Students from various backgrounds find into difficult to pursue higher education mainly because they have personal financial constraints. To overcome these difficulties, they are awarded various financial grants and rewards based on different criteria. Here, in this article, we discuss the award of scholarships to weaker sections of society and economically challenged sections based on the sole criteria of merit of the applying candidate.
Merit cum means scholarship is of two types – government and privately funded. The first type directly involves the government providing funds towards scholarships for students. The second type involves various private organizations in the public domain, arranging for the scholarship funds.
In this article, we discuss in detail regarding merit scholarships, the different schemes under them, the name of each scholarship provider, the applicable timelines, eligibility criteria, rewards and benefits, application process and further rounds involved [ if any] in the selection procedure.
List of Best Merit-Based Scholarship to Apply
- INSPIRE Scholarship
- Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana [ KVPY scheme]
- National Talent Search Examination [NTSE scholarship]
- NEC Scholarship
- Medhabruti Scholarship
- Swami Vivekananda Scholarship
- UGC Merit Scholarship
- Aditya Birla World Academy Scholarship
- Merck Scholarship
- Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship
- Atul Maheshwari Scholarship
- Abhilasha Scholarship
- Legrand Scholarship – UGRAM
- NSF Scholarship [ North South Foundation Scholarship]
- Sumedha Scholarship
- IndusInd Foundation Scholarship
- Baba Gurbachan Singh scholarship
- National Scholarship Exam
- SOS Scholarship Scheme for Girl Child
- Fair and Lovely Scholarship
- WISDOM Scholarship
- Sashakt Scholarship
- L’Oreal India Scholarship
- G P Birla Scholarship
- Bighelp Scholarship
- S R M Scholarship
- RGIPT Fellowship [ for MTech]
- Debesh Kamal Scholarships
- Saryu Doshi Fellowship [ post graduate studies]
- DLF Foundation Scholarship [ Nurturing talent program]
- DLF Foundation Scholarship [ AKANKSHA scholarship ]
- Schindler Igniting Minds Scholarship
- Tata Housing Scholarship
- Hindustan Times Scholarship
- Marubeni Scholarship
1. INSPIRE Scholarship
Provider – Ministry of Science and Technology under the Government of India
Application Period – Between October – December
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate must be a top scorer in his class 12 exams
- He must be pursuing further studies in B.Sc / Integrated M.Sc in the streams of natural/ pure/ basic sciences
- Top 10,000 rank holders of JEE-Mains/ JEE – Advanced/ NEET exams and have further intentions to pursue a career in natural/ pure/ basic sciences
- Candidates who have sought admission into IISER / NISER / DAE- CBS/ KVPY/ NTSE / JBNSTS are eligible to apply
- Those candidates who are rank holders in science Olympiad exams are eligible to apply, provided they have further intentions to pursue a career in natural/ pure/ basic sciences
- Age group – 17 to 22 years only.
Application Process – ONLINE
Rewards
- INR 80,000 per annum
2. Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana [ KVPY Scheme]
Provider – Department of Science and Technology under the Government of India
Application Period – Between July – August
Eligibility Criteria
- Class 11th and 12th students can apply
- Students pursuing 2nd year from Cambridge international exam board can also apply
- 1st year students of B.Sc/ BS/ B.Stat/ B.Math/ Integrated M.Sc/ MS [ Basic sciences]
- Candidate must have a minimum score of 60% in subjects PCMB [ Physics, Chemistry, Maths and biology] in his class 12th
Application Process
- ONLINE application followed by APTITUDE test and INTERVIEW
Rewards
- INR 5000 to INR 7000. Contingency grant of INR 20,000 to INR 28,000
3. National Talent Search Examination [NTSE Scholarship]
Provider – NCERT
Application Period – In the month of September
Eligibility Criteria
- Only for class 10 students
- Students appearing as private candidates/ distance education enrolled candidates/ open university candidates are eligible to apply.
