National Scholarship Portal Registration Guidelines for the Academic Year 2023-24

Education is the right of every child, however, that comes with a price. Requirement of financial resources is the biggest stumbling block. In such a scenario, scholarships programmes or loans become the propeller of dreams. It may be believed that the process of scholarship starts when students apply to institutions, but, in reality, it begins when a student decides to be their best version and to work on oneself. Scholarship programmes are diverse in nature. It is awarded to students from various backgrounds.

Let us take a look at some of the common scholarship programmes offered and availed by Indian students:

• Government-based scholarship programmes such as:
  • The Prime Minister Scholarship Scheme
  • Post Graduate Merit Scholarship
• Scholarship programmes meant to educate a girl child or an adult woman
• Merit-based scholarship programmes that consider academic excellence
• Means-based scholarship programmes for those from economically-weaker sections
• Talent-based scholarship programmes that recognise achievements in co-curricular or extracurricular activities at the local, national or international levels
• Scholarship programmes offered by institutions for students
• Higher education or career specialisation scholarship programmes to improve subject proficiency
• Community-based scholarships for minority groups or those considered backward
• Private scholarships offered by institutions, companies, or other groups.

Understanding the type of scholarship is prerequisite to start the process of application. Given the variety of sources, a detailed understanding can be obtained from the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). National Scholarship Portal (NSP) was launched in 2000. It acts as a guide to several scholarships offered by various governments and the UGC.

NSP Registration Guidelines – The Ministry of Education, Government of India, has released the latest guidelines for registration on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) for the academic year 2023-24. The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) is a centralized portal that allows students to apply for a variety of scholarship programmes offered by the central and state governments. It is a one-stop online platform for students to access information on different scholarship schemes on offer, application process for scholarship programmes, and the process of tracking the status of application on NSP portal.

To register on the NSP platform, students must create an account using their Aadhaar and mobile number. Once registered, applicants can log in on the portal and view the list of all available scholarship programmes. To apply for a scholarship, students must fill out an online application form and submit the documents required.

Latest Changes in NSP Registration Guidelines 2023-24

Key changes in the NSP registration guidelines for 2023-24 are as follows:

• Students must now enter their Aadhaar and mobile number to register on the NSP.
• They must provide their bank account details.
• Students must upload the scanned copies of required documents, such as their Aadhaar card, income certificate, and caste certificate.
• Applicants must submit their online application form before or on the last date of application specified for each scholarship scheme.

NSP Registration Guidelines – Eligibility Criteria

To be considered eligible to register on the NSP, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• They must be a citizen of India.
• The applicants must be enrolled in a recognized educational institution in India.
• They must belong to a category that is eligible for the application under specific scholarship programmes.

NSP Registration Guidelines – Eligible Student Categories 

The following categories of applicants are eligible for scholarship programmes offered on the NSP platform:

• Scheduled Caste (SC)
• Scheduled Tribe (ST)
• Other Backward Class (OBC)
• Economically Weaker Section (EWS)
• Minority Communities
• Persons with Disabilities (PwD)
• Female Students
• Meritorious Students

NSP Registration Guidelines – Categories of Scholarship Programme

Scholarship schemes are divided into following major categories. Students must select the relevant categories on the basis of class/course they are studying or pursuing.

• Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme: It is meant for the students studying in Class 1 to Class 10.
• Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme/Top Class Scholarship Scheme/Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme: It is meant for the students pursuing their studies in Class 11, 12 and above, or pursuing courses like ITI, B.Sc., B.Com., B.Tech, Medical, including technical and professional courses.

