PM Scholarship 2020 – Eligibility, Application, Renewal, Rewards

PM Scholarship 2020 – It was in the year 2006-07 that the Prime Minister Scholarship scheme was first launched. It is mainly to help the dependent children of ex-servicemen/ ex coast guard serving crew/ widows of these personnel etc. This scheme was launched to support technical and professional education, particularly amongst the wards of this group of people. Every year around 5500 wards are selected to avail of this scholarship for the next academic year. 

A unique feature of this scholarship is the equal distribution of scholarships amongst boys and girls. The annual payment of scholarship is envisaged to facilitate the accountability of the scholarship amount.

This article deals with the Prime Minister Scholarship scheme (PMSS) in detail. We explain each feature of this scholarship with respect to its important dates, the eligibility criteria to adhere to, the eligible courses that qualify for this scholarship, complete application process, relevant documentation, process of renewal, selection procedure followed for this scholarship, various benefits and rewards given as part of the scholarship, important instructions to take note of, FAQs and contact details. Let us go through each section in detail below.

PM Scholarship 2020 – Overview

PM Scholarship – Important Dates

Candidates who are interested in applying for Prime Minister Scholarship scheme must carefully note the important dates and relevant timeline. Candidates need to consider the dates and associated deadlines. Candidates should note that new applications have a fixed timeline to apply. When it comes to renewal applications, they can be made throughout the year, and there’s no set deadline for them.

The above indicated timeline is purely tentative, and all candidates should look out for updates on the official website. They are bound to change every year.

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PM Scholarship – Eligibility Criteria 

Candidates must meet the minimum prescribed eligibility criteria to apply for Prime Minister Scholarship scheme. Any candidate not qualifying with the minimum criteria shall be rejected outright without providing any further notice. Here is the list of conditions:

• Candidates who have secured a minimum of 60% in their 12th standard or diploma course or graduation can apply.
• Candidates who have secured admission to 1st year of a regular course can only apply.
• In the case of integrated courses, the candidate must be studying in the 2nd year of his course. In this case, the 1st year must be an academic course, and the following duration must be integrated into a professionally sought after course.
• Dependent wards of widows of ex-servicemen and ex-coast guard personnel can only apply.
• Civilian students or wards of Paramilitary personnel cannot apply.

Eligible Courses for PM Scholarship

Apart from the key eligibility conditions, the lists of courses that qualify for the prime minister Scholarship scheme are listed below. Candidates not pursuing these courses cannot apply for availing these scholarships. The tabulated list of courses is provided below:

• B.Tech or BE course of 4 years
• B.Arch course of 4 or 5 years
• MBBS course of 4.5 years
• BDS course of 5 years

PM Scholarship Application Process – How to Apply?

The reference portal for applying to the Prime minister Scholarship scheme is NSP or national scholarship portal. All applications should be made in the ONLINE mode only. Any application sent through offline means shall not be accepted. Candidates should note the step-wise application process explained below:

• Go to the official portal of NSP – scholarships.gov.in
• Click on the ‘New registration’ tab indicated in the right-hand corner at the top of the portal.
• The detailed guidelines for registration shall follow. Please read them carefully.
• Click on the continue button at the end of the portal.
• Provide basic registration details without any errors.
• Click on the register button.
• On the candidate’s mobile number, the applicant ID and password shall be sent.
• Using the login credentials, just received a login to the website.
• Candidates will now receive OTP for further validation.
• Enter OTP at the required space and change your password.
• Fill in the application form. Enter the correct details.
• Scan all relevant documents and upload them in correct formats.
• Submit the application after verifying all fields.

Documents Required For PM Scholarship

All applications should necessarily be supported by the necessary documentation. Candidates should keep the scanned copy of documents ready after reading the guidelines for application. Before the start of the application process, candidates should keep all documents in place. The list of documents required is listed below:

• Serving certificate to be obtained by the Housing operations office.
• In case of scholarship under state police official services, certificate of martyrdom by the respective state government.
• 12th standard mark sheets/ diploma mark sheets/ graduation mark sheets
• For categories A to F, PPO or discharge certificate
• Death certificate for martyrs/ deceased personnel
• Disability certificate for persons with disabilities
• Gallantry award certificate for recipients of gallantry awards

PM Scholarship Renewal Process

There is no fixed timeline for the renewal of applications. Between January and April, candidates are advised not to send renewal applications. However, a structured process has to be followed for the renewal process. Here is the list of guidelines for renewal of Prime Minister’s scholarship scheme:

• First payment of scholarships shall be made as soon as the list of selected students is prepared.
• From the next year onwards, candidates have to send a renewal application ONLINE.
• The process of renewal applications is similar to that of fresh applications.
• At least 50% marks in each semester or year need to be obtained to qualify for renewal of the scholarship.
• Candidates need to pass/ clear all their papers every semester/year in the 1st attempt only.
• The timeline for sending renewal applications stands one year after receiving results for the current year.

PM Scholarship Selection Procedure

The ministry of home affairs is in charge of selecting students for the Prime minister’s scholarship based on set parameters. The detailed selection procedure has been explained below in detail:

• Under category A, wards/widows of killed Central armed police forces or killed Assam rifles personnel will be given higher preference.
• Under category B, wards/widows of disabled Ex- Central armed police forces or disabled Assam rifles personnel will be given higher preference.
• Under category C, wards/widows of killed Central armed police forces or killed Assam rifles personnel will be given higher preference. Death of personnel could be caused during their service to the government of India.
• Under category D, wards/widows of disabled Ex- Central armed police forces or disabled Assam rifles personnel will be given higher preference. Disability of personnel could be caused during their service to the government of India.
• Under category E, wards/widows of Ex- Central armed police forces or Assam rifles personnel will be given higher preference, who has received Gallantry awards.
• Under category F, wards of Ex- Central armed police forces and Assam rifles personnel will be given higher preference. This if for personnel below officer ranking only.
• Under category G, wards of serving Central armed police forces and Assam rifles personnel will be given higher preference. This if for personnel below officer ranking only.

PM Scholarship – Benefits and Rewards

The Prime Minister’s scholarship scheme is beneficial for candidates as it helps the wards and widows of martyred personnel to achieve higher education. Every year around 2000 candidates get benefitted from these scholarships all over India. This scheme takes care to provide equal benefits to both boys and girls. Thus, it rules out discrimination of education on the grounds of gender. The specific rewards granted are:

• Girls receive a monthly grant of INR 3000.
• Boys receive a monthly grant of INR 2,500.

This amount is paid on an annual basis only.

In the case of state police personnel, 500 additional scholarships are awarded to state police personnel martyred during Naxal or terror attacks. Again, 250 scholarships are distributed equally amongst boys and girls.

PM Scholarship – Important Instructions

Candidates have to follow these guidelines carefully while applying for Prime minister’s scholarship scheme:

• Only online applications are received for this scholarship.
• Only candidates studying in the 1st year of professional courses can apply for these scholarships.
• Professional/ degree courses that are accredited by AICTE/UGC/MEI etc. are approved for scholarships.
• MCA and MBA courses are not eligible for scholarships.
• PM scholarships are applicable for studies in India only.
• Candidates who are Indian citizens but willing to study abroad cannot apply.
• Scholarship is provided for candidates to pursue only a single course.
• Minimum 50% of marks are needed for the renewal of the scholarship.
• Wards of Paramilitary personnel cannot apply for these scholarships.

PM Scholarship – Frequently Asked Questions

• I have obtained entry into 1st year engineering through lateral entry; how can I avail of this scholarship?

Prime Minister Scholarship scheme is only open to candidates who have sought admission to 1st year through the regular entry. Lateral entry to courses is not included in providing scholarships.

• What are the minimum qualification criteria for the renewal of applications?

At least 50% marks in the qualifying exam following the course of scholarship should be obtained for renewal.

• Can wards of state police officials apply for the prime minister scholarship scheme?

Yes, wards of state police officials can apply. The condition is that the police officials should have been martyred during Naxal or terror attacks. Around 500 scholarships are reserved under this category.

• I am pursuing a Paramedical course in physiotherapy. Can I apply for the prime minister scholarship scheme?

No. The scholarship is open for only these courses – BE/B.Tech/B.Arch/MBBS and BDS.

• Can I send my final graduation certificate for the list of documents to be attached with the application?

Candidates should attach mark sheets of all semesters/ all years of their diploma or graduation course without fail.

Contact Details

For further assistance regarding PM scholarship, candidates have to note these contact details carefully:

The Welfare and Rehabilitation board can be contacted on 011-23063111

E-mail address: secywarb-mha@nic.in