PM Scholarship Scheme

Various ministries and departments under the Government of India and state governments offer multiple scholarships that cover various categories of people. From the central sector and centrally sponsored schemes like MHRD Scholarship to those offered by the state governments like the Bihar Scholarships, DMS Scholarship, etc, these awards are disbursed to provide the prospective scholars a platform to pursue higher education across disciplines. One such out of a list of many is the PM Scholarship scheme, the details pertaining to which will be discussed in this blog. 

What is the PM Scholarship Scheme?

One of the popular central schemes, the PM Scholarship Scheme(PMSS) is open for the wards/widows of the CAPF(Central Armed Police Forces), Assam Rifles(AR), and State Police Personnel. The primary objective of the scheme is to provide such candidates with an opportunity to pursue professional, higher-level technical and quality education. Run by the Welfare and Department Board under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, the program was initiated in 2006 under the aegis of the National Defence Fund. 

Latest Changes

Earlier limited to the CAPF and AR wards, the PM Scholarship has now also been extended to the wards of the state police personnel martyred in terrorist or Naxal operations. Further, the scholarship amount has been increased from Rs 2250 to 3000 in the case of girls and Rs 2000 to Rs 2500 for boys. 

Also Read: Difference between Scholarship and Fellowship

PM Scholarship Scheme: Important Dates

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the coveted PM Scholarship program, the candidate has to fulfil the minimum entry requirement, the details of which have been listed below: 

• The age of the candidate should be between 18 to 25 years.
• Any student whose family annual income is not more than Rs 6 lakh.
• Any student who has been admitted to any technical or professional Diploma/ Graduation course in the year 2021-22.
• A student who is studying any of the below courses from a recognized Government regulatory body.
• Any student who has passed class 12th / Graduation or any Diploma course with minimum or above 60% marks.
• Any student who is a dependent ward or a widow of Ex-Servicemen and Ex-Coast Guard personnel who died in harness or got disabled during coast guard service or military service.
• A student who is not a civilian or an award of Para Military Personnel.
• Any student who is not getting any wage for a professional degree course.
• Any student who is pursuing studies through only a regular, not a distance learning course.

Note: Students can apply for this scholarship just for one course. If they apply for scholarships in more than one course the application will be considered invalid. For the graduation courses, the eligibility will vary. For instance, if it is for an MBA or BEd, the applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree.

Tabulated below are the cases in which the applicants are NOT eligible to apply for the PM Scholarship Scheme: 

• Those who are receiving stipend/scholarship/financial assistance
• Studying Abroad
• Studying professional courses through distance education
• Children of civilian employee of CAPF/AR/State service forces
• Those who have already availed the benefits of PMSS 

PM Scholarship Scheme: Applicable Courses

Tabulated below are the programs for which the prospective scholars can apply to avail the benefits stipulated under the PM Scholarship Scheme. These courses must be recognized by regulatory bodies like AICTE, UGC, MCI and only those who are pursuing education from such institutes/universities will be eligible to apply for the scholarship scheme.  To see the full list of courses eligible for the PMSS: click here!

Also Read: PhD Scholarships in India

PMSS Application Process

Given below is a step by step guide on the application process of the PM Scholarship Scheme. It is advised to keep the required documents ready beforehand in order to fill the application form without any hassle. 

• Visit the official website
• Click on the “New Registration”
• Enter the relevant details and register. 
• Log in to the portal using the OTP and ID received. 
• Change the password and fill the application form. 
• Upload the scanned copied of the requisite documents, 
• Submit the form. 

Documents Required

To collate the documents required, it is first essential to understand the order of preference while selecting the applicants: 

• Service Certificate issued by H.O.O
• Duly attested copy of Marksheet along with Disability certificate (Cat. B & D), Death Certificate(Cat. A & C), gallantry award certificate (Category E), Discharge Certificate(Cat. A-F). 
• A state government-issued certificate indicating that the state service personnel was martyred in Naxal /terrorist operations. 

Number of Scholarships and Amount

While the total number of scholarships for the wards of AR and CAPF is 2000, it is capped at 500 for the state police personal wards. In both cases, the awards will be given in equal numbers for girls and boys. It will be disbursed through the Direct Benefit Mode(DBT) mode to all the selected candidates and is valid for 1-5 years(depending on the course). The value of the PM Scholarship is as follows: 

• Rs 3,000/month for girls
• Rs 2,500/month for boys

Note: The amount will be disbursed on a yearly basis i.e Rs. 36,000 for each girl and Rs. 30,000 for a boy. 

FAQs

Thus, the PM Scholarship program is a ray of hope for those who are facing financial constraints in pursuing higher education. If you are looking for scholarships for Indian students to study abroad but are confused about the process and availability then take the assistance of Leverage Edu’s experts through a 30 minutes free career counselling session and take a step forward to a rewarding career!