NSP  is an online scholarship portal of the Government of India. Also known as the National Scholarship Portal, NSP website carries information on different scholarship programmes undertaken by central ministries and many state governments. The NSP platform also hosts application forms for all the scholarships and ensures their effective implementation and disbursement. Every year, the NSP portal hosts over 80 scholarship schemes for students coming from different education levels and socio-economic backgrounds. In fact, for the academic year 2019-20, the government has disbursed more than INR 2,600 Crores worth of scholarships to over 91 lakh students through this portal. 

What is NSP? Which are the scholarships listed on NSP? How can you apply for them? What are the documents required to apply for a scholarship on NSP? How can you track the status of your application? The answers to all these questions are covered in this article. Reading further will enlighten you with every relevant information related to NSP. 

NSP – About the portal

The NSP portal has been introduced by the Union Government under the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). The key objective behind introducing this portal was to ensure efficient and timely disbursement of scholarships to the end beneficiaries i.e. students without any leakages. To do so, the portal boasts of a SMART system which is Simplified, Mission-Oriented, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent. The students looking for a scholarship can avail the following benefits through NSP –

• Information of all scholarships on one platform
• Single application window for all scholarships
• Hassle-free scholarship processing
• Increased transparency

NSP – Scholarship Details

Are you searching for a suitable financial aid to pursue your education? If yes, then the NSP portal is the place for you where you can find a scholarship that fits your academic requirements. It hosts a vast gamut of scholarships to serve the educational needs of students coming from different sections of the society. These scholarships are broadly categorized into – Central Schemes, UGC/AICTE Schemes and State Schemes. This section will acquaint you with all types of scholarships which are listed on NSP. 

NSP – Central Schemes

Under the ‘Central Schemes’ section on NSP, the students can find scholarships offered by departments like Ministry of Minority Affairs, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and others. The applications for all these central schemes generally start in the month of July/August and continue till the month of October/November. For the academic year 2020-21, the application deadline for central schemes on NSP was 31st December 2020. However, it has been extended till 20th January 2021 (only for Post-Matric/MCM/Top-Class schemes).

To get the detailed list of central schemes available on NSP, read National Scholarship Portal (NSP) – Centrally-Funded Scholarships

NSP – UGC/AICTE Schemes

Besides the central schemes, the NSP portal also enlists the scholarships offered by the University Grants Commission and All India Council for Technical Education under the ‘UGC/AICTE Schemes’ section. The key objective of these scholarships is to support the college education of students at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Both UGC and AICTE are the statutory bodies of MHRD (now Ministry of Education), Government of India. The applications for these scholarships also start in the month of August and continue till October/November.  

To get the detailed list of NSP UGC/AICTE scholarships, read NSP UGC Scholarships – Complete List, Eligibility, Application Timeline

NSP – State Schemes

The NSP portal also lists the scholarships offered by different state governments under the ‘State Schemes’ section. These scholarships contain both centrally-sponsored and state-sponsored scholarship. While the centrally-sponsored scholarships are offered by the central government and implemented by different states/UTs, the state-sponsored schemes are both offered and implemented by the state government. The key states/UTs which host the scholarships on NSP include Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Puducherry, Tripura and Uttarakhand. 

To get the detailed list of NSP state schemes, read NSP State-Funded Scholarships – State-Wise List, Eligibility, Awards

NSP – Application Process

If you find yourself eligible for any of the scholarships listed on NSP, you must make sure that you apply for them within the stipulated timeline. The application process for all the scholarships is simple, as there is a single application window for all the scholarships. To begin with the application process, the students are primarily required to register on the portal. Thereafter, they can proceed with the application form filling by logging into the user dashboard. Follow the steps given below to make a successful application – 

Step 1: Visit the official website of NSP (National Scholarship Portal).

Step 2: Before registering, make sure your institution is registered on the portal by clicking on the ‘Search for Institute’ button. 

Step 3: In case your institution is not registered, please ask your institution to register on the portal first. 

Step 4: Click on the ‘New Registration’ button. 

Step 5: Read all the registration guidelines carefully and click on ‘Continue’ to proceed. 

Step 6: Fill in all the mandatory fields which are marked with an asterisk ‘*’, and click on the ‘Register’ button. 

Step 7: Upon successful registration, an application ID and password will be delivered on your registered mobile number. 

Step 8: Make a login using the application ID and password received. 

Step 9: You will be required to verify the OTP received on your registered mobile number after which you have to change your password as per your convenience. 

Step 10: After changing the password, a user dashboard will open. Click on ‘Application Form’ to start filling the application. 

Step 11: Fill in all the details in the application form and upload all the required documents as specified. 

Step 12: Finally, submit the application by clicking on ‘Final Submit’ button. 

Important: Any detail entered in the scholarship form cannot be edited after the final submission. Thus, you must make sure that you enter correct information in the application form. Any discrepancy in information may lead to application rejection. 

NSP – Documents Required

The documents required for each NSP scholarship may vary. However, some of the key documents that you must keep intact to make a successful application include –

• Educational documents
• Aadhaar card
• Bank passbook
• Domicile certificate (if applicable)
• Caste certificate (if applicable)
• Income certificate (if applicable)
• Bonafide certificate from school/institution (as applicable)

These documents are only required to be uploaded for scholarship amount greater than INR 50,000. However, for scholarship amount less than INR 50,000, the students are required to submit these documents to their respective school/institute/college.

NSP – Scholarship Status

NSP status is one of the key features that the portal offers to its users. Under this feature, the students are allowed to check their scholarship application status online through the portal itself. You must follow the steps given below to track your application status –

Step 1: Visit the official website of NSP.

Step 2: Click on the ‘Login’ button and select the year (either fresh or renewal). 

Step 3: Make a login using the application ID and password. 

Step 4: Click on the ‘Check your Status’ button in the user dashboard.

Step 5: The actual status of your application will appear on the screen. 

NSP – FAQs

Q. What is NSP?

The full form of NSP is National Scholarship Portal. It is a dedicated online portal of Government of India to ensure efficient and timely disbursal of scholarships offered by different departments of central and state governments. The portal enlists over 80 scholarships for students coming from different sections of the society.

Q. What is the last date of NSP Scholarship 2020?

The last date to apply for any of the scholarships available on NSP for the academic year 2020-21 lies in the month of October and November. The application deadline for centrally-sponsored scholarships (Post-Matric/MCM/Top-Class schemes) has been extended till 20th January 2021. Refer to the official website to know the application deadline for all the scholarships.

Q. What is the income limit for NSP scholarship?

The family income criteria for each NSP scholarship varies from scholarship to scholarship. The family income limit may range from less than INR 1 lakh to less than INR 2.5 lakh. It is advisable to refer to respective scholarship notification to have a clear understanding of the eligibility criteria.

Q. Can a student apply for a scholarship on NSP in the 2nd year?

In order to continue receiving the scholarship for subsequent years, the students are required to apply for a renewal on the National Scholarship Portal. They need to register again and fulfil the renewal conditions as specified in the respective scholarship guidelines.

Also Read: National Scholarship Portal (NSP) 2020-21 – Registration Process, Eligibility, Last Date