Assam's Directorate of Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes has opened online applications for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for the 2026-27 academic session through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), with awards ranging up to Rs 20,000 a year for eligible Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class students and a final submission deadline of September 30, 2026.
Background
Pre-matric and post-matric scholarship schemes for SC, ST and OBC students are centrally sponsored programmes implemented at the state level, designed to reduce dropout rates among historically disadvantaged communities by offsetting the direct and indirect costs of schooling and higher education — tuition, books, hostel fees and incidental expenses that otherwise push lower-income families to pull children out of school, particularly at the transition points into secondary school and into college.
In Assam, these schemes are administered jointly by the Directorate of Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes and delivered through the Government of India's National Scholarship Portal, which has in recent years centralised what used to be a scattered, state-by-state application process into a single online system with unified verification, aimed at cutting delays and leakage in disbursement. All payments are made directly into beneficiaries' bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), a mechanism the Assam government has also leaned on heavily across other welfare schemes to reduce intermediary corruption.
Key Details
- Applications for the 2026-27 academic session are open now through the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in), with a final deadline of September 30, 2026 for most schemes.
- Eligibility is restricted to students belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe or Other Backward Class communities holding a valid caste certificate.
- A family income ceiling applies: parent or guardian annual income from all sources must not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh per year for OBC applicants.
- The Pre-Matric scholarship covers students in Class IX and X, while the Post-Matric scholarship covers students from Class XI onward, including undergraduate, postgraduate and professional courses.
- For OBC students, Pre-Matric awards are set at Rs 4,000 per annum, while Post-Matric awards range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 per year depending on the course group — professional and technical courses typically sit at the higher end of that range compared with general degree courses.
- A One-Time Registration (OTR) is now mandatory for every applicant under the revised NSP process for this academic session — students must generate a 14-digit OTR number via the NSP OTR mobile app, verified against Aadhaar through the Aadhaar Face RD app, before they can access and submit the actual scholarship application form.
- All disbursements are made via Direct Benefit Transfer directly into the student's (or eligible guardian's) bank account, linked to the same Aadhaar-verified profile used for registration.
At a Glance
| Scheme Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Application window | Open now through September 30, 2026 |
| Eligible categories | SC, ST, OBC students with valid caste certificate |
| Income ceiling (OBC) | Rs 2.5 lakh per annum (family income) |
| Pre-Matric coverage | Class IX-X students |
| Pre-Matric award (OBC) | Rs 4,000 per annum |
| Post-Matric coverage | Class XI and above, including UG/PG/professional courses |
| Post-Matric award (OBC) | Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 per annum, by course group |
| New requirement this year | Mandatory One-Time Registration (OTR) via NSP OTR app + Aadhaar Face RD verification |
| Disbursement mode | Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to bank account |
Local Impact
For lower-income SC, ST and OBC households across Assam, the scholarship represents a meaningful — if partial — offset against the real cost of keeping a child enrolled through the secondary-to-higher-education transition, a point at which many families in rural and economically weaker households face pressure to have older children begin earning instead of continuing their studies. The Rs 2.5 lakh income ceiling targets the scheme specifically at lower-middle and lower-income households, rather than functioning as a blanket subsidy across all SC/ST/OBC families regardless of means.
The shift to mandatory One-Time Registration this year, while intended to tighten verification and reduce duplicate or fraudulent claims, also raises a practical hurdle for first-time applicants and families in areas with patchy internet access or lower digital literacy — the OTR process requires a working smartphone, the dedicated NSP OTR and Aadhaar Face RD apps, and a successful biometric-style face verification step before the main application can even begin. Schools, colleges and local Common Service Centres are typically the first point of assistance for students who struggle with this step.
What Happens Next
Students and guardians are expected to complete their One-Time Registration well ahead of the September 30 deadline, since technical issues, server load closer to the deadline, and document verification delays are common friction points in NSP application cycles nationally. Following the application window's close, colleges and the Directorate of Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes are expected to carry out institutional verification of submitted applications before funds are released via DBT, a process that in past cycles has extended verification and disbursement into the following months of the academic session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for Assam's 2026-27 SC/ST/OBC scholarships?
Students belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe or Other Backward Class communities with a valid caste certificate are eligible. For OBC applicants, family income from all sources must not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh per annum.
What is the application deadline?
The last date to apply for most schemes through the National Scholarship Portal for the 2026-27 academic session is September 30, 2026.
How much money do students receive?
For OBC students, Pre-Matric scholarships (Class IX-X) are Rs 4,000 per annum, while Post-Matric scholarships (Class XI and above) range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 per year depending on the course group.
What is One-Time Registration (OTR) and why is it required this year?
OTR is a mandatory 14-digit registration number generated via the NSP OTR mobile app, verified through the Aadhaar Face RD app, that every applicant must obtain before filling out the scholarship application this year — a new requirement aimed at tightening identity verification across the National Scholarship Portal.
How is the scholarship money paid out?
All scholarship amounts are disbursed via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) directly into the student's or guardian's bank account linked to their Aadhaar-verified NSP profile.
Which classes are covered under Pre-Matric and Post-Matric scholarships?
Pre-Matric scholarships cover students in Class IX and X. Post-Matric scholarships cover students from Class XI onward, including undergraduate, postgraduate and professional/technical courses.
Where do students apply?
Applications are submitted through the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in, after completing the mandatory One-Time Registration process.
What should students do if they face technical issues with the application?
Students facing difficulty with OTR generation, Aadhaar Face RD verification or the online form are generally advised to seek help at their school or college administration office or at local Common Service Centres, and to complete the process well before the deadline to avoid last-minute server load issues.
Sources
Buddy4Study, Careers360, National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in), The Global Scholarship, Directorate of Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, Government of Assam.