Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC Students 2025

The Post-Matric Scholarship for Other Backward Classes (OBC) Students, Puducherry 2025-2026, is a centrally sponsored scheme by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, administered through the Government of Puducherry’s Department of Adi Dravidar Welfare and Scheduled Tribes Welfare. This scholarship aims to provide financial assistance to OBC students pursuing post-matriculation education (Class 11 to PhD level) to cover tuition fees, maintenance allowances, and other educational expenses. The scheme promotes higher education among economically disadvantaged OBC students, reducing dropout rates and enhancing literacy in the Union Territory of Puducherry. Puducherry, with a literacy rate of 85.85% (Census 2011) and home to institutions like Pondicherry University (ranked 801–1000 globally, QS World University Rankings 2025), supports over 50,000 students in higher education. Recipients benefit from financial support, enabling them to pursue studies in diverse fields such as engineering, medicine, law, and arts.

To be eligible for the Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC Students, Puducherry 2025-2026, applicants must:

• Be a permanent resident of Puducherry.

• Belong to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, as per the Central/State Government’s OBC list, with a valid OBC caste certificate.

• Be enrolled in a recognized post-matriculation or post-secondary course (Class 11 to PhD level), including:

  • Higher secondary (Class 11 and 12).

  • Undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, ITI, polytechnic, or professional courses (e.g., engineering, medicine, law).

• Have passed matriculation (Class 10), higher secondary, or any higher examination from a recognized board or university.

• Have an annual family income not exceeding INR 2.5 lakh per annum from all sources.

• Be studying in a government or government-recognized institution in India (including Puducherry or other states).

• Maintain satisfactory academic progress and attendance, as certified by the institution.

• Exclusions:

  • Not available for students pursuing courses through correspondence or distance learning.

  • Not available for students receiving another centrally/state-sponsored scholarship for the same course (students must choose the most beneficial scholarship).

  • Not available if more than two siblings from the same family are applying for post-matric scholarships.

  • Not awarded to students who fail to progress to the next class/level or discontinue studies.

• Value: Financial assistance includes:

  • Maintenance Allowance:

    • Group I (professional courses like medicine, engineering, MBA, LLB): Up to INR 750/month (day scholars), INR 1,200/month (hostellers) for 10 months.

    • Group II (other graduate/postgraduate courses): Up to INR 510/month (day scholars), INR 820/month (hostellers).

    • Group III (diploma, certificate courses): Up to INR 400/month (day scholars), INR 570/month (hostellers).

    • Group IV (Class 11–12): Up to INR 230/month (day scholars), INR 380/month (hostellers).

  • Compulsory Fees: Full reimbursement of non-refundable fees (e.g., tuition, examination fees) as fixed by the state/central fee fixation committee.

  • Additional Allowances: For students with disabilities, additional grants for study materials or equipment (up to INR 3,000/year, subject to verification).

• Disbursement: Funds are disbursed monthly via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the student’s Aadhaar-linked bank account after institute and state-level verification.

• Duration: Renewable annually for the duration of the course (e.g., 2–5 years, depending on the program), subject to satisfactory academic progress and submission of an annual progress report from the institution’s head.

• Additional Benefits:

  • Recognition as a scholarship recipient, enhancing academic credentials.

  • Access to Puducherry’s educational resources, including Pondicherry University’s libraries and career services.

  • Support for professional networking through government-recognized institutions.

• Note: The scholarship does not cover living expenses beyond maintenance allowances (estimated at INR 1.2–1.5 lakh/year for Puducherry) or non-educational fees. Total financial aid cannot exceed course costs, and adjustments are made if combined with other funding. Education loans via WeMakeScholars or banks (e.g., SBI, HDFC Credila) are available for additional expenses. International students (if applicable) must purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (~INR 50,000/year) by February 1, 2025.

Applicants must apply online through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). Follow these steps:

1. Register on NSP:

   • Visit the NSP website (scholarships.gov.in) and click “New Registration.”

   • Provide Aadhaar number, name, date of birth, mobile number, email ID, and bank details.

   • Complete OTP verification and create a user ID and password.

2. Complete Application:

   • Log in to the NSP portal using credentials.

   • Select “Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC Students, Puducherry.”

   • Fill in details: personal information, academic details, course/institution details, and income details.

   • Upload required documents (listed below).

   • Review, tick the declaration, and submit by the deadline.

3. Institute Verification:

   • The institution verifies academic details and attendance via the NSP portal.

   • Submit any additional documents requested by the institution.

4. State-Level Verification:

   • The Puducherry Department of Adi Dravidar Welfare and Scheduled Tribes Welfare verifies eligibility and documents.

5. Notification:

   • Check application status on the NSP portal using the application ID.

   • Successful applicants are notified via NSP and email by January 2026.

6. Disbursement:

   • Funds are transferred to the Aadhaar-linked bank account after verification, typically starting February 2026.

Note: International students (if applicable) must hold a valid Indian student visa and be onshore by February 2025. Apply for a visa by November 2024 to allow 3–4 months for processing. Contact the NSP helpline (0120-6619540) or Puducherry’s scholarship office for support. Biometric KYC (Aadhaar-based) is mandatory for 2025-26 applications. Applications must be submitted online; offline applications are not accepted.

• Completed NSP application form (via scholarships.gov.in).

• Aadhaar card (mandatory for DBT).

• OBC caste certificate (issued by a competent authority in Puducherry).

• Income certificate (family income ≤ INR 2.5 lakh, issued by a competent authority).

• Class 10 mark sheet or certificate (proof of matriculation).

• Current course admission proof (e.g., fee receipt, admission letter).

• Mark sheets of previous qualifying exams.

• Bank account details (Aadhaar-linked, passbook first page).

• Domicile certificate (proof of Puducherry residency).

• Bonafide certificate from the current institution.

• Disability certificate (if applicable, for additional allowances).

• Passport-sized photograph.

• Note: Documents must be in English or accompanied by certified translations. Upload scanned copies in PDF format (max 2 MB each) to the NSP portal by the deadline. Incomplete or incorrect documents lead to rejection.

• Application Deadline: November 30, 2025, 11:59 PM (IST), for student submission (extended for 2025-26, per NSP guidelines).

• Institute Verification Deadline: December 15, 2025.

• State-Level Verification Deadline: December 31, 2025.

• Notification: By January 2026.

• Disbursement: Starting February 2026, subject to verification.

• Health Insurance Deadline: February 1, 2025, for international students (if applicable).

• Note: Deadlines are based on NSP’s Central Sector Post-Matric Schemes for 2025-26 (web:22). Verify at scholarships.gov.in or contact the Puducherry scholarship office (scholarship.py@gov.in). Early application by October 2025 is recommended for smooth processing.

• Email: scholarship.py@gov.in (Department of Adi Dravidar Welfare and Scheduled Tribes Welfare); helpdesk@nsp.gov.in (NSP Helpline).

• Phone: +91 413-2231259 (Puducherry Scholarship Office); 0120-6619540 (NSP Helpline, 9:00 AM–5:30 PM IST, Monday–Friday).

• Address: Department of Adi Dravidar Welfare and Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Government of Puducherry, Marie Street, Puducherry 605001, India.

• Website: scholarships.gov.in; schooledn.py.gov.in