Merit-cum-Means Based Scholarships

The merit-cum-means scholarship is a scholarship scheme that intends to nurture bright minds and provide monetary assistance to students battling financial issues. The government of India and other private organizations have come forward to provide financial assistance to candidates belonging to economically backward communities. Merit-cum-means scholarships cover almost all educational expenditures and reward the meritorious students with a maximum amount of INR 50,000.

Table of Contents

• List of Merit-cum-Means Based Scholarships
• Application Process for the Merit-cum-Means Based Scholarships
• Essential Documents

Check Other Important Scholarships in India

State wise Scholarships

Discipline Level Scholarships

Category wise Scholarships

Class wise Scholarships

Course wise Scholarships

List of Merit-cum-Means Based Scholarships 

The merit-cum-means based scholarships conducted by the government of India focus on providing quality education to meritorious students who lack basic financial resources to cover the expenses of their education. A list of top merit-cum-means based scholarships are classified below:

• Pragati Scholarship 
• Eklavya Scholarship
• Swami Vivekananda Scholarship
• Maulana Azad Scholarship
• National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship
• Merit-cum-Means Scholarship 
• DHSE Merit-cum-Means Scholarship 
• Nurture Merit-cum-Means Scholarship
• Bhajan Lal Scholarship
• The Foundation for Excellence Scholarship (FFE)
• Nirankari Rajmata Scholarship Scheme
• NSF (North-South Foundation) Scholarship

Pragati Scholarship 

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) conducts the Pragati scholarship 2023 for young girls and empowers them to contribute to the progress and development of the country. The merit-cum-means based scholarship aims to provide necessary monetary grants to deserving applicants. The scholarship will reward around 5,000 female students upon selection with INR 50,000 per annum and other benefits. 

Last Date

The last date to apply for the Pragati scholarship is February 17th, 2023

Read more: Pragati Scholarship.

Eklavya Scholarship

The Eklavya scholarship is put forth by the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE), Maharashtra. The foremost aim of this merit-cum-means based scholarship is to transform the lives of those underprivileged students who face financial challenges every day. Candidates pursuing science, law, commerce, and arts with satisfactory academic records are eligible for the merit-cum-means based scholarship. Monetary rewards up to INR 5,000 are assigned for this scholarship.

Last Date

The last date for submitting the online application form for the Eklavya scholarship is March 31st, 2023.

Read more: Eklavya Scholarship

Swami Vivekananda Scholarship

The Swami Vivekananda scholarship scheme by Minorities Development and Finance Corporation of West Bengal is a well-drafted merit-cum-means based scholarship for minority students and is funded by the government of India. The merit-cum-means based scholarship scheme is initiated for financially weaker students aspiring for higher studies. The scholarship grants reward up to INR 8,000 to the deserving candidates. Students pursuing U.G. (undergraduate), P.G. (postgraduate), MPhil, and doctoral courses are eligible under the Swami Vivekananda scholarship program. 

Last Date

Eligible candidates can submit their applications for the Swami Vivekananda scholarship latest by March 31st, 2023.

Read more: Swami Vivekananda Scholarship

Maulana Azad Scholarship

The Maulana Azad scholarship was established to pay humble regards to the prestigious figure Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. There are two scholarship schemes under the merit-cum-means based scholarships - Begum Hazrat Mahal National scholarship and Maulana Azad National fellowship program. Minority students pursuing MPhil or Ph.D. or both courses can apply and benefit from this program. The fellowship aims to assist financially backward students and supports them in completing their education. Up to INR 35,000 rewards are entitled to the deserving candidates.

Last Date

The last date for the Maulana Azad scholarship application is yet to be announced.

Read more: Maulana Azad Scholarship

National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship

The National means-cum-merit scholarship scheme is an initiative for students in class 9 with at least 55% marks in the previous class. This merit-cum-means based scholarship aims to grant financial assistance to impoverished students who drop out of their classes due to monetary restraints. The merit-cum-means based scholarships focus on providing the deserving candidates with the required necessities and reduce the number of dropouts. Maximum rewards upto INR 12,000 per annum are sanctioned to the selected applicants.

Last Date

The final application forms for the National means-cum-merit scholarship will be declared soon.

Read more: National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship

Merit-cum-Means Scholarship 

The merit-cum-means scholarship for professional and technical courses is sponsored by the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MOMA) for students belonging to minority communities. This merit-cum-means based scholarship aims to encourage worthy students to pursue professional and technical courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels of education. INR 20,000 along with maintenance allowances are presented under merit-cum-means scholarship.

Last Date

The final date of submitting application forms for Merit-cum-means scholarship is March 31st, 2023.

Read more: Merit-cum-Means Scholarship.

DHSE Merit-cum-Means Scholarship for BPL Students

DHSE merit-cum-means scholarship for BPL students is a program incorporated by the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE), the government of Kerala. It is offered to the students of government schools or government-aided higher secondary schools whose families come under the BPL category. The eligible candidates are rewarded upto INR 5,000 upon selection.

Last Date

The last date for applying for the DHSE merit-cum-means scholarship for BPL students is yet to be declared.

Read more: DHSE Merit-cum-Means Scholarship for BPL Students.

Nurture Merit-cum-Means Scholarship

Nurture merit-cum-means scholarship is an initiative by the Vodafone India Foundation. This merit-cum-means based scholarship focuses on motivating the students to continue their higher education and provides them with financial grants. Multiple rewards are sanctioned to deserving candidates under the Nurture merit-cum-means scholarship.