Important NSP Registration Guidelines 

Important guidelines for students applying for scholarship programmes on the NSP platform are as under:

• Applicants must fulfill the eligibility criteria for the scholarship scheme they are applying for.
• They need to fill in the details required in the online application form carefully and accurately.
• Uploading of scanned copies of the required documents in the prescribed format is mandatory.
• Application forms filled in with details must be reviewed carefully before submission.
• Applicants should log in on the NSP platform regularly to keep a track of the scholarship application status.
• Registered mobile numbers must be correct and verified for future communication vis-a-vis receiving one-time passwords (OTP) and SMS on this number.
• Registered email addresses must also be correctly verified before the process of scholarship application for future communication.
• For the pre-matric scholarship scheme, parents can provide their mobile numbers. They can only use their mobile number for up to two children.

NSP Registration Guidelines – Registration Process

The NSP registration process is straightforward. New scholarship applicants (fresh students) must register on the portal by providing accurate and verifiable information on the Student Registration Form. Parents or guardians need to fill out the registration form for students who are under 18 years of age on the date of registration.

The step-by-step processes of registration for scholarship programmes on the NSP platform are as under:

• Interested applicants must visit the NSP platform on the following link https://scholarships.gov.in/ 
• They must click on the ‘New Registration’ tab.
• Enter the Aadhaar and mobile number.
• Click on the ‘Generate OTP’ tab.
• Enter the One-Time Password (OTP) received on the mobile number.
• Click on the ‘Register’ button.
• Create a username and password.

NSP Registration Guidelines – How to Apply for Scholarships on the NSP platform?

Once the applicants are registered on the NSP portal, they can apply for available scholarship programme by adhering to the following steps:

• Applicants should log in to the official website of NSP,
• They should go through the list of available scholarships and read the guidelines carefully.
• Applicants need to click on the ‘Apply for Scholarship’ tab and select the relevant scholarship scheme.
• They need to fill in the required details and upload the documents requested.
• They should review the application form and click on ‘Submit’ to complete the process of application.

Documents Required for NSP Scholarship Applications

It is mandatory for students, parents, or guardians to have the following documents:

• Passport size photograph
• Educational documents of students
• Student’s Bank Account Number and IFSC Code
• Caste Certificate (if applicable) 
• Disability Certificate (if applicable) 
• Mark Sheet of previous qualifying examination 
• Aadhaar Card

Note:- If the applicant attends a school or institute in a different state other than their home state, they must provide a bonafide student certificate obtained from their school or institute.

Instructions for Aadhaar Card

1. With regard to the registration process with the Aadhaar number, students/guardians must follow the following instructions: 

For Major Applicants:

• Applicants who are 18 years or older on the date of registration must have an Aadhaar number.
• Applicants who do not have an Aadhaar number must enroll themselves first. They can register using their Enrolment Identification (EID) number. 
• Their registration will be provisional until they submit their Aadhaar number and complete Aadhaar-based eKYC (Electronic Know Your Customer/Client), which is required before the release of scholarship funds.
• Students under the age of 18 years must register using their Aadhaar number with the consent of their parents or legal guardians voluntarily. 
• If a student does not have an Aadhaar number, they can register using an EID number. 
• However, in all cases where a minor student does not have an Aadhaar or EID number, the Aadhaar number of at least one parent or legal guardian will be required. In such cases, the parent or legal guardian will be treated as the beneficiary of the scholarship programme. 
• Furthermore, students who register without an Aadhaar number must complete their Aadhaar-based eKYC once they turn 18 years old to continue their registration under the scholarship programme.
• In the case of EID number, scholarship funds will not be disbursed until the applicants submit their Aadhaar cards within the given timeframe.
• The scholarship amount will be paid into the student’s Aadhaar-linked bank account. Additionally, the student’s registered Aadhaar number may be used to quickly credit the scholarship amount to their linked bank account.
• For students under the major category, the student’s name, gender, and date of birth must be identical with the information present on their Aadhaar card. 
• For students under the minor category, the parent’s name and gender must also be identical with the information present on their Aadhaar card. 
• After submitting the application form, the student must complete their eKYC procedure.
• Each student is allowed to register only once with their Aadhaar number. If multiple applications are found for the same applicants, their applications will stand rejected.

