In this article, we will help you navigate this decision with ease. You will discover a curated list of the best government and private scholarships available in India for BE/BTech students. Plus, we have included practical tips to help you choose the most suitable scholarship that aligns with your academic profile and financial needs.
Government Scholarships
Government scholarships are financial awards provided by the national or state governments to support students in their educational pursuits. These scholarships often extend to both domestic and international students. Typically, the number of students benefiting from government scholarships is quite high, but the awarded amount may be lower compared to private scholarships. Furthermore, government scholarships are primarily need-based, meaning students from lower-income families have a higher chance of receiving financial aid.
Private Scholarships
Private scholarships are awarded by non-governmental entities such as companies, foundations, non-profit organisations, or educational institutions. These scholarships often align with the mission and values of the sponsoring organisation, whether it be talent promotion, social responsibility, or brand visibility. Private scholarships can be merit-based, skill-oriented, or need-based. While funding amounts vary, many private scholarships offer substantial financial support to students pursuing higher education.
Pros and Cons of Government Scholarships for Engineering
Pros of Government Scholarships
- Government scholarships often provide substantial financial aid, sometimes covering tuition, living expenses, and travel costs.
- These scholarships typically have broader eligibility criteria, making them accessible to a larger pool of students.
- Financial need is often a key factor in government scholarships, benefiting students from economically weaker backgrounds.
Cons of Government Scholarships
- Recipients must often meet and maintain specific conditions to retain the scholarship, such as good performance in semester exams.
- Government scholarships are not always consistent, as some may be offered one year but not renewed the next, leaving students uncertain about their availability.
- Some government scholarships are especially for SC/ST/OBC/DNT students, which general caste students can not apply for.
Pros and Cons of Private Scholarships for Engineering
- Once awarded, private scholarships usually do not require recipients to meet harsh eligibility criteria or performance benchmarks to continue receiving the financial aid.
- Winning a private scholarship, especially one based on talent or merit, significantly enhances a student’s resume due to its competitive nature.
- A wide number of private scholarships are available, each with unique and often more flexible eligibility requirements.
- The application process is generally simpler and less bureaucratic than government scholarships.
Cons of Private Scholarships
- Many private scholarships are limited to a particular state, city, or group of people, making them inaccessible to pan-India students.
- Most private scholarships are merit- or talent-based, with little consideration for financial background.
- The number of students benefiting from private scholarships is significantly lower compared to government scholarships.
Top Government Scholarships for Engineering Students
Are you looking for the best scholarships for engineering students from the central or state governments? Look no further, as below we have listed all the top scholarships in India with their eligibility criteria and benefits.
Scholarships Funded by the Central Government of India
| Scholarship Name | Eligibility Criteria | Benefits for BE/BTech Students |
| AICTE-Saksham Scholarship Scheme | Must be an Indian national
Must have a benchmark disability of 40% or more. Admitted to 1st year or 2nd year (via lateral entry) of a degree/diploma program in an AICTE-approved institution.
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A one-time scholarship of ₹50,000 per year for the duration of the course |
| AICTE Pragati Scholarship for Girls | Must be a female Indian national.
Admitted to the 1st year of a diploma/degree program or 2nd year via lateral entry at an AICTE-approved institution. Annual family income must be below ₹8 lakh. Up to two female members per family can apply for this scholarship |
10,000 scholarships are awarded annually, 5,000 each for diploma and degree programs. Selected students receive ₹50,000 per year until course completion. |
| AICTE – Swanath Scholarship Scheme (Technical Diploma/Degree) | Must be an Indian national
Must be a ward of COVID-19 victims (lost one or both parents) or a Shaheed of the Armed Forces/Central Paramilitary Forces. Enrolled full-time in the 1st to 4th year of a degree/diploma program at an AICTE-approved institution. Annual family income must be below ₹8 lakh |
A one-time scholarship of ₹50,000 per year for the duration of the course |
| Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students | Applicants should have a gross family income of ₹4.5 lakh or less.
The candidate must have scored 80% marks in Class 12. To renew the scholarship, students must secure at least 50% marks in their annual examinations and maintain a minimum of 75% attendance. |
₹12,000 for the first three years and ₹20,000 per year for the fourth and fifth years.
For BTech students, the benefits will be ₹12,000 for the first three years and then ₹20,000 for the final year. |
| Post Matric Scholarship For Minorities | Must belong to a minority community (Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Jain, or Zoroastrian/Parsi).