Application Process
- NTSE exam conducted at State and National levels
Rewards
- INR 1,250 to INR 2000 every month
4. NEC Scholarship
Provider – Government of Tripura
Application Period – In the month of April
Eligibility Criteria
- Only for Tripura domiciled candidates
- Min. score to be attained in diploma/ degree/ PG/ MPhil/ PhD – 70%
- Annual family income to be less than INR 4.5 lakhs
- Candidate must not be receiving any other scholarship
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE through National scholarship portal
Rewards
- INR 20,000 to INR 25,000
5. Medhabruti Scholarship
Provider – Government of Orissa
Application Period – In the month of January
Eligibility Criteria
- Odisha domiciled candidates can apply
- Min marks to be gained in the last exam – 60%
- Annual family income to be less than INR 6 lakhs.
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE in the 1st year of joining
Rewards
- Up to INR 10,000 every year
6. Swami Vivekananda Scholarship
Provider – Government of West Bengal
Application Period – In the month of September
Eligibility Criteria
- Only for West Bengal domiciled candidates
- Annual family income to be less than INR 2.5 lakhs
- For those candidates in UG programs/ Diploma/ higher secondary etc.- min score to be 75% in class 10 and 12
- For those candidates pursuing PG courses – 53% marks in graduation is must, 55% marks if engineering course is also mandatory.
Application Process – ONLINE
Rewards
- Up to INR 8000 every month
7. UGC Merit Scholarship
Provider – UGC
Application Period – In the month of March
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate must be enrolled into a regular PG course
- No distance education entertained
- Graduation stream should be one of the following: life/basic/pure sciences, physical/ chemical/ earth sciences/ maths/ social sciences/ commerce or different languages
- Candidate must be below 30 years
Application Process – ONLINE
Rewards
- INR 3100 every month [ for 2 years only]
8. Aditya Birla World Academy Scholarship
Provider – Aditya Birla World Academy
Application Period – Between July – August
Eligibility Criteria
- Those candidates pursuing class 11th or going to enter class 11 at Aditya Birla world academy can apply.
Application Process
- Fill up the application form under “Application for admission” in the section “Aditya Birla world academy scholarship program.”
Rewards
- Full fee waiver
9. Merck Scholarship
Provider – Merck
Application Period – Between August – September
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should have cleared class 10th with min. 80% marks
- Annual family income to be less than INR 20,000 per month
Application Process – Apply ONLINE
Rewards
- INR 35,000 every year till the completion of course
10. Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship
Provider – Reliance Foundation
Application Period – In the month of August
Eligibility Criteria
- Highly meritorious students or state level rank holders may apply
- Candidate should have cleared class 12th.
Application Process – Apply ONLINE
Rewards
- INR 36,000 to INR 40,000
11. Atul Maheshwari Scholarship
Provider – Amar Ujala Foundation
Application Period – In the month of August
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates in class 9 to 12
- Min score in previous qualifying exam to be 60%
- Annual family income to be less than INR 1 lakhs.
Application Process – Apply ONLINE
Rewards
- INR 30,000 to INR 50,000
12. Abhilasha Scholarship
Provider – EROS Group
Application Period – In the month of August
Eligibility Criteria
- Girl Candidates in class 9 to 12 can apply
- Min score in previous qualifying exam to be 75%
- Annual family income to be less than INR 3 lakhs.
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE followed by telephonic interview round
Rewards
- One time grant of INR 5000
13. Legrand Scholarship – UGRAM
Provider – Legrand [ India]
Application Period – In the month of July
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should have cleared class 12th
- Min. score in 10th and 12th to be 75%
- Candidate should seek admission to BE/B.Tech or B.Arch courses in the current year
Application Process – Apply ONLINE
Rewards
- INR 60,000 every year
14. NSF Scholarship [ North South Foundation Scholarship]
Provider – North South Foundation
Application Period – In the month of September
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should be one among top 100 ranks in class 10th and 12th
- Candidate should hold high ranking in CET/JET
- Candidate should be desirous of entering fields like BE/MBBS/Dental/ polytechnic/ B.Sc/ BVSc etc.
- Annual family income to be less than INR 90,000
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE through NSF website
Rewards
- INR 25,000 every year
15. Sumedha Scholarship
Provider – Sumedha – Hindustan Zinc Limited
Application Period – Between August – September
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should be in the 1st sem of B.Tech course from a government college only
- Candidate should be domiciled in Udaipur, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Ajmer districts [ Rajasthan]
- Candidate should have scored at least 75% in class 12
- Annual family income to be less than INR 2.5 lakhs.
