ST Scholarship: ST Scholarship is an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. This scholarship is awarded only to the scheduled tribe (ST) category students. This scholarship offers financial support to ST students to complete their studies at both school and college level. This scholarship initiated to encourage ST students for higher education. This scholarship empowers the ST students from the deprived section of people to undertake education. This Scholarship helps ST students from lower-income families to pursue their education.
ST Scholarship organized by Govt. of India to offer an award to ST students. Those students who are not able to fulfill their dreams due to financial hurdles. Application for this Scholarship releases on the website of the National Scholarship portal. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing various types of ST Scholarships. Those are the Pre-matric Scholarship, Post-matric Scholarship, Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship, and Overseas Scholarship. Read the article below to know the complete information about ST Scholarship.
Scholarships Under ST Scholarship
Scholarship Division of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs offers financial support to individuals/ Institutes/ States according to schematic norms. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing the below-given scholarships for ST students in the country.
| Scholarship Types | Application Dates | Number of Scholarships |
| Post-matric Scholarship | May to June | – |
| Pre-matric Scholarship | May to June | – |
| Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship | July to October | 667 |
| National Overseas Scholarship | December in the academic year | 20 |
Post-Matric Scholarship (Class XII Onwards)
This scholarship provides financial help to ST students studying at post matriculation level to complete their education. This scheme is centrally funded and implemented by the State Government. These scholarship awards are fully funded by the Central Government. Whereas administered by the State Government. Students who fulfill the eligibility criteria can apply for this scholarship. Application for this scholarship is available online on the National Scholarship portal.
Eligibility
- Candidates who belong to ST category can apply for this scholarship.
- Candidates’ family income should not be more than 2 Lakh per annum.
- Candidates must be pursuing post matriculation and post-secondary courses in recognized Schools/ Institutes / Universities.
Post-Matric ST Scholarship Awards
The scholarship awarded to ST students as per the courses they are enrolled into is given below:
| Courses | Scholarship Allowance | |
| Day Scholars | Hostellers | |
| Group I Degree and postgraduate courses such as M.Phil., Ph.D. in engineering, technology, medicine, planning, architecture, and so forth. | Rs.1200 | Rs.500 |
| Group II Graduate and postgraduate courses leading to a diploma, certificate, and degree in LLB, Nursing, BFS, and so forth. | Rs.820 | Rs.530 |
| Group III – all other courses which are not covered in Group I and II | Rs.570 | Rs.300 |
| Group IV- Post-matriculation level non-degree courses like Polytechnic, ITI, and so forth. | Rs.380 | Rs. 230 |
Application Process
- Candidates can apply online for this scholarship from May to June on the official website.
- Candidates should visit the National Scholarship portal.
- Candidates should upload the following relevant documents along with the application:
- Attested copies of diploma, degree certificates, and mark sheets
- Passport size photograph
- Caste certificate & family income declaration of the candidate.
- Submit the filled application along with the documents to the Head of the Institution.
Pre-Matric Scholarship (Class IX and X)
Pre-Matric ST Scholarship offers financial support to the pre-matric students of Class 9th and 10th. This scholarship helps ST students in improving the post-matric level of education and excel in their careers. This also helps the students from the lower-income family and reduce dropouts at this level. The State Government will award this scholarship to the students in which they are domiciled.
Eligibility
- Candidates must belong to the Scheduled Tribe category
- Candidate’s family income should not be more than 2 Lakh per annum.
- Candidates must not get any other scholarships from other Governments.
- Candidates must be a regular and full-time student in a recognized Government School or Central/ State Board of Secondary Education.
Pre-Matric Scholarship Awards
The value of scholarship awarded to the ST students under this scheme are given below:
| Scholarship | Day Scholars | Hostellers |
| Ad-hoc grants and Books | Rs.750/- | Rs.1000/- |
| Scholarship for 10 months | Rs.150/- | Rs.350/- |
Allowance for Disabled Students
- Monthly Reader Allowance – Rs.160/-
- Monthly Transport Allowance – Rs.160/-
- Monthly Helper Allowance – Rs.160/-
- Monthly Escort Allowance – Rs.160/-
- Monthly coaching Allowances to retarded students – Rs. 240/-
Application Process
- Candidates can apply online for the pre-matric scholarship from May to June on the official website.
- Candidates should visit the National Scholarship Portal to apply for the pre-matric scholarship.
- Make sure to upload the following relevant documents along with the application:
- Candidates caste certificate
- Family income certificate and domicile certificate
- Candidates bank account details
- Aadhaar number and passport size photo
- Finally, submit the filled application along with the documents to the Head of the Institution.
Selection Process: All the eligible students must belong to the ST category to avail of this scholarship.
Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for Higher Education
The Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship (RGNF) scheme is funded and implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. This fellowship offers financial support to ST students for pursuing higher education. The scheme is open to only ST students.