Should be enrolled in Class 11, 12, UG, PG, technical or vocational courses, M.Phil., or Ph.D. programs. Must have secured at least 50% marks or equivalent grades in the last final examination. The annual family income from all sources should be less than ₹2.5 lakh. |
₹3,000 per annum to students pursuing UG & PG courses. |
| NSP Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Scholarships | Must be an Indian national.
Should have a disability of 40% or more, as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Must be enrolled in a graduation, postgraduate, or diploma course at a recognised institution/university notified by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD). The annual family income should not exceed ₹8,00,000. |
Tuition fee supports up to ₹2,00,000 per annum (subject to actual fees).
Maintenance allowance of ₹3,000 per month for hostellers and ₹1,500 per month for day scholars. Special disability allowances of ₹2,000 per month for reader, escort, helper, etc. Books and stationery allowance of ₹5,000 per year.
One-time laptop/computer grant of ₹45,000 in the first year (requires proof of purchase). One-time assistive device support of ₹30,000 in the first year. |
| Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for Wards of States/UTs Police Personnel | Must be a dependent ward of State/UT police personnel martyred in a terrorist or Naxal attack.
Should be pursuing a first professional degree (Engineering, Medicine, Dental, Veterinary, BBA, BCA, B.Pharm., B.Sc, MBA, MCA, etc.) from a government-recognised institution (AICTE, MCI, UGC). Must have secured at least 60% marks in Class 12, Diploma, Graduation, or equivalent (for new applicants). For renewal, one must have passed each academic year with at least 50% marks. |
Provides ₹3,000/month for females and ₹2,500/month for males.
Payable for the full course duration or up to 5 years, whichever is earlier. |
| Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles | Must be a ward or widow of CAPFs & AR personnel (serving, retired, or deceased) affected by service-related causes or ex-personnel with gallantry awards.
Should be pursuing a first professional degree (Engineering, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, BBA, BCA, B.Pharma, B.Sc. Nursing/Agriculture, MBA, MCA) at a government-recognised institution (AICTE, MCI, UGC). Must have secured at least 60% marks in Class 12, diploma, or graduation (for new applicants). For renewal, one must have passed each academic year with at least 50% marks. |
Provides ₹3,000/month for females and ₹2,500/month for males.
Payable for the full course duration or up to 5 years, whichever is earlier. |
Scholarships Funded by the State Governments of India for Engineering
| Scholarship Name | Eligibility | Benefits |
| Odisha Post-Matric Scholarship for ST/SC/OBC/SEBC/EBC Communities | Must be a permanent resident of Odisha
Belong to the ST/SC/OBC/SEBC/EBC category Be enrolled in post-matric studies Have at least 50% marks in the previous exam (for EBC/OBC/SEBC students) Have a family income below ₹2.5 LPA |
100% scholarship for the course duration |
| Tuition Fees and Examination Fees to SBC Students, Maharashtra | An Indian citizen and a domicile of Maharashtra is needed
Belongs to the Special Backward Classes (SBC) category Enrolled in a government-approved post-matric course (Class 11 & above) Admitted through CAP (for professional courses) Annual family income less than or equal to ₹8,00,000 |
100% of the tuition fees and exam fees will be granted as a scholarship |
| Nagaland State Merit Scholarship | Domicile or permanent resident of Nagaland
Studying at post-matric level in a recognised institution Scored 80% in Class 12 |
100% scholarships to selected students |
| Nirman Shramik Kalyan Yojana Scholarship for ST/SC/OBC/SEBC/GENERAL/EBC Communities, Odisha | Must be an Indian citizen and a domicile of Odisha
Studying in Class 6 or above at a recognised institution Child of a registered building or construction worker Belong to the General, ST, SC, OBC, SEBC, or EBC categories Minimum 50% attendance in the current academic session Passed the previous academic examination |
Rs 40,000 per year for BE/BTech students |
| NEC Merit Scholarship NER | Indian citizen and permanent resident of a Northeast state (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, or Tripura)
Enrolled in a diploma, degree, PG, M.Phil., or Ph.D. program Passed the qualifying exam from a recognised board Scored at least 60% marks Annual family income less than or equal to ₹8,00,000 |
₹22,000 per annum |
| Swami Vivekananda Merit Cum Means Scholarship for Minorities, West Bengal | Must be an Indian national and a domicile of West Bengal
Enrolled in Class 11 to postgraduate level at an institution in West Bengal Belong to the minority community (Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Muslim, Parsee & Sikh) For undergraduate scholarships, a student must have secured 60% marks in the last qualifying exam from the WB education boards or secured 60% marks in diploma courses approved by AICTE/WBSCT&VE&SD (for lateral entry in Engineering/Technology/Pharmacy) or the State Medical Faculty (for lateral entry in Pharmacy) |