Application Process – Apply ONLINE
Rewards
- INR 20,000 for 4 years
16. IndusInd Foundation Scholarship
Provider – IndusInd Foundation
Application Period – In the month of September
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should have cleared class 12 in the current academic year with min marks of 85%
- Candidate should have sought admission into a full-time degree course
Application Process – Apply ONLINE
Rewards
- UP to INR 5000 every month
17. Baba Gurbachan Singh Scholarship
Provider – Sant Nirankari Mandal
Application Period – In the month of September
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should have min. 60% in class 10 and 12
- Candidate should be currently pursuing 1st year of degree or diploma
- Candidate’s annual family income to be less than INR 3.5 lakhs
- Candidate could be pursuing regular or distance courses
Application Process – Apply ONLINE
Rewards
- 100 % fee waiver for students with more than 60%,
- 50% fee waiver for students with 50 to 59%
18. National Scholarship Exam
Provider – National Institute of Career Education Foundation
Application Period – In the month of September
Eligibility Criteria
- Students from class 5 to 12 can apply
- Candidates pursuing diploma/ degree could also apply.
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE along with attempting a national level exam.
Rewards
- UP TO INR 35,000
19. SOS Scholarship Scheme for Girl Child
Provider – British council – Science Olympiad foundation
Application Period – In the month of October
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates studying in between class 1 till 10 with min score in the last exam to be 60%
- Monthly family income to be less than INR 15,000
Application Process – Apply ONLINE
Rewards
- INR 5000
20. Fair and Lovely Scholarship
Provider – Hindustan Unilever Limited
Application Period – In the month of October
Eligibility Criteria
- Girls in the age group of 15 to 30 can apply
- Candidate should have cleared class 10 and 12 with min. 60% marks
- Candidate should have cleared class 12th in the current academic session
- Annual family income of candidate to be less than INR 6 lakhs
Application Process – Apply ONLINE
Rewards
- Between INR 25,000 to INR 50,000
21. WISDOM Scholarship
Provider – WISDOM Educational Foundation
Application Period – In the month of November
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates in between class 3 to 8 can apply.
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE and attempt a national level aptitude exam based on maths and science
Rewards
- Up to INR 2000 plus GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE medals.
22. Sashakt Scholarship
Provider – Dr. Reddy’s foundation
Application Period – In the month of August
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates who have cleared class 12 can apply
- Only female candidates can apply
- Candidates should be willing to pursue a career in the science stream
- Candidates from rural backgrounds are highly preferred
- Candidate should have an innate desire for scientific research and development
- Candidates from economically weaker sections of society are only eligible
Application Process – Apply ONLINE
Rewards
- INR 2.4 lakhs
23. L’Oreal India Scholarship
Provider – L’Oreal India
Application Period – In the month of July
Eligibility Criteria
- Girl Candidate should have cleared class 12th with min 85% in PCM or PCB combinations may apply
- Candidate should be less than 19 years of age
- Candidate should give sought admission for pursuing a degree in the current academic year
- Candidate’s annual family income to be less than INR 4 lakhs
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE, and shortlisted candidates shall be called in for an interview round.
Rewards
- INR 2.5 lakhs
24. G P Birla Scholarship
Provider – G P Birla Foundation for Education
Application Period – In the month of July
Eligibility Criteria
- Only for West Bengal domiciled candidates
- Candidate should have cleared class 12th with min. 85% marks from state board OR 80% from CBSE
- Candidate must be willing to pursue further studies in humanities/ science/ medicine streams
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE, and shortlisted candidates shall be called in for an interview round.
Rewards
- INR 50000 every year PLUS one-time book grant of INR 7000
25. Bighelp Scholarship
Provider – Bighelp for Education
Application Period – In the month of June
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates should have passed class 10th exams with min 98% or 9.8 CGPA
- Candidate should have done his education from a government or municipal school or from a Zilla Parishad school
- Annual family income to be less than INR 1 lakhs
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE, and shortlisted candidates shall face a telephonic interview round.