This fellowship encourages the ST students from the lowest literacy section of society to undertake higher education in the country. This scheme helps to students who are pursuing regular and full-time M.Phil. and Ph.D. courses. These courses include Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, Engineering, and Technology. There are 667 seats reserved for this scholarship.
Financial Assistance and Tenure of Fellowship for ST Students
The financial assistance and tenure of fellowship for ST students under this scheme are given below:
| Courses | Duration of Fellowship in Years | Amount |
| Fellowship in Science, Social Science, Humanities, and Technology | 2 for JRF 3 for SRF | Rs. 25,000/- for the initial 2 years for JRF Rs. 28,000/- per annum for remaining tenure |
| Contingency A in Social Science, and Humanities | 2 for JRF 3 for SRF | Rs. 10,000/- for the initial 2 years for JRF Rs. 20,500/- for remaining tenure |
| Contingency B in Engineering, Science, and Technology | 2 for JRF 3 for SRF | Rs. 12,000/- per annum for the initial 2 years Rs.25,000/- per annum for the remaining three years |
| HRA for all subjects | – | As per rules of the University/College |
Eligibility
- ST category candidates must have passed the post-graduation course.
- Candidates must be registered in regular and full-time M.Phil./ Ph.D. courses in the UGC recognized Universities/ Institutes/ Colleges.
- The candidate’s family income should not be more than 4.5 Lakh per annum.
- Transgender candidates are also eligible to apply for this fellowship.
Application Process
- Candidates can apply online for RGNF from July to October on the official website of UGC.
- Candidates should visit the website ugc.ac.in.
- Candidates should fill the application in 2 parts. One is personal details and the second is academic qualifications and research experience.
- Make sure to upload the following scanned copy of the documents along with the application:
- Post Graduation certificates and mark sheets in PDF or JPG format.
- Submit the filled application along with the documents and take a hard copy for future usage.
National Overseas Scholarship
This scholarship offers financial support to students pursuing higher studies abroad. Higher studies should be in Masters, Ph.D. or research level programs. There are 20 scholarships reserved for ST students. 30% of total scholarships are reserved for female candidates. The awardees must come to India after completing the studies.
The duration can be extended for a maximum of 2 years with permission from the Indian Government and Indian Mission abroad. There are 4 passage grants for ST students who have received a merit scholarship. These grants are for post-graduate studies, research or training abroad from a foreign government. The cost of these passages is not provided.
Course and Number of Scholarships Awarded
| Courses | Number of Fellowships |
| Economics/ Finance | 7 |
| Applied Science | 3 |
| Management | 7 |
| Science | 3 |
| Engineering | 7 |
| Agriculture | 5 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences | 5 |
| Medicine | 5 |
Eligibility
- Ph.D. students must have passed the previous year examination with 55% marks.
- Ph.D. students should possess 5 years of research/ training/ professional experience in the concerned fields.
- Masters students should possess 2 years of relevant research/ training/ professional experience in the concerned field.
- Masters students must have passed the previous year examination with 55% marks.
- Candidate’s age must be less than 35 years.
- Candidates’ family income should be less than 6 Lakh per annum.
National Overseas Allowance and Other Benefits
The maintenance allowance and other benefits prescribed under the scheme are given below:
| Allowances | Other Benefits |
| US – annual maintenance allowance for all level of courses is USD 15,400 | Visa fees, medical expenses, poll tax, incidental journey expenses, travel costs, and so forth. |
| UK – annual maintenance allowance for all level of courses is GBP 9,900 |
Application Process
- The deadline to apply for this scholarship is generally in December of the academic year.
- Candidates should visit the Ministry of Tribal Affairs online portal to download the application form.
- Candidates should enter the correct and valid information in the application.
- Make sure to attach the following relevant documents along with the application form:
- Caste certificate and family income certificate of the candidate
- Domicile certificate of the candidate
- Candidates bank details
- Candidates aadhaar number and passport size photo with signature
- Submit the filled application along with the relevant documents to apply for this scholarship.
FAQ’s on ST Scholarship
Question 1.
Why should the ST Scholarship?
Answer:
ST Scholarship offers financial support to ST students to complete their studies at both school and college level.
Question 2.
Is ST Scholarship available for all category candidates?
Answer:
No, this scholarship is awarded only to the scheduled tribe (ST) category students.
Question 3.
What are the different types of ST Scholarships?
Answer:
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing different types of ST Scholarships for ST students in the country. These are the Pre-matric Scholarship, Post-matric Scholarship, Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship, and Overseas Scholarship.
Question 4.
What is the deadline to submit the National Overseas Scholarship application?
Answer:
The deadline for submitting this scholarship application is the last week of December of the academic year.
Question 5.
What should be the candidate’s age limit to apply for the National Overseas Scholarship?
Answer:
Candidate’s age must be less than 35 years to apply for the National Overseas Scholarship.
Hope this article will help you to know more about ST Scholarship. For any queries related to ST Scholarship, leave it in the comment box to get in touch with us.
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