Last Date

The Nurture merit-cum-means based scholarship date for submitting applications will be announced soon.

Read more: Nurture Merit-cum-Means Scholarship

Bhajan Lal Scholarship

The Bhajan Global Impact Foundation (BGIF) conducts the Bhajan Lal scholarship, including various monetary benefits for Ph.D., MPhil, or M.Sc. students. Under this merit-cum-means based scholarship, expenses like tuition fees, day to day living expenses, travelling expenses, research fellowship, etc. are funded for a tenure of 12 or 24 months to graduates in the field of environment or related subjects.

Last Date

The tentative last date of submission for the Bhajan Lal scholarship is yet to be announced.

Read more: Bhajan Lal Scholarship

The Foundation for Excellence Scholarship (FFE)

Foundation for excellence scholarship is promoted for the first-year students of MBBS, BE, B.Tech, or 5 years Integrated dual degree program of M.Tech. This merit-cum-means-based scholarship offers financial support and many other benefits to academically exceptional applicants from financially weaker families. The suitable candidates selected for the merit-cum-means based scholarship will be presented with several monetary rewards.

Last Date

The final date to apply for the Foundation for excellence scholarship (FFE) will be announced soon.

Read more: The Foundation for Excellence Scholarship (FFE)

Nirankari Rajmata Scholarship Scheme

The Nirankari Rajmata scholarship scheme is launched by Sant Nirankari charitable foundation and is an excellent support system for underprivileged families who wish to educate their children. Under this merit-cum-means based scholarship scheme, meritorious students from class 12 to P.G. degree in technical/professional courses are selected. They are granted rewards of up to full fee coverage.

Last Date

The last date to apply for the Nirankari Rajmata scholarship scheme 2023 will be declared soon.

Read more: Nirankari Rajmata Scholarship Scheme.

NSF (North-South Foundation) Scholarship

The North-South foundation offers scholarships to students aspiring for medical, engineering, or a 3-year polytechnic degree (diploma in engineering). In order to satisfy the merit-cum-means based scholarship eligibility criteria, the applicants should have passed class 10th and have also obtained decent scores in JEE/NEET or CET. Up to INR 25,000 is provided as the merit-cum-means based scholarship amount to the deserving applicants.

Last Date

The NSF (North-South Foundation) scholarship application form should be submitted latest by February 15th, 2023.

Read more: NSF (North-South Foundation) Scholarship.

Application Process for the Merit-cum-Means Based Scholarships

The candidates can apply for merit-cum-means based scholarships on the National and Official scholarship portals. The suitable applicants need to keep the vital documents ready before filling up the online form. The merit-cum-means scholarship status of the application can also be checked through the same portals. The process of applying for merit-cum-means based scholarships in 2023 is mentioned below.

National Scholarship Portal

• Pragati Scholarship
• Maulana Azad scholarship
• National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship
• Merit-cum-Means Scholarship 
• DHSE Meri-cum-Means Scholarship for BPL Students

How to Apply on the National Scholarship Portal?

Students need to search for the specific merit cum means based scholarship on the homepage of the National Scholarship Portal and then proceed by filling up the online form as per the instructions given. Then, the candidates can follow the mentioned steps.

Step 1: Visit the official website of the NSP (National Scholarship Portal).

Step 2: Candidates should first register themselves in case of new users to get merit cum means-based scholarship login details.

Step 3: After merit cum means based scholarship registration, they must log in to the portal.

Step 4: Applicants can search for the specific scholarship on the homepage.

Step 5: Click on the apply now tab on the page.

Step 6: Fill in the required details.

Step 7: Upload authentic merit cum means based scholarship documents.

Step 8: Tick mark on the terms and conditions button and review the information filled.

Step 9: After successfully reviewing, the applicant can submit the application form and end the procedure.

Read more: NSP Login.

Official Scholarship Portal

• Nurture Merit cum Means Scholarship
• Bhajan Lal Scholarship
• The Foundation for Excellence Scholarship (FFE)
• Nirankari Rajmata Scholarship Scheme
• NSF (North-South Foundation) Scholarship
• Eklavya Scholarship
• Swami Vivekananda scholarship

How to Apply on the Official Scholarship Portal?

The qualified applicants can apply for the merit cum means based scholarships 2023 on the official scholarship portal for the preferred scholarships. The applicants can check important information and fill out the application form on the website's homepage. The application process is streamlined in the following steps.

Step 1: Visit the official website of the specific scholarship.

Step 2: The candidates must search for the desired scholarship on the websites.

Step 3: Click on the apply now button to proceed further on the scholarship page.

Step 4: New users are requested to complete their first-time merit-cum-means based scholarship 2023 registration on the portal.

Step 5: After completing the merit-cum-means based scholarship registration process, the candidates need to fill in the merit-cum-means based online scholarship form and the required details.

Step 6: Next, the applicants should upload the vital merit-cum-means scholarship documents and review the information filled.

Step 7: Lastly, they should click on the submit button to end the application process.

Note: The application process for different scholarships might differ.

Essential Documents

A list of valid and authentic merit-cum-means based scholarship documents must be submitted before applying for the merit-cum-means based scholarship schemes. The documents should be genuine and original to avoid any rejections. The basic documents list required for the merit-cum- means based scholarship schemes available on both NSP, and official portals are provided below.

• Photograph
• Aadhaar card
• I.D. proof
• Fee receipt
• Marksheets
• Minorities certificate
• Income certificate
• Bank details
• Reference letter
• Recommendation letter from the head of the institution

For more details, visit our Scholarships 2023 Directory.