Rewards
- INR 5000 every year for 6 years
26. S R M Scholarship
Provider – S R M University
Application Period – In the month of June
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate must have cleared class 12th in the current academic year
- Candidate should be applying to UG courses at SRM University in departments of applied sciences / liberal arts/ basic sciences
- Candidates should have min 60% score in PCM [ min qualifying exam]
- Annual family income to be less than INR 4 lakhs
Application Process – Apply ONLINE.
Rewards
- Entire scholarship to around 20 selected candidates, 75% grant to around 40 candidates, 50% grant to around 60 students, 25% grant amount to 80 students
27. RGIPT Fellowship [ for MTech]
Provider – Rajiv Gandhi institute of petroleum technology
Application Period – In the month of June
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should have done 4 year BE/ BTECH course in the petroleum engineering branch
- Min marks to be secured 60%
- Candidate should have cleared GATE exam as well.
Application Process – Apply ONLINE.
Rewards
- INR 12,400 per month till completion of course
28. Debesh Kamal Scholarships
Provider – Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata
Application Period – In the month of May
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should have cleared PG with 1st class
- Candidates must be less than 30 years of age
- Candidates should be doing his career in the field of sciences [basic/ applied]/ humanities / social sciences
Application Process – Apply ONLINE.
Rewards
- INR 1,00,000
29. Saryu Doshi Fellowship [ post graduate studies]
Provider – Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata
Application Period – In the month of May
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should have done a degree with 1st class
- Candidate should have secured admission into a foreign university for higher studies.
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE, and shortlisted candidates shall be called in for an interview round.
Rewards
- Up to INR 3 lakhs
30. DLF Foundation Scholarship [ Nurturing talent program]
Provider – DLF Foundation
Application Period – In the month of April
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should be Gurugram domiciled
- Candidate should have at least 80% in class 5 exams
- Only one child in a family can avail these benefits.
Application Process – Apply ONLINE.
Rewards
- INR 40,000 per year till the completion of course [ class 12th]
31. DLF Foundation Scholarship [ AKANKSHA scholarship]
Provider – DLF Foundation
Application Period – Between December – January
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate should have sought admission into UGC/ NAAC approved educational institution
- Annual family income of candidate to be less than INR 5 lakhs
Application Process – Apply ONLINE.
Rewards
- INR 50,000 every year till the completion of course
32. Schindler Igniting Minds Scholarship
Provider – Schindler India
Application Period – In the month of March
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidate must be currently pursuing a diploma in electrical or mechanical or civil or electronics field
- Class 10 and 12 scores to be min 60%
- Min 75% marks necessary in the last exam if candidate doing 2nd or 3rd year of the diploma course
- Candidate to be less than 20 years of age
- Annual family income to be less than INR 2 lakhs.
Application Process – Apply ONLINE.
Rewards
- INR 20,000
33. Tata Housing Scholarship
Provider – Tata Housing
Application Period – In the month of March
Eligibility Criteria
- Girl students can apply
- 50% in the qualifying exam is essential
- Candidate should be in 2nd year of BE/B.Tech/ B.Arch degree
- Annual family income to be less than 3 lakhs
Application Process – Apply ONLINE.
Rewards
- Up to INR 60,000
34. Hindustan Times Scholarship
Provider – Hindustan Times
Application Period – In the month of January
Eligibility Criteria
- Class 5 to 9 candidates can apply
- Candidate must be domiciled in Mumbai/ Navi Mumbai/ Thane/ Pune/ Chandigarh/ Panchkula/ Mohali
- Min marks to be secured in the last exam is 60%
Application Process – Apply ONLINE.
Rewards
- INR 50,000 [ for candidates from Mumbai]
- INR 25,000 [ for candidates from Chandigarh/ Panchkula/ Mohali]
35. Marubeni Scholarship
Provider – Marubeni India Private Limited
Application Period – Between December – January
Eligibility Criteria
- Min 75% in class 12
- Should be enrolled in 1st year of UG program [ technical OR non-technical]
- Candidate must be domiciled in Punjab/ Chandigarh
- Candidate can avail other scholarships only if their value is less than INR 6000 per year
- Annual family income to be less than INR 4 lakhs
Application Process
- Apply ONLINE. Candidates shall go through both telephonic and personal interview rounds.
Rewards
- INR 40,000
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