Scholarship portal in India plays a crucial role in implementing and disbursing different types of scholarships and financial aid available for meritorious and underserved students. It acts as a dedicated online portal which allows the students from different strata of life to get information about various scholarships available for them and apply for them. It can be broadly categorised into central scholarship portal, state scholarship portal and independent portals.
This article enriches you with an in-depth insight into all types of scholarship portals available in India. It highlights the key facts about each central, state and independent scholarship portal. While the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) is the only centrally governed scholarship portal in India, the state portals include Madhya Pradesh (MP), Karnataka, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (UP), Odisha, Himachal Pradesh (HP) and Punjab. The list of independent portals comprises AICTE, MHRD and UGC.
Scholarship Portal in India – National Level Scholarship Portal
The Government of India, through its different subsidiary departments, offer a number of scholarships for the educational welfare of the students. All these scholarships are hosted on one national level scholarship portal namely, National Scholarship Portal (NSP), a one-stop online system that addresses the scholarship needs of students across the nation.
Scholarship Portal in India – National Scholarship Portal
National Scholarship Portal (NSP) is a nationally acclaimed scholarship portal in India that enlists more than 50 scholarships for students coming from different sections of the society. Run by the Government of India under its National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), this scholarship portal offers access to hundreds of crores worth scholarships that are being offered by different departments operating under the Government of India.
The scholarships listed on NSP are broadly categorised into four sections namely Central scholarships, state scholarships, AICTE scholarships and UGC scholarships. Furthermore, the key departments/ministries which offer scholarships through NSP include Ministry of Minority Affair, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Labour and Employment, etc.
Key Facts About National Scholarship Portal (NSP)
| S.No. | Particulars | Details |
| 1. | Number of students registering at NSP every year (Fresh) | 1.2 Crore* |
| 2. | Number of renewal applicants at NSP every year | 45 Lakh* |
| 3. | Total number of registered universities/institutions/boards on NSP | 15 Lakh* |
| 4. | Number of students registering at NSP every year (Fresh) | 1.2 Crore* |
| 5. | Number of centrally sponsored scholarships on NSP | 16 |
| 6. | Number of UGC schemes on NSP | 4 |
| 7. | Number of AICTE schemes on NSP | 4 |
| 8. | Number of state-sponsored scholarships on NSP | 40+ |
*These details are estimated and may vary.
To get a detailed list of scholarships available on NSP, their deadlines and application process, read the article on National Scholarship Portal.
Scholarship Portal in India – State Scholarship Portal
Besides the NSP, the students are also open to several state-level scholarship portals that are run by different state governments. Some of the renowned names in the list of states that host their independent scholarship portal include Uttar Pradesh (UP), Madhya Pradesh (MP), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Karnataka, Punjab, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh. Each state portal helps the students of that respective state to know and apply for scholarships available for them.
Scholarship Portal in India – UP Scholarship Portal
The Government of Uttar Pradesh runs its distinctive online scholarship portal with the name “Scholarship & Fee Reimbursement Online System” commonly termed as UP scholarship portal. This portal lists about 10 scholarships (including pre-matric and post-matric scholarships) for the students who are domiciled in the state. The students can carry out different activities through this portal such as scholarship application, checking the scholarship status, making corrections in the application, etc. The table below acquaints you with the key facts related to UP scholarship portal.
Key Facts about UP Scholarship Portal
| S.No. | Particulars | Details |
| 1. | Total number of students registering for a scholarship | 11 Crore* |
| 2. | Total number of students submitting the scholarship application | 85 Lakh* |
| 3. | Total number of applications forwarded by institutions | 75 Lakh* |
| 4. | Total number of scholarships available on UP Scholarship Portal | 10 |
*These details are estimated (approximation). Actual numbers may vary.
