Scholarships for Persons with Disabilities

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities has merged the following six scholarship schemes into an umbrella scholarship scheme titled "Scholarships for Students with Disabilities" w.e.f. 15 April, 2018:

1. Pre-matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
2. Post-matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
3. Top Class Education for Students with Disabilities
4. National Overseas Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
5. National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities
6. Free Coaching for Students with Disabilities 

Pre-Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

• The scheme has been launched by the Department of Disability Affairs during the Financial Year 2014-15.
• The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to the parents of students with disabilities for studying in the pre-matric level. The parental income ceiling per annum is Rs 2.5 lakhs.
• The financial assistance includes scholarship, book grant, escort/reader allowance, etc. A scholarship amount of Rs 500 per month for day scholars and Rs 800 per month for hostellers is provided. A book grant and disability allowance ranging from Rs 2000 - Rs 4000 per annum is also provided. 
• Number of scholarships to be granted every year is 25,000 for pre-matric level
• Selection of the beneficiaries is on the basis of merit after the recommendation of the Governments of State or Union Territories.
• For online application to the scheme, click here.

For more information about the scholarship, click here.

Post Matric

Post Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

• The scheme has been launched by the Department of Disability Affairs during the Financial Year 2014-15.
• The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to the parents of students with disabilities for studying in the post matric level. The parental income ceiling per annum is Rs 2.5 lakhs.
• The financial assistance includes scholarship, book grant, escort/reader allowance, etc. Based on the type of course, a scholarship amount of Rs 900 - Rs 1600 per month for day scholars and Rs 550 - 750 per month for hostellers is provided. A tution fee ceiling of a maximum of Rs 1.50 lakh per annum and a book grant and disability allowance ranging from Rs 2000 - Rs 4000 per annum are also provided. 
• Number of scholarships to be granted every year is 17,000 for post matric level
• Selection of the beneficiaries is on the basis of merit after the recommendation of the Governments of State or Union Territories.
• For online application to the scheme, click here.

For more information about the scholarship, click here.

Scholarship Scheme from Trust Fund

• The objective of the Scheme is to provide financial assistance to the differently - abled students to enable them to pursue degree and/or post graduate level technical and professional courses from a recognized institution get employed / self - employed.
• There is provision of 2500 scholarships every year. Fresh Scholarship ( Trust Fund ) has been closed since 31.12.2017. Only renewal is permitted. 
• Maintenance allowance, book/stationary allowance and grant for purchase of assistive devices are credited to the student’s account. Non-refundable fees are reimbursed to the student on production of proof of deposit of fees or are paid directly to the Institute under intimation to the student.

Post graduation

Scholarship for Top Class Education for students with disabilities studying in premier higher educational institutes (like IIT, IIM, NIT)

• The scheme covers Students with Disabilities (SwDs) for pursuing studies at the level of Graduate / Post Graduate Degree / Diploma in 241 notiifed institutions of escellence. 
• There is provision of 300 scholarships every year.
• The parental income ceiling per annum is Rs 8.0 lakhs.
• The financial assistance includes maintenance allowance, book grant, tution fee, etc. Monthly maintenance allowance of Rs 1500 for day scholars and Rs 3000 for hostellers is provided. A tution fee ceiling of a maximum of Rs 2.0 lakh per annum and a book grant of Rs 5000 per annum and disability allowance of Rs 2000 per month are also provided. 

For more information about the scholarship, click here.

National Fellowship for Students with Disabilities

• Fellowship for Students with Disabilities is a fellowship scheme for pursuing M.Phil/Ph.D. courses in any University recognized by University Grants Commission (UGC).
• Number of fellowships to be given is 200 per annum.
• The scheme is effective from 2012-13. There is no parental income ceiling. 
• The fellowship amount ranges from Rs. 31,000/- for JRF to Rs. 35,000/- per month for SRF. In addition, there are provisions of Escort/Reader Allowance and House Rent Allowance (wherever applicable).
• Duration of Fellowship: 2 years for M.Phil and 5 years for Ph.D.
• Selection of candidates is done by UGC.
• Disbursement of fellowship amount is done by the Department of Disability Affairs through Canara Bank who has been designated for this purpose. The Fellowship amount is remitted by the Canara bank direct to the bank accounts of the selected candidates.

For more information about the scholarship, click here.

National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) for Students with Disabilities

• The scheme of National Overseas Scholarship for Students with Disabilities has been launched with the objectives of providing financial assistance to the students with disabilities for pursuing studies abroad at the level of Masters’ Degree and Ph.D.
• Twenty (20) scholarships are to be awarded every year out of which six are reserved for women candidates.
• The parental income ceiling per annum is Rs 8.0 lakhs.
• For Ph.D., First class or 55% (fifty five per cent) marks or equivalent grade in relevant Master’s Degree are required. Similarly, for Masters’ Degree 55% (fifty five per cent) marks or equivalent grade in relevant Bachelor’s Degree are required.
• The age of the candidate shall be below 35 (Thirty -Five) years as on lst January of the year of application.
• The scholarship amount includes Maintenance Allowance, Contingency Allowance, Tuition Fees, and Cost of Air Passage etc.
• The said scheme has been launched in the year 2014-15. In addition to the above, there is a “Passage Grants” to two Students with Disabilities every year.
• Only those Students with Disabilities who are in receipt of a merit scholarship for Post Graduate Studies, Research or Training abroad (excluding attending seminars, workshops, conferences), from a foreign government/ organization or under any other scheme, where the cost of passage is not provided, shall be eligible.
• The Passage Grant includes to-and-fro air-fare from home-station to the Institute abroad by economy class through Air India.

For more information about the scholarship, click here.

Scheme of Free Coaching for Students with Disabilities

The scheme is to provide financial assistance to premiere coaching institutions for imparting coaching to students with disabilities for entrance examinations and competitive examinations.

For more information about the scholarship, click here.

Source : Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities