Minister for Higher Education Basavaraja Rayaraddi speaking to presspersons about the Deepika Scholarship for the academic year 2026-27 at the Karnataka State Higher Education Council in Bengaluru on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J.
With only nine days left for the first round of the Deepika Scholarship window, provided by Azim Premji Foundation (APF), to close, Department of Higher Education officials said they have received only 11,000 applications from female students seeking to pursue higher education after II PU.According to the department circular, the application window opened only on August 10, providing very limited time for eligible female students to apply for the scholarship. The Foundation aims to provide ₹30,000 every year (until the completion of graduation or diploma) to 37,000 female students who have completed class 10 and 12 in a government school and college and aspire to pursue a degree or diploma in any discipline, including engineering and medical courses.In 2025, the State government partnered with the APF for the first time to launch the Deepika Scholarship. Last year, the scholarship window was also open for only 20 days.This year, the second round to apply for the scholarship for the current academic year, 2026-27, will again open from January 10 to 31, 2027.Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddyi said, “The government has launched this initiative for students for the second time in the academic year 2026-27. This year, so far, we have received 11,000 applications as of August 22. There is less awareness among people about the availability of scholarships for female students. It is essential to change the mindset of society and to educate our girls and bring gender equality in society, the education system and at the workplace.” He stressed that the department wants more students to apply for the scholarship.Noting that the department staff have approached various government college principals and students, he said, “We have secured a list of female students who have passed class 10 and 12 from the Karnataka State Examination and Assessment Board. Around 51,399 students have cleared the exams successfully. Another 3,000 students who have passed in the supplementary examinations will also be added to the list shortly.”He added, “A meeting with 440 first-grade and 421 aided government college principals was held, and they have been requested to assist female students in applying for the scholarship.”As per the details provided by the department, around 1,70,000 students applied for the scholarship last year. Of these, the scholarship was provided to 14,262 eligible students by the APF. Another 6,700 applications are being scrutinised, and their bank accounts will be credited with the scholarship amount.Eligibility criteria for the Deepika ScholarshipThere are no eligibility criteria for this scholarship except that female students applying for the scholarship must be pursuing a degree or diploma for the first time and shouldn’t be repeaters.The applicants should have studied in a government school and college. The degree they are pursuing can be either in a private or a government collegeIf students fail in an academic year, the scholarship will not be given in the next year. Meanwhile, students have to apply for renewal each academic year to continue receiving their scholarship.Documents required for scholarshipThe documents required to apply for the scholarship are a class 10 and 12 marks card or pass certificate, an Aadhaar card, a passport-size photo, and a fee receipt or a bonafile certificate from their respective degree college.Anyone who has dropped out of education after passing classes 10 and 12 can also apply. Published - August 22, 2026 07:41 pm IST
