, and on ugc.ac.in.
- Go to scholarships.gov.in and click 'New Registration' under Applicant Corner.
- Fill in mandatory details and click 'Register' — your Application ID and password will be generated.
- Verify your mobile number via OTP.
- Log in and fill the application form with all required details.
- Submit your application — your institution must then verify it online.
- If selected, scholarship is disbursed via DBT for the full duration of your PG course.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the objective of the scheme?
The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to 1000 SC/ST candidates to pursue postgraduate level studies in Professional courses.
Which is the implementing agency of this scheme?
University Grants Commission, Government of India
Are all candidates pursuing post graduate courses in Indian Universities/ Colleges/ Institutes eligible for this award?
This scheme is meant only for SC/ST students. General category/ OBC candidates are not eligible to apply under the scheme.
Are students belonging to SC/ST category who are pursuing post-graduation through correspondence/ distance mode eligible for the award?
No. Candidates pursuing post-graduate courses in professional subjects through correspondence or in Distance Education mode are not eligible to receive financial assistance under this scheme.
Are awardees selected under this scheme eligible to draw contingency and HRA?
No. The awardees are only eligible to receive scholarship amount.
Are students of eligible category who are pursuing post graduation and are in the second year of study eligible to apply under the scheme?
No. Only students pursuing the first year of a post-graduate course during the current academic year are eligible to apply.
Will the change in course of study be permitted?
No, the change in the course of study will not be permitted.
Which are the courses accepted as “Non-professional courses”?
M.A., M.Sc., M.Com., MSW and Mass Communication and Journalism degrees are accepted as "Non-professional courses".
How many numbers of scholarship will be awarded per year under the Scheme?
The scholarship will be provided to 1000 SC/ST candidates per year.
How can an student apply for the scheme?
The candidates fulfilling the eligibility conditions are required to apply online on National Scholarship Portal after issue of advertisement to be published by the UGC once in a year through leading newspaper and Employment News and also on UGC website.
Ready to apply?
Visit the official government portal to apply for this scheme.
Apply on myScheme.gov.inDocuments Required
- Aadhaar card
- Passport-size photograph
- Proof of age
- Mark sheets and degree certificates
- SC/ST caste certificate
- Disability certificate (if applicable)
- Any other document specified in the notification