How do parents apply for a pre-matric scholarship?

Central schemes: complete One-Time Registration on scholarships.gov.in (a guardian's Aadhaar can be used for young students), fill the application, and have the school verify it. State schemes: apply on your state's scholarship portal (e.g., Karnataka's SSP) or through the school, which often submits on the student's behalf.

What does the pre-matric scholarship pay?

Modest but meaningful amounts that vary by scheme and state — typically an annual academic allowance plus ad-hoc/maintenance components, higher for hostellers. The goal is to stop drop-outs between Classes 9 and 10, so amounts focus on day-to-day schooling costs.

Can a student get both pre-matric and another scholarship?

Generally no two scholarships covering the same purpose can be held together — but a government pre-matric scholarship usually doesn't block separate private crisis-support programs like HDFC Parivartan ECSS. Check each scheme's exclusivity rule.

Pre-Matric Scholarship: Eligibility & How to Apply

Q: Who is eligible for a pre-matric scholarship?

School students from SC, ST, OBC, or minority communities, within their scheme's income limit. The central SC and ST pre-matric schemes cover Classes 9–10 with family income up to ₹2.5 lakh; the minority pre-matric scheme covers Classes 9–10 (previously 1–10) with income up to ₹1 lakh; states run additional pre-matric schemes for earlier classes with their own limits.

Updated 5 June 2026 · By the SchemeCheck team

Quick answer: Pre-matric scholarships support school students (up to Class 10) from SC, ST, OBC, and minority families. Central schemes on NSP cover Classes 9–10 with income limits of ₹2.5 lakh (SC/ST/OBC) and ₹1 lakh (minorities); states run their own schemes for earlier classes. Parents apply via NSP One-Time Registration or the state portal — the school verifies.

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Eligibility by scheme

Scheme	Classes	Income limit	Key conditions
SC pre-matric (central)	9–10	₹2.5 lakh	SC certificate; regular attendance
ST pre-matric (central)	9–10	₹2.5 lakh	ST certificate
OBC pre-matric (central)	9–10	₹2.5 lakh	OBC certificate; parents not in regular govt service (varies)
Minority pre-matric (central)	9–10	₹1 lakh	Muslim/Christian/Sikh/Buddhist/Jain/Parsi; 50% marks in previous exam
State pre-matric schemes	Often 1–10	Varies (e.g., up to ₹6 lakh in some state SC schemes)	State residence; state portal (e.g., Karnataka SSP)
Children of unclean-occupation workers	1–10	No limit in most versions	Parent occupation certificate

Notes: the central minority scheme's coverage was restricted to Classes 9–10 from 2022-23 (earlier classes shifted to RTE support); 50% minimum marks applies to several schemes except at entry classes. State variants differ — check your state portal.

What it pays

Amounts are modest but designed to stop drop-outs: an annual academic/ad-hoc allowance plus maintenance components, with higher rates for hostellers than day scholars. Exact figures vary by scheme, class, and state and are listed in each scheme's guidelines on NSP or the state portal.

How to apply (parent/guardian steps)

Central schemes (NSP): complete One-Time Registration on scholarships.gov.in — for young students, a parent/guardian's Aadhaar supports the e-KYC. Then log in, choose the pre-matric scheme for your category, and fill the application.
State schemes: apply on your state's portal (Karnataka's SSP has a pre-matric section; Tamil Nadu routes many school scholarships through schools and the education department).
The school must verify the application — follow up with the head teacher or scholarship in-charge before the verification deadline.
Payment lands by DBT in the student's (or guardian-linked) Aadhaar-seeded bank account.

Documents needed

Student's Aadhaar (and guardian's Aadhaar for OTR if needed)
Caste/community certificate (or minority self-declaration where allowed)
Income certificate from the issuing authority
Previous year's marksheet / school bonafide certificate
Bank passbook — student's account or guardian-linked, Aadhaar-seeded
School ID / admission proof for the current year

Deadlines

NSP pre-matric windows typically open with the academic year (around July–August) and close in September–November, with school verification deadlines after. State portals set their own dates (often September–December). Apply early — certificate issuance is the usual bottleneck.

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible for a pre-matric scholarship?

SC/ST/OBC students in Classes 9–10 with family income up to ₹2.5 lakh, minority students in Classes 9–10 up to ₹1 lakh, plus state schemes that cover earlier classes.

How do parents apply?

Central schemes via NSP OTR and application; state schemes via the state portal or the school. The school must verify every application.

How much does it pay?

Scheme-dependent annual allowances, higher for hostellers — designed to cover schooling costs and prevent drop-outs rather than full fees.

Can my child hold two scholarships?

Usually not two government scholarships for the same purpose; private crisis-support programs like HDFC Parivartan may be compatible — check each scheme's rules.

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Sources: NSP — all scholarships, ministry scheme guidelines linked on NSP. Income limits and class coverage change by notification — confirm the current year's guidelines. Last verified 5 June 2026.