Rs 5,000 per month for engineering courses |
| Post-matric Scholarship for Disabled, Maharashtra | Domicile of Maharashtra
Minimum 40% disability (certified) Studying from Class 11 to Ph.D. in a govt./govt.-aided institution Admitted through CAP |
Up to Rs 1200 per month for 10 months will be awarded to students |
| Technical Education Scholarships Scheme for Degree Level, Himachal Pradesh | Domicile of Himachal Pradesh or a ward of the HP government employee
Pursuing a UG/PG degree in AICTE-approved Engineering, Technology, or Architecture courses Scored 60% in the previous qualifying exam Annual family income less than or equal to ₹36,000 per annum (for merit-cum-means basis) |
Rs 300 per month for the general category and Rs 500 per month for the SC/ST category |
| Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj Scholarship, Maharashtra | Indian national and a domicile of Maharashtra
Belong to the Scheduled Caste (SC) category Studying in Class 11 or 12 at a recognised institution Scored 75% or above in Class 10 |
₹300 per month for 10 months, for a total of two years. |
Also Read: Low Rank in JEE Main? Don’t Worry – Here’s How You Can Still Study Engineering with Scholarships
Top Private Scholarships for Engineering Students
| Name of Scholarship | Eligibility Criteria | Benefits |
| HDFC Bank Parivartan’s ECSS Programme | Indian nationals pursuing Classes 1 to 12, diploma, ITI, polytechnic, graduation or postgraduate courses (general or professional) in recognised institutions in India.
Minimum 55% marks in the previous qualifying exam. Annual family income must be less than Rs 2.5 lakh. Preference is given to students facing recent personal or family crises that impact their ability to continue their education. |
Scholarships up to ₹75,000 |
| Infosys Foundation STEM Stars Scholarship Program | Applicants must be Indian female students enrolled in the 1st year of B.Tech, MBBS, B.Pharm, BDS, or 1st/2nd year of Integrated/Dual Degree (B.Tech + M.Tech) programs at top NIRF-ranked institutes.
They must have completed Class 12 The applicant’s family income must be ₹8 lakh or less, and the applicant should not be receiving any other scholarship for the same expenses. |
The selected student will get a scholarship of up to ₹1 lakh per annum |
| HOPE Engineering Scholarship by Schaeffler India | Open to female students across India, with preference given to those with physical disabilities.
Applicants must have scored over 60% in Class 12 (Science) and be enrolled in the first year of an engineering program at a recognised college. Preference will be given to branches like CSE, IT, EEE, ECE, Mechanical, Production, Instrumentation, Mechatronics, and Automobile. Family income must be below ₹5 lakh per annum. |
Students will receive a ₹50,000 worth scholarship to fund their education. |
| Flipkart Foundation Scholarship | The candidate must be studying in the first year of a STEM course
One of the parents of the candidate must be a kirana shop owner The annual family income should be less than ₹5 lakhs A minimum of 60% marks in class 12 is needed |
Students will get a fixed scholarship amount of ₹50,000 |
| U-Go Scholarship Program | Young women across India pursuing professional graduation courses (e.g., teaching, nursing, pharmacy, medicine, engineering, law, etc.) are eligible in any year except the final year.
They must have scored at least 70% in Class 10 & 12. The family income must be below ₹5 lakh per annum. |
For Teaching Courses – ₹40,000 per year for two years
For Nursing and Pharma Courses – ₹40,000 per year for four years For three-year courses such as BCA, BSc, etc. – Up to ₹40,000 per year for 3 years For Engineering, MBBS, BDS, Law, Architecture Courses, etc. – ₹60,000 per year for four years. |
| OP Jindal Engineer & Management Scholarships | Applicants must be among the top 3 students each year in civil, electrical, mechanical, or metallurgical engineering.
Or the candidate must be among the top 10 in each year of Management. |
Engineering students will receive ₹80,000 per year
Management students will receive ₹1.5 lakhs per year. |
| Nirankari Rajmata Scholarship Scheme | Applicants must be regular students at a recognised institution, admitted through a competitive exam, and enrolled in one of the following disciplines: Engineering, Medicine, Architecture, MBA/PGDM, CA (after CPT), CFA (after Foundation), LLB, and Journalism & Mass Communication.
They must have scored at least 90% in Class 12 and have a family income below ₹3.5 lakh per year. To renew the scholarship, students must maintain a minimum of 75% marks annually. |
Selected candidates will receive a full tuition fee waiver, up to ₹75,000 per year. |
| Swami Dayanand Education Foundation Merit-cum-Means Scholarship | Applicants must be 19 (1st year) or 20 (2nd year), pursuing undergraduate degrees in fields like Engineering, Medical, Architecture, or other programs.
