State Government Scholarships 2026: Complete State-Wise List, Eligibility and Last Dates
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State Government Scholarships 2026 are financial aid programmes offered by individual state governments exclusively to domicile residents of that state, covering students from pre-matric level all the way through postgraduate and doctoral programmes. These scholarships cover categories including SC, ST, OBC, EWS, Minority, girl students and meritorious students with no fixed income ceiling for merit-based awards. Whether you are tracking your engineering admission through UPTAC 2026 counselling, finalising your medical college via the NEET 2026 expected cutoff guide, or just starting college in 2026 — applying for your state scholarship as early as possible can significantly offset your tuition and living expenses. Keep reading for the complete state-wise list, eligibility criteria, official portals and step-by-step application guide.
What Are State Government Scholarships?
State scholarships in India are financial aid programmes offered by individual state governments specifically for students who are domicile residents of that state. For the academic session 2026-27, most state scholarship portals are expected to open between July and October 2026. These scholarships cover students across all educational levels — from pre-matric (Class 1 to 10) to post-matric and postgraduation — and are available across categories including SC, ST, OBC, General, girls and minority students. You can also verify the full list of active central schemes through the official National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in) and apply for state schemes that run parallel to central ones.
State Government Scholarships 2026: Eligibility Criteria
While each state sets its own specific eligibility rules, the following criteria are common across most state scholarship schemes in India 2026:
- Must hold a valid domicile or residence certificate of the respective state — this is the single non-negotiable requirement for all state scholarships
- Must be enrolled in a recognised school, college, polytechnic, university or technical institute in the same or another state
- Annual family income must be within the prescribed limit — usually ₹2,00,000 to ₹2,50,000 for need-based schemes and up to ₹8,00,000 for some girl-student and merit-based schemes
- Must belong to the eligible category (SC, ST, OBC, EWS, Minority, General or Girl students) specified for the scheme
- Must have passed the previous qualifying examination with the minimum percentage required by the scheme — typically 50% for general and 40–45% for reserved categories
- Must not be availing another scholarship of a similar nature simultaneously, unless specifically permitted by the scheme
State-Wise Scholarship List 2026
The table below provides a snapshot of major state government scholarship schemes across India in 2026. Students should visit the official state scholarship portal for confirmed last dates and current year amounts, as these are updated at the start of each academic session.
Table
| State | Key Scholarship Scheme | Category Covered | Official Portal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | UP Post-Matric Scholarship (Pre-Matric, Dashmottar, Kanya Vidya Dhan Yojana) | SC/ST/OBC/General/Minority/Girl | scholarship.up.gov.in |
| Maharashtra | MahaDBT Scholarship (Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Scholarship, EBC, OBC, SC, ST schemes) | SC/ST/OBC/EBC/NT-VJNT/Minority | mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in |
| Bihar | Bihar Post-Matric Scholarship, Chief Minister Kanya Utthan Yojana, Bihar Graduation Scholarship | SC/ST/OBC/BC/Girl students | medhasoft.bih.nic.in |
| Rajasthan | Rajasthan Post-Matric Scholarship, Mukhyamantri Uchch Shiksha Scholarship | SC/ST/OBC/EBC/SBC/DNT/EWS | sje.rajasthan.gov.in |
| Karnataka | Sanchi Honnamma Scholarship, Vidyasiri Scholarship, Deepika Scholarship for Girls | SC/ST/OBC/Minority/Girl students | karepass.cgg.gov.in |
| Tamil Nadu | TN Post-Matric Scholarship, Study Abroad Scholarship, First Graduate Scholarship | SC/ST/OBC/BCM/MBC | tnscholarship.gov.in |
| West Bengal | Aikyashree Scholarship, Bigyani Kanya Medha Britti, Swami Vivekananda Merit Scholarship | Minority/Girl students/Meritorious | wbmdfcscholarship.in |
| Haryana | DHE Scholarship, Haryana SC Post-Matric Scholarship, Gaon Ki Beti Scholarship | SC/BC/OBC/Girl students | haryanascbc.gov.in |
| Madhya Pradesh | MP Post-Matric Scholarship, Mukhyamantri Medhavi Vidyarthi Yojana, Gaon Ki Beti | SC/ST/OBC/General/Girl students | scholarshipportal.mp.nic.in |
| Telangana | Telangana TS ePASS Scholarship, Study Abroad Scholarship for SC/ST | SC/ST/BC/EBC/Minority | telanganaepass.cgg.gov.in |
| Gujarat | Namo Laxmi Scholarship for Girls, Gujarat SC/ST Post-Matric Scholarship | SC/ST/OBC/EWS/Girl students | digitalgujarat.gov.in |
| Odisha | Odisha Post-Matric Scholarship, Study Abroad Scholarship, PRERANA Scholarship | SC/ST/OBC/SEBC | scholarship.odisha.gov.in |
4 columns · 13 rows
State scholarships in India form a massive support system for students, complementing central schemes. Every state offers multiple opportunities — so students should always check both their state portal and NSP to maximise benefits.
