Centre expands higher education support: 1.09 crore scholarships, streamlined fellowships

Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar informed the Rajya Sabha that the central government is expanding financial support for students from different social groups to help them pursue higher education and research. The Minister highlighted several scholarship and fellowship programmes being implemented through the University Grants Commission (UGC) and other government initiatives.

The National Scholarship for Post Graduate Studies (NSPGS) was introduced by the UGC in the 2023-24 academic year by bringing together four existing scholarship schemes: the PG Single Girl Child Scholarship, PG Scholarship for University Rank Holders, PG Scholarship for SC/ST students pursuing professional courses, and the Post Graduate Scholarship for GATE/GPAT. Under the NSPGS, selected students receive Rs 15,000 per month for 10 months in an academic year. The scholarship is available for two years for students pursuing postgraduate studies in India.

In addition, the Savitribai Jyotirao Phule Fellowship for Single Girl Child was launched by the UGC in September 2022, replacing the earlier Swami Vivekananda Single Girl Child Fellowship. This fellowship provides financial support to eligible single girl children who wish to pursue research. Named after the social reformer and pioneer of women's education, the fellowship aims to encourage single girl children to take up research across disciplines.

The government said that all scholarship and fellowship amounts are credited directly into the Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts of beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. The disbursement process is facilitated through the SNA-SPARSH platform, which allows real-time and utilisation-based tracking of funds. This ensures that financial aid reaches intended students without intermediaries, reducing the possibility of leakages and delays.

For the financial year 2025-26, the government is providing around 1.09 crore scholarships for post-matric and higher education. Of these, approximately 36 lakh scholarships are for students belonging to the Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Backward Classes (EBC) and Denotified Tribes (DT). Around 24 lakh scholarships are being provided to students from Scheduled Tribes (ST), while nearly 48 lakh scholarships are meant for students from Scheduled Castes (SC).

These numbers reflect the government's continued focus on ensuring that students from historically marginalised communities have access to higher education and research opportunities. The scholarships cover a range of academic levels, from post-matric to postgraduate and research programmes, and are designed to reduce the financial burden on students and their families.

The government has also emphasised the importance of transparency in the disbursal of these funds. The DBT system, combined with the SNA-SPARSH platform, enables authorities to monitor the utilisation of funds in real time. This helps in ensuring that scholarships and fellowships are used for the intended purposes, thereby strengthening accountability.

The expansion of these schemes is part of the central government's broader efforts to widen access to higher education and research. By providing financial assistance to students from various social and economic backgrounds, the government aims to create a more inclusive and equitable education system in the country.

The announcements were made in response to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha. The Minister's reply provided a detailed overview of the various initiatives, underscoring the government's commitment to supporting students at every stage of their academic journey.