| Who can apply | SC students in classes IX and X, domiciled in Himachal Pradesh |
| Annual scholarship amount | Rs 3,500 (day scholar) or Rs 7,000 (hosteller) |
| Family income ceiling | Rs 2,50,000 per annum |
| Application window | 4 June 2026 to 31 August 2026 |
| Where to apply | National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in) |
Do you belong to a Scheduled Caste and study in classes IX or X?
The first requirement is straightforward: you must belong to a Scheduled Caste, and you must be studying full-time in class IX or X. The scheme does not cover classes I to VIII or class XI onwards.
You also need to be domiciled in Himachal Pradesh. This means your permanent address must be in the state. If your parents moved to another state for work, or you study in a school outside Himachal Pradesh, you would apply through the state where you actually live.
The scholarship is open only to Indian nationals.
What is your family's annual income?
Your parent's or guardian's annual income must not exceed Rs 2,50,000. This is the hard ceiling. If the income is higher, you cannot apply, regardless of other circumstances.
Income means the total earnings from all sources—salary, business, agriculture, rent, pensions. The guidelines do not specify whether this is gross or net income, but in practice, most states ask for gross income as shown in income tax returns or the income certificate issued by the revenue officer.
You will need an income certificate to prove this. The guidelines do not specify which financial year the certificate must cover, but standard practice is that it should be from the current financial year (April to March). Get this from the Tehsildar or the revenue officer in your district.
How much money will you receive?
The scholarship is a consolidated annual allowance paid in one lump sum. The amount depends on whether you are a day scholar or a hosteller.
- Day scholar: Rs 3,500 per annum
- Hosteller: Rs 7,000 per annum
If you are a student with a disability (as defined under the Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016), you receive an additional 10% extra allowance on top of the above amount. So a hosteller with disability would get Rs 7,700.
The money is paid directly into your bank account or your parent's account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The government prefers payment through the Aadhaar Payment Bridge system, which links your Aadhaar number directly to your bank account.
This is a one-time annual payment. You do not receive it in instalments through the year.
What documents do you need to collect before applying?
Start gathering these now. The application form will ask for them, and delays in getting them are the most common reason applications are held up.
- Aadhaar card (yours, or Aadhaar Enrolment ID if you do not yet have the card). The portal will verify your Aadhaar in real time when you enter the number.
- Caste certificate proving you belong to a Scheduled Caste. This is issued by the Tehsildar or the revenue officer. Make sure it clearly states "Scheduled Caste" and names your caste.
- Income certificate from the Tehsildar or revenue officer, showing your parent's or guardian's annual income does not exceed Rs 2,50,000.
- Domicile certificate or proof that you are a resident of Himachal Pradesh. This is also issued by the Tehsildar.
- School admission letter or enrolment proof showing you are enrolled in class IX or X in a recognised school in Himachal Pradesh.
- Bank account details (yours or your parent's). You will need the account number, IFSC code, and the name on the account. The account must be in your name or your parent's/guardian's name.
The guidelines state that you should not need to upload physical documents into the portal. Instead, the system should auto-verify your eligibility by linking to government databases (caste certificates, income certificates, domicile records) using your Aadhaar number as the link. In practice, this varies by state. If the auto-verification does not work, the portal may ask you to upload scans. Keep digital copies of all documents ready just in case.
Do not wait until August to get your caste and income certificates. The revenue offices are slow, and you may miss the deadline.
How does the application process work?
You apply online through the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in. The portal is open from 4 June 2026 to 31 August 2026. After 31 August, the window closes and you cannot apply for that year.
Here is what happens step by step:
- Go to scholarships.gov.in and register yourself if you do not already have a login. You will need an email address and a mobile number.
- Log in and search for "Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC Students" and select the Himachal Pradesh version.
- Fill in the application form with your personal details, school information, and family income.
- Enter your Aadhaar number. The portal will verify it in real time. If it fails, you can use an alternative ID (the guidelines allow this so genuine students are not blocked).
- Upload or link your documents—caste certificate, income certificate, domicile certificate, bank details. The system may auto-verify some of these against government records.
- Review the form carefully before submitting. Once submitted, you cannot edit it.
- Submit the form and note down your application reference number. You will need this to track your status.
The school you study in will also verify your admission on the portal on the same day you apply. This is called "application-on-the-day-of-admission" verification. The school needs to confirm that you are genuinely enrolled and studying there.
What happens after you submit the application?
The state government has up to 30 days from the date you submit to verify your eligibility. If verification is not completed within 30 days, the application is automatically approved (this is called "presumed approval").
Once approved, the state government releases its share of the scholarship (which is 10% for Himachal Pradesh) by 15 August. The central government then releases its share (90%) by 30 August.
The money reaches your bank account within a few days of the government releasing it. If you do not receive it by early September, contact your school's Grievance Redressal Officer (GRO) or log a complaint on the portal itself.
If your application is rejected, the portal will tell you why. Common reasons are:
- Income certificate is missing or shows income above Rs 2,50,000
- Caste certificate is missing or does not show SC status
- Aadhaar verification failed and no alternative ID was provided
- Bank account details do not match the name on the Aadhaar or caste certificate
- You are not actually enrolled in the school you claimed
If rejected, you can file a grievance through the portal or contact the GRO at your school. Unresolved grievances at the school level are automatically escalated to the district and then state level.
What if you want to continue the scholarship next year?
If you are promoted to class X (or to class XI, though the scheme ends at class X), you do not need to apply again. The system auto-renews your scholarship based on:
- Your attendance in the previous year (must be at least 75%)
- Your school confirming you have been promoted to the next class
- Your school confirming you have returned to study
Attendance is tracked through an Aadhaar-based system. Your school uploads your attendance to the portal each month.
If you fail a class and have to repeat it, you do not get the scholarship for that repeated year. The scholarship covers each class only once.
What will disqualify you or get you blacklisted?
If you obtain the scholarship by providing false information, the state government can cancel it immediately and recover the money you have already received. You will also be blacklisted and barred from any scholarship scheme forever.
If you drop out of school during the year, you may be asked to refund the scholarship amount at the state government's discretion.
If you hold another educational scholarship for classes I to X at the same time, you must choose one. Inform your school which one you want to keep.
Key dates to remember
| Applications open | 4 June 2026 |
| Applications close | 31 August 2026 |
| State share released by | 15 August 2026 |
| Central share released by | 30 August 2026 |
| Verification deadline | 30 days from your application date |
The guidelines do not specify when the money will actually appear in your account, but it usually takes 3–5 working days after the government releases it to the bank.
Applications received after 31 August are considered late. The state has up to 2 months to process them, and the central government has up to 1 month after the state releases its share. These late applications are not guaranteed to be processed in the same financial year.
Where to get help
If you have questions while filling the form, contact your school's Grievance Redressal Officer. Every school participating in the scheme has one.
You can also log a grievance directly on the National Scholarship Portal. Unresolved grievances are escalated automatically to district and state level.
The portal also has a mobile app version if you prefer to apply on your phone.
Start gathering your documents now. The revenue offices issue certificates slowly, and you do not want to be scrambling in late August.
Official source:
Centrally Sponsored Pre Matric Scholarship Scheme For SC Students-Himachal Pradesh - scheme guidelines (PDF)
· National Scholarship Portal
Verified against the official guidelines on 2026-08-10. Confirm current dates and amounts on the official portal before applying.