Overview: Scholarships for Girl Students in India 2026-27
The Government of India, state governments, AICTE, DST, and private foundations together run more than 20 scholarship schemes exclusively or preferentially for girl students studying from Class 1 through PhD. These scholarships aim to eliminate financial barriers, reduce dropout rates among girls, and promote gender equity in higher and technical education across all streams arts, science, commerce, engineering, medicine, law, and more.
In 2026-27, total disbursements through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and state portals are expected to exceed ₹12,000 crore, benefiting over 5 crore students, with a significant portion ring-fenced for girl students. The Central Government has also mandated that states allocate at least 50% of scholarship funds from centrally sponsored schemes to girl students, making 2026-27 one of the most scholarship-rich years for female learners in India.
Who Qualifies as a "Girl Student" for These Scholarships?
These scholarships are available to:
- Female students (including transgender women in several schemes)
- Enrolled in a government-recognised institution in India, from Class 1 to doctoral level
- Indian nationals (NRI/OCI students are generally not eligible for government schemes)
- With a household income below the scheme-specific ceiling (₹2.5L to ₹8L/year)
- Not already receiving a full scholarship from another