Scholarship Portal in India – MP Scholarship Portal
State Scholarship Portal 2.0, Madhya Pradesh, commonly known as MP scholarship portal is a dedicated online portal of scholarship schemes that are being run by different departments of the state government for students who are domiciled in the state. The variety of scholarships listed on this portal include post-matric scholarships for SC, ST, OBC and other categories students. Some of the key departments which offer such scholarships include Department of Higher Education, Department of Social Justice and the Department of Technical Education & Skill Development. Find interesting facts about this portal in the table given below.
Key Facts about MP Scholarship Portal
| S.No. | Particulars | Details |
| 1. | Total worth of scholarship disbursed through MP scholarship portal every year | INR 150 Crore* |
| 2. | Number of Students benefitting from those scholarships | 7 Lakh* |
| 3. | Number of institutions registered on MP scholarship portal | 4800* |
| 4. | Total number of scholarships available on MP scholarship portal | 9 |
*These details are estimated (approximation). Actual numbers may vary.
Scholarship Portal in India – SJE Scholarship Portal
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of Rajasthan also runs its separate online scholarship portal for students who are permanent residents of Rajasthan. Popularly known as SJE scholarship portal, it hosts scholarships for student belonging to OBC, SC, ST, EBC, SBC and DNT category at post-matriculation level. This portal aims at simplifying the application process for the scholarships available and ensuring efficient disbursement of the scholarship amount to each selected candidate.
Scholarship Portal in India – Oasis Scholarship Portal
The Backward Classes Welfare (BCW) Department of Government of West Bengal operates its own Oasis (Online Application for Scholarship in Studies) scholarship portal for students who are a permanent resident of West Bengal. It enlists a number of scholarships offered by the BCW department at both pre-matriculation and post-matriculation level for students belonging to SC, ST and OBC categories. Find below some interesting statistics about the portal as stated in the academic year 2018-19.
Key Facts about Oasis Scholarship Portal
| S.No. | Particulars | Details |
| 1. | Number of applications verified every year | 9.40 Lakh* |
| 2. | Number of students applying every year | 13.50 Lakh* |
| 3. | Number of institutions registered at Oasis Scholarship Portal | 12526 |
| 4. | Total number of schemes listed on the portal | 6 |
*These details are estimated (approximation). Actual numbers may vary.
Scholarship Portal in India – GOKDOM Scholarship Portal
The Directorate of Minorities, Government of Karnataka runs its own portal with the name of GOKDOM that hosts a number of scholarships, especially for the students belonging to the Minority community (Muslims, Sikhs, Parsis, Christians, Jains and Buddhists). The students, who are domiciled in Karnataka, not only get complete information of the scholarships available but also apply for them with the help of the portal. The table given below highlights some of the key statistics of the portal.
Key Facts about GOKDOM Scholarship Portal
| S.No. | Particulars | Details |
| 1. | Total number of scholarships available on GOKDOM | 6 |
| 2. | Total number of students benefitting through these scholarships between 2017-20 | 40 Lakh* |
| 3. | Total number of students benefitting through these scholarships between 2017-24 | 1 Crore* |
| 4. | Total number of students benefitting through these scholarships between 2017-30 | 2.30 Crore* |
*These details are estimated (as aimed by the government). Actual numbers may vary.
Scholarship Portal in India – Dr Ambedkar Scholarship Portal of Punjab
Dr Ambedkar Scholarship Portal is also one of the prominent state-run online portals in Punjab that offers scholarships at the post-matric level to students who are a permanent resident of Punjab. This portal not only simplifies the process of scholarship application and submission but also offers comprehensive information on all types of scholarships available. It enlists two key scholarships run by the Department of Welfare of Scheduled Caste and Backward Classes, Government of Punjab, namely Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students and Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC Students.
Scholarship Portal in India – HP ePass Scholarship Portal
The Department of Higher Education, Government of Himachal Pradesh runs its distinctive online scholarship portal with the name of ePass (Electronic Payment and Application System of Scholarships). Hosting over 25 scholarships, this scholarship portal covers schemes under different categories namely centrally sponsored schemes, state-sponsored schemes and technical schemes. The students who are domiciled in Himachal Pradesh state can apply for these scholarships within the specified time duration.
