The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has released updated guidelines for the ‘Top Class Scholarship Scheme for SC Students’, expanding financial support and tightening institutional accountability for the 2024–25 academic year.
The scheme aims to promote quality higher education for Scheduled Caste (SC) students by covering full tuition fees and providing academic allowances across India’s premier institutions.
Under the revised financial norms, the Centre will directly transfer full tuition fees and non-refundable charges to students through DBT, capped at ₹2 lakh per year for private institutions.
Students will also receive an academic allowance of ₹86,000 in the first year and ₹41,000 in subsequent years to cover living expenses, books and laptops. Beneficiaries will be barred from availing similar scholarships from other Central or State schemes.
The scholarship will be available to SC students with an annual family income of up to ₹8 lakh who secure admission in notified institutions, including IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, NITs, National Law Universities, NIFT, NID, IHMs and other accredited colleges.