They must have studied at government/government-aided schools and meet academic criteria: 1st year: 80% in CBSE or 70% in other boards (Class 12) and 2nd year: CGPA of 8.0 or above. Annual family income must be below ₹8 lakh. |
₹20,000 to ₹50,000 per year will be provided depending on JEE Main rank |
| JM Sethia Merit Scholarship Scheme | The candidate must have scored 75% marks in class 12.
20% of scholarships are reserved for students with disabilities, students with excellence in extra-curricular activities, and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category students. |
₹600 per month for up to three years |
| PKC WEnyan Scholarship Program | An applicant must be a final-year graduate student pursuing a B.Sc/BTech./BE./BPharm or equivalent degree.
Must be a female candidate from Maharashtra Belongs to a marginalised community/low-income group |
A monthly scholarship of up to ₹10,000 for 3 months |
| Bharti Airtel Scholarship Program | Must be studying in a UG/5-year integrated courses in fields like Electronics, Telecom, IT, Computer Science, Data Science, Aerospace, and Emerging Technologies (AI, IoT, AR/VR, Machine Learning, Robotics) at top 50 NIRF engineering institutes.
The applicant must be an Indian citizen and resident. Family annual income should not exceed ₹8.5 Lakh. Should not be receiving other scholarships or grants supported by the Bharti Airtel Foundation. |
100% scholarships are provided for the full duration of UG courses, including integrated courses, up to 5 years (subject to renewal criteria).
Hostel and mess fees are offered to eligible scholars; support for those staying in PGs or outside hostels aligns with the institute’s hostel/mess charges. Scholars also receive a laptop |
Note: Fill out the JEE Main Scholarship Interest Form 2025 to get access to the best scholarships.
Tip for Choosing the Right Scholarship for Engineering
- Before applying, review the scholarship’s criteria carefully. Some scholarships prioritise students with high grades, while others focus on financial need or specific groups, such as women, minorities, or differently-abled individuals.
- Not all scholarships offer the same level of financial support. Consider programs that cover major expenses like tuition, hostel fees, study materials, and even stipends for daily expenses to reduce financial burden.
- Scholarships have strict deadlines, and late submissions are not accepted. To maximise your chances, note application dates and prepare the required documents in advance to submit before the deadline.
Also Read: How to Build a Scholarship Application Calendar
- Certain scholarships are renewable for multiple years, but students may need to maintain a minimum academic performance or fulfil other requirements. Be aware of any conditions to ensure continuous funding throughout your BE/BTech course.
- Highly competitive scholarships typically have strict selection processes, including exams, essays, or interviews. If you meet the requirements and excel in the selection process, your chances of securing a scholarship increase significantly.
- Beware of fake scholarship schemes and always verify opportunities through government websites, university portals, corporate foundations, or credible platforms that are well-known for scholarship listings like Buddy4Study.
- Some scholarships, particularly corporate-sponsored ones, require recipients to work for the sponsoring company or a related organisation after completing their studies. Ensure you’re comfortable with any such conditions before applying.
- Relying on a single scholarship may be risky. Apply for multiple scholarships to diversify your options, increasing the likelihood of securing financial aid for your engineering studies.
FAQs
Is there any government scholarship for engineering students?
Yes, several government schemes support engineering students, such as AICTE-Saksham Scholarship Scheme, AICTE Pragati Scholarship for Girls, AICTE–Swanath Scholarship Scheme, Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students, Post Matric Scholarship For Minorities, NSP Scholarships for Persons with Disabilities, and the PM Scholarship Schemes for wards of State Police and CAPFs.
What is the difference between government and private scholarships?
Government scholarships are funded by central or state governments and are usually based on merit, category, or financial need. Private scholarships are funded by corporates, foundations, or NGOs, often targeting niche fields or specific student groups.
Which scholarships are easier to obtain, government or private scholarships?
Government scholarships can be more competitive due to the large applicant base. Private scholarships may have narrower eligibility, making them more accessible to students who match specific criteria.
Can I apply for both government and private scholarships?
Yes, students can apply for both types. However, some scholarships may require you to opt for only one if selected for multiple schemes.
Where can I find reliable scholarship opportunities?
Reliable platforms include the Buddy4Study portal, National Scholarship Portal (NSP), UGC, AICTE, and state-specific education portals. For private scholarships, check the official websites of corporate or NGO sponsors.