Key Facts about HP ePass Scholarship Portal
| S.No. | Particulars | Details |
| 1. | Number of centrally sponsored schemes available on HP ePass | 14 |
| 2. | Number of state-sponsored schemes available on HP ePass | 12 |
| 3. | Number of technical schemes available on HP ePass | 3 |
Scholarship Portal in India – PRERANA (Odisha)
Likewise, the ST & SC Development and Minority & Other Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of Odisha run the PRERANA scholarship portal for students domiciled in Odisha. PRERANA stands for Post-Matric Scholarships Registration Release and Network Automation. As its name suggests, this scholarship portal aims at facilitating the scholarship application process and ensuring timely disbursal of the scholarship amount into the bank accounts of students. It only hosts post-matric scholarships for students belonging to SC/ST/OBC/SEBC/EBC category. The list of scholarship is given hereunder.
List of Scholarships on PRERANA Scholarship Portal
| S.No. | Scholarship Name | Application Period* |
| 1. | Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students |
Between August and December |
| 2. | Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students | |
| 3. | Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC/SEBC Students | |
| 4. | Post-Matric Scholarship for EBC Students |
*The application period mentioned above is tentative and may change on the discretion of the scholarship provider.
Scholarship Portal in India – Independent Portals
There are some independent portals too, run by different government bodies. These portals host their respective scholarships and ensure their effective implementation as well as the disbursement. Some of the most popular independent portals include AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education), UGC (University Grants Commission) and MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource Development). All these government organisations focus on the upliftment of education sector, and thus, provide a number of scholarships and fellowships for the students of India, thereby inviting online applications from eligible students through their respective portals.
Scholarship Portal in India – AICTE
AICTE is a dedicated advisory body for imparting technical education within the country. It announces a number of scholarships for students to encourage them to pursue technical education. Some of the key scholarships run by AICTE include Saksham Scholarship for Disabled Students, Pragati Scholarship for Girls, PG (GATE/GPAT) Scholarship, Prime Minister Scholarship Scheme and more. To invite applications for each scholarship, AICTE runs its separate portal. However, the students can get the complete information about all these scholarships on its main portal.
Key Facts about AICTE Scholarships
| S.No. | Particulars | Details |
| 1. | Total number of scholarships offered by AICTE | 5 |
| 2. | Number of students benefitting from these scholarships every year | 1000+ |
| 3. | Key dates for scholarships | Between April and October* |
*It is the combined application period (tentative) for all the scholarships.
Scholarship Portal in India – UGC
UGC is yet another significant government body that focuses on the upliftment of education. Responsible for determining and maintaining the standards of university education within the country, UGC also offers a large number of scholarships for students at a higher level of education. Every year, it announces a total of 15 scholarships for students coming from different strata of life thereby reducing their financial burden. Almost 20,000 students get benefitted through these scholarships and pursue their education at graduation, postgraduation, doctorate and post-doctoral level.
Scholarship Portal in India – MHRD
MHRD – Ministry of Human Resource Development is also a significant contributor in the education sector. It has two dedicated departments to look after the education system of the country namely, the Department of School Education and Literacy and the Department of Higher Education. It also offers financial assistance to students studying in India or abroad through various scholarship schemes under two different categories – national level scholarship and external scholarships.
While the national level scholarships encourage studies within the country, the external scholarships help the students in pursuing higher education abroad through student-exchange programmes. The students are open to over 18 scholarships that are announced over the year for students to carry out education at different levels of study.
The list of scholarship portal does not end here. There are various other scholarship portals too which incorporate every significant information related to different scholarships on one platform. Buddy4Study is also one such scholarship portal that provides best-fit scholarships for students as per their profile.