Merit Cum Means Scholarship for professional and technical courses CS (Minorities) - Central Scholarship - by Ministry of Minority Affairs

The merit cum means scholarship scheme is awarded for all the students from minority groups to take up technical and professional educations at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The scholarship is awarded to encourage the students from minority groups to take up technical and professional education in all the government institutes and private institutes that are recognised by central government, state government and union territory administration across the country.

 Funding

 The merit cum means scholarship scheme is 100% funded by the Ministry of Minority Affairs Government of India.

 Availability

 Each year about 60,000 scholarships are awarded for the eligible students that consists of both fresh scholarships and renewing of the old scholarships.

Eligibility

• The Scholarship is awarded to the students who have secured not less than 50% marks in the previous final examination and annual income of their parents/guardian from all sources does not exceed Rs. 1 Lakh.

• Category - Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jain and Zoroastrians (Parsis)

Duration

The scholarship will be provided for the entire academic year/course. The maintenance allowance will be given as a fixed lump sum amount for an academic year.

 Benefits

• The students who get admission to a college to pursue technical/professional courses, on the basis of a competitive examination will be eligible for the scholarship.
• 30% scholarship is reserved for girls students of each minority community in a State/UT which is transferable to male students of that community in case of non-availability of female students in that community in the concerned State/UT. 30% is the floor and not the ceiling for eligible girl students. 
• The scholarship, once awarded, may be renewed during the next academic year of the course on the production of a certificate that the student has secured 50% marks in the previous year’s examination (each semester / trimester of previous year provided the students pursues the same course in the same Institute). 

Mode of Application

The scheme is implemented through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). It is mandatory for all students to apply online on the website i.e. www.scholarships.gov.in.

 Documents Required

• The marksheet of 50% marks secured in the previous academic year’s final exam
• Annual family Income Certificate for the preceding financial year in the prescribed format issued by not below the rank of Tahsildar
• Caste Certificate issued by the official not below the rank of Tahsildar
• Certificate issued by the Director/Principal/Head of the Institute.
• Tuition fee receipt.
• AADHAR seeded Bank Pass Book in the name of the student indicating Account number, IFSC code and photograph
• AADHAR Card
• Declaration by parents duly signed stating that the information provided about their child is correct and that they will refund the scholarship amount, if found false at any stage