Know How to Link Aadhaar to Mobile Number

NSP Registration Guidelines – Registration Timeline

Most scholarship programmes available on the NSP platform typically have their application deadline in the months of November or December. For 2023-24, the scholarship application process that began in early October are scheduled to close by the end of December. However, this timeline is not fixed and may be extended at the NSP’s discretion. Therefore, students are advised to check the scholarship guidelines regularly and submit their applications before the last date of application.

LIVE Scholarships on the National Scholarship Portal 2023-24

NSP Registration Guidelines – Instructions on Providing Bank Account Details

Students must adhere to the following instructions while providing their bank account details:

• Applicants must enter the correct IFSC code of their bank branch carefully.
• They should ensure that the account details are correct and operational until the scholarship amount is received.
• It is recommended to maintain the same bank account throughout the scholarship disbursement process.
• It is suggested for the applicants to have a bank account in a nationalized bank for a smooth and hassle-free scholarship disbursement, however, this is not mandatory.
• Bank account holders must verify their ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) status with the bank and complete the KYC process.
• Applicants are advised to link their bank account with Aadhaar number for faster disbursement.
• The bank account must be operational/active until the scholarship fund is released.
• The bank account should preferably be in a Scheduled Bank (as per the Reserve Bank of India) with core banking facilities.
• In the case of Post Matric/Top Class/Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Schemes, the bank account must be in the name of the applicant/student only. 
• In the case of the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, the bank account should be in the name of either the applicant/student or the applicant can have a joint account with his/her mother/father/guardian as indicated in the application.

Benefits of Registering on NSP

There are several benefits associated with the process of registration on the NSP platform. They are as follows:

1. Access to Reliable Information: The NSP portal provides comprehensive information on different available scholarship schemes offered by the Government of India and State Governments.
2. Centralized Application Platform: The NSP portal provides a centralized platform for students to apply for scholarship programmes on offer. Students can submit a single application for multiple scholarship programmes.
3. Easy  Application Tracking: The NSP is a transparent platform that provides students with real-time updates on the status of the scholarship application. NSP has made it easy for the applicants to track the status of their scholarship applications.
4. Equity: The NSP ensures that all students, regardless of their background, have an equal opportunity to apply for multiple scholarships.

NSP Registration Guidelines – FAQs

Who is eligible to apply for the NSP Scholarship Programme 2023-24?

As per the NSP registration guidelines, in order to be considered eligible for the NSP Scholarship programme 2023-24, applicants must be an Indian citizen. They must have successfully registered themselves for the scholarship programme and secured admission to a recognized institution for the 2023-24 academic year. Besides, they must have secured the prerequisite marks in their previous qualifying examination.

Can I edit the information that is already saved and up to how many times?

Yes, you can edit the draft/incomplete information as many times as you want until you finally submit the application online. To edit the application, you must visit the ‘Student Login’ option, enter your application ID, and click the ‘Login’ tab.

What are the available fields that I can edit before the final submission of the scholarship application?

You can edit all fields except the one with registration details. Once you submit the application, you will no longer be able to edit it.

Can an applicant edit their NSP registration details?

No, applicants cannot edit their registration details. However, before submitting their application, they can withdraw their registration and apply again.

Which of the available fields in the NSP application form can be edited?

Students can edit the fields available in their profile. They are as follows:

• Gender
• Religion
• Category
• Profession
• Annual Income
• Aadhaar Number
• Disability
• Day Scholar/Hosteller
• Mode of Study
• IFSC Code
• Account Number
• Admission Fees
• Tuition Fees. 

However, if the institute or state makes any correction to the student’s profile, those corrections would be conveyed to the students immediately via SMS or email. The NSP is a valuable resource for students who are looking for financial assistance to pursue their education. By following the guidelines explained above, students can easily register on the NSP and apply for scholarship programmes.