UP Post-Matric Scholarship 2026
The UP Post-Matric Scholarship is one of the largest state scholarship programmes in India, administered by the Social Welfare Department, Backward Classes Welfare Department and Minority Welfare Department of Uttar Pradesh. Students enrolled at AKTU-affiliated colleges through UPTAC 2026 document verification, including institutes like Institute of Engineering and Rural Technology, Allahabad and Galgotias College of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida, can apply through the official scholarship.up.gov.in portal.
Table
| UP Scholarship Scheme | Level | Category | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Matric Scholarship | Class 9 and 10 | SC/ST/OBC/Minority | Maintenance allowance + tuition fee |
| Post-Matric Intermediate Scholarship | Class 11 and 12 | General/SC/ST/OBC | Tuition fee + admission/exam fee |
| Dashmottar Scholarship | UG/PG/Diploma/Certificate | All categories | Tuition + hostel + maintenance allowance |
| Post-Matric Other State | UG/PG outside UP | SC/ST/General | As per course and institute |
| Kanya Vidya Dhan Yojana | Class 12 pass (one-time) | Girl students (EWS) | ₹30,000 one-time grant |
4 columns · 6 rows
Maharashtra Scholarship 2026 (MahaDBT)
Maharashtra Scholarship 2026-27 applications are now open, with the application process having commenced on June 1, 2026, through the MahaDBT portal at mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in. For students applying for renewal, the Maharashtra Scholarship deadline is September 30, 2026. The government directly transfers the scholarship amount to students' bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). For a full scheme-wise breakdown, refer to the Maharashtra Scholarship 2026 complete guide.
- Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Scholarship — for SC students in UG and PG programmes
- Maharashtra Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students — tuition fee and maintenance allowance for Class 11 onwards
- Maharashtra Scholarship for NT-VJNT Category — for nomadic tribe and other backward class students
- EBC Post-Matric Scholarship Maharashtra — for economically backward class students in higher education
- Minority Post-Matric Scholarship Maharashtra — for minority community students from Class 11 through PG
Bihar Scholarship 2026
The Bihar government offers multiple scholarship and incentive schemes through its Medha Soft portal (medhasoft.bih.nic.in). The most prominent ones for 2026 include the Chief Minister Kanya Utthan Yojana for Class 12 girls, Bihar Graduation Scholarship for girls who have completed graduation, and the Bihar Post-Matric Scholarship for SC/ST/OBC students. The Bihar Graduation Scholarship offers ₹50,000 to eligible girl graduates. You can read the complete scheme-wise guide at the Bihar Scholarship 2026 guide.
Rajasthan Scholarship 2026
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Rajasthan recently extended the Post-Matric Scholarship deadline to June 30, 2026 for existing applicants and has announced a simplified process for 2026-27 where school heads will submit proposals directly through the Shala Darpan Portal, removing the need for individual student applications at the school level. A total of 19 scholarship schemes will be provided through Shala Darpan with proposal submission deadline of July 31, 2026. For updated deadlines and the complete scheme list, visit the Rajasthan Scholarship Portal 2026 guide.
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Key Updates in State Government Scholarships 2026
Several significant changes and additions have been made to state scholarship programmes in 2026. Students planning admissions via CUET vs JEE 2026 should note that several private universities in Noida and beyond now explicitly link CUET and JEE scores to their institutional scholarship eligibility. For the most current scholarship listings state-by-state, refer to the comprehensive State Scholarships 2026 complete list.
- Significant hike in Pre-Matric amounts: States like Bihar, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have doubled or significantly increased scholarships for school students from SC, ST and OBC communities to reduce dropout rates
- New girl-student focused schemes: New schemes like She for STEM (Uttarakhand), Manki Munda (Jharkhand), Deepika and Sanchi Honnamma (Karnataka), Namo Laxmi (Gujarat) and Bigyani Kanya Medha Britti (West Bengal) are dedicated to supporting girls, especially in science and professional courses
- Study abroad scholarships: Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Odisha have introduced or expanded scholarships for studying abroad, marking a strategic shift toward global education
- ONGC Merit Scholarship 2026 on NSP: Offers up to ₹48,000 via the National Scholarship Portal for students in technical disciplines
- Rajasthan simplified process: School-level scholarship proposals to be submitted by school heads via Shala Darpan, removing the individual application burden at the school level
State Scholarship-Friendly Colleges in India 2026
Many institutions actively facilitate state government scholarship applications for enrolled students and also run their own merit-based institutional awards on top. A few such institutes worth noting are:
- KCC Institute of Technology and Management, Greater Noida — facilitates UP Government Post-Matric Scholarship for SC/ST/OBC students alongside 12,000+ institutional scholarship categories including AICTE Pragati Scholarship for girls
- GNIOT Institute of Management Studies, Greater Noida — actively supports state scholarship applications with dedicated scholarship coordinator support
- IILM University School of Management, Greater Noida — 10% fee waiver for girl students with family income below ₹8 lakh, alongside UP government scholarship facilitation
- Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT), Delhi — merit-based scholarship for engineering students; Delhi domicile students can combine with Delhi state scholarship
- Maharaja Surajmal Institute of Technology (MSIT), Delhi — supports GGSIPU merit scholarships alongside state scholarship applications
- Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Kota — officially facilitates central and state government scholarship applications through the NSP for all eligible students
- Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Guwahati — officially facilitates state government scholarship applications for Assam-domicile students
- Department of Research and Doctoral Studies, NIT Jalandhar — students can apply for external scholarships like FFE and Sita Ram Jindal alongside state and central schemes
- IIM Rohtak — facilitates Haryana state scholarship applications for eligible Haryana domicile MBA students alongside institutional need-based aid
- School of Business Management, NMIMS Mumbai — Maharashtra MahaDBT scholarship applications facilitated for eligible Maharashtra domicile students
- RV University School of Design and Innovation — Karnataka state scholarship applications facilitated; additionally runs RVSAT-score-based institutional scholarships for meritorious students
- Visit the official scholarship portal of your state (see the state-wise table above for portal URLs)
- Register using your Aadhaar number, mobile number and email ID
- Fill in the application form with personal, academic, family income and bank details
- Upload the required documents in the specified file format and size
- Submit the application before the last date and save the application reference number
- Track the verification status on the portal; respond to any correction request within the given window
- Once verified by the institute and the state authority, the scholarship amount is credited directly to the student's Aadhaar-linked bank account via PFMS
State Government Scholarships 2026: Documents Required
The documents listed below are common across most state scholarship applications in India 2026. These are largely the same documents needed for college admission processes, so students coming through UPTAC 2026 counselling should already have them organised.
- Aadhaar card — front and back scanned copies, linked to bank account and mobile number
- Domicile or permanent residence certificate of the respective state, issued by a Tehsildar or SDM
- Caste certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EBC) in the correct central or state format depending on the scheme
- Income certificate of parent or guardian, not older than the prescribed validity period
- Scanned copies of Class 10, 12 and latest academic marksheets and passing certificates
- Bank passbook first page showing name, account number and IFSC code
- Bonafide/enrollment certificate from the current institution on official letterhead
- Recent passport-size photograph with white background
- Birth certificate (required by some state schemes for age verification)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are state government scholarships in India 2026?
State government scholarships are financial aid programmes offered by individual state governments exclusively for students who hold a valid domicile certificate of that state. They cover pre-matric, post-matric and higher education levels across SC, ST, OBC, EWS, Minority and girl student categories.
When do state scholarship portals open in 2026?
Most state scholarship portals for 2026-27 are expected to open between July and October 2026. Maharashtra has already opened its MahaDBT portal from June 1, 2026. Students should regularly check their respective official state portal for confirmed opening dates.
Can a student apply for both a state scholarship and a central scholarship in 2026?
In most cases, yes — students can apply for both a state scholarship and a central government scholarship on the NSP simultaneously, provided they meet the eligibility criteria of each scheme. However, certain schemes carry a no-duplication clause, so students must read the scheme-specific guidelines carefully.
What is the income limit for state scholarships in India 2026?
Income limits vary by scheme and state. Most need-based state scholarships require annual family income to be below ₹2,00,000 to ₹2,50,000. Some girl-student and merit-based schemes allow income up to ₹8,00,000 per annum.
What is the official portal for UP Scholarship 2026?
The official portal for UP Scholarship 2026-27 is scholarship.up.gov.in, managed by the Social Welfare Department, Uttar Pradesh. Students can register, apply, track status and renew their scholarship from this portal.
What is MahaDBT and how does Maharashtra Scholarship work?
MahaDBT is the Maharashtra government's Direct Benefit Transfer scholarship portal at mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in. It hosts all state scholarship schemes across 12 departments including SC, ST, OBC, NT-VJNT, EBC and Minority categories, and transfers the approved amount directly to the student's bank account.
What is the Bihar Graduation Scholarship 2026?
The Bihar Graduation Scholarship offers ₹50,000 as a one-time incentive for girl students who have completed their graduation from a recognised Bihar institution. It is applied through the Medha Soft portal at medhasoft.bih.nic.in.
What documents are needed for state scholarship application 2026?
Common documents include Aadhaar card, state domicile certificate, caste certificate (if applicable), income certificate, academic marksheets, bank passbook copy, bonafide certificate from the current institute and a recent passport-size photograph.
How is the state scholarship amount disbursed?
State scholarship amounts are credited directly to the student's Aadhaar-linked bank account through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) after the institute verifies the application and the state authority approves it.
Can engineering students at private AKTU-affiliated colleges apply for UP state scholarship?
Yes, students enrolled at AKTU-affiliated private engineering colleges through UPTAC counselling are fully eligible to apply for the UP Dashmottar and Post-Matric scholarships. Many colleges like KCC ITM, GCET and IERT Allahabad actively facilitate this application process for their enrolled students.
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