Pragati Scholarship 2020 – Eligibility, Application Process, Rewards

The term ‘Pragati’ in the Indian context has a very beautiful meaning. It means progress. This scholarship awarded by the AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) in association with the Ministry of HRD (Human Resources Development) aims to help the female population of this country to achieve technical education without financial barriers cutting across their paths.

In specific, girls enrolled for first-year technical courses (engineering or diploma) from any educational institute that has AICTE registration can apply for these scholarships. It has been considered from ages that the female enrolment in technical and professional courses is seemingly less compared to male enrolment.

To break this jinx and encourage women to take up such courses and contribute towards the country’s progress and development, this scheme was launched. Young girls can opt for the Pragati scholarship by reading the entire details provided in this article. We have examined the latest dates and timelines, detailed eligibility criteria, together with the application process and rewards/benefits awarded. The complete list of documents required, important information to keep track of while applying plus renewal process. Results, FAQs, and important contact details, etc. can be found in a well-explained manner here.

Pragati Scholarship 2020 – Overview

Pragati Scholarship / Saksham Scheme – Latest Dates

This scholarship application should be submitted within the deadline announced. Any delay in completing the formalities on time shall lead to disqualification. Important dates in this respect are:

• Commencement of online application process – First week of October
• Deadline to submit completed application – First week of December

Candidates should note that the timeline indicated above is purely tentative and does not follow the same pattern every year. Candidates should, however, check the online portal from time to time for updates and timely announcements.

Learn about NSP – National Scholarship Portal

Pragati Scholarship – Eligibility Criteria

This scholarship is unique of its kind, given that the basic criteria for any applicant are that she must be enrolled in an AICTE approved educational institution. The detailed list of eligibility criteria has been explained below for applicants’ reference:

• The applicant must be studying in the first year of degree/ diploma program from an AICTE approved institution only.
• The candidate should have sought admission for his college through the centralized admission process of the respective state or central government, a norm commonly applicable for AICTE admission processes.
• A maximum of two girls from the same family can apply for this scholarship.
• The total annual family income of the applicant must be less than INR 8 lakhs. 
• If the applicant is already married, the applicant’s husband or in-laws’ total annual income would be taken into consideration, whosever income seems to be higher. 

Pragati Scholarship Application Process – How to Apply?

• Visit the official AICTE portal – aicte-pragati-saksham-gov.in
• As a new user, a candidate has to register herself with the necessary registration details.
• Once the user registers herself and creates a profile on the AICTE portal, they will receive a confirmation e-mail to the mail ID they have provided.
• Candidates are required to click on the link obtained in the e-mail ID.
• Login to the AICTE portal with registered credentials – registered username and password.
• Fill up the application form.
• Enter all required details like personal details, academic details, family details, bank details, college details etc.
• Scan all relevant documents and upload them to the correct place at the application form.
• Check for correctness of entered data. 
• Submit the application form.

Documents Required For Pragati Scholarship

All documents are required to be scanned in the correct size and specification then uploaded in the format specified on the AICTE portal. Candidates have to take care to upload all documents relevant to their application, failing which they will be denied further processing of their applications. 

Documents required for the scholarship:

• 10th standard mark sheet
• 12th standard mark sheet
• Income certificate of parents
• Admission letter received by the state or central agency for entry into a first-year degree/diploma program. 
• Fee paid receipt.
• First page of bank passbook.
• Bonafide certificate from educational institution. 
• Caste certificate
• A written declaration by parents providing for the accuracy of the information in the application form.
• Aadhaar card
• Passport size photo of candidate 
• Precise candidate signature 

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Pragati Scholarship – Benefits & Rewards

The number of scholarships issued by AICTE in terms of Pragati scholarship is a total of 4000. In this, 2000 scholarships are awarded for diploma students, and the other 2000 are for degree students. Details of this scholarship amount are provided in detail below:

• A tuition fee waiver – scholarship amount awarded is INR 30,000

This amount shall cover the following expenses:

• Book charges
• Equipment charges
• Laptop purchase and software purchase charges
• Desktop purchase charges
• Vehicle purchase charges
• Fees paid for competitive exams, other higher education exam fees, employment program charges, miscellaneous charges.
• Contingency grant amount – INR 2000 every month to be carried forward for 10 months

Pragati Scholarship – Important Instructions

• Candidates enrolled in 1st year are eligible; others who have taken admission to successive years of their studies cannot apply.
• Candidates who have taken the course through lateral entry schemes for the second or third year are ineligible to apply.
• The photo and signature of the candidate need to be uploaded in JPG or JPEG format only. 
• Size of the photo should be less than 200 kb, and that of the signature should be less than 50 kb
• Applicants who have sought admission to colleges through management quota cannot apply for scholarships.
• Candidates should hold a regular bank account in a nationalized bank.
• Candidate shall get the scholarship amount credited to their account through DBT or direct benefit transfer.
• In case there are no suitable candidates for the receipt of the scholarship amount, then such scholarships are also transferable. 

Pragati Scholarship Results

Based on the merit of the candidate, the candidate shall be listed for a scholarship. This merit is the marks score obtained by the candidate for seeking admission to current degree/diploma courses. The selected list of candidates based on this metric shall be shortlisted and displayed on the official site. 

The reservation of scholarships for various categories is listed below:

• 15% for SC candidates
• 7.5% for ST candidates
• 27% for OBC candidates
• Rest for General merit. 

Pragati Scholarship – Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is the provider of Pragati scholarships?

AICTE is the basic provider of Pragati scholarships. AICTE is a centralized body that works for the integrated promotion and development of technical and management education in India. 

• What kinds of bank accounts are not permitted for DBT of scholarship to students?

Minor accounts/ joint accounts with parents or guardians/ frills account etc. are not permitted for scholarship disbursal. 

• What is the general time period during which this scholarship shall be active for application?

Between October to December, every year, the portal stays active to receive applications from candidates. 

• What is the maximum scholarship grant offered under this scheme?

Scholarships up to INR 30,000 are offered under this scheme.

• From whom should the candidate get the bonafide certificate from her educational institution?

The bonafide certificate should be obtained in the prescribed format from the respective educational institution, but having the signature of Director/ principal/ HOD is a must. 

• Is Pragati Scholarship Renewable?

NO. This scholarship is a one-time grant, and only candidates enrolled in the first year of respective degree/diploma programs of AICTE approved institutions shall be eligible. Hence there is no question of renewal of scholarship in this scheme. 

Contact Details

Applicants are sure to have a lot of queries regarding this scholarship. Any such doubt/ clarification shall be addressed to the following e-mail id: pragatisaksham@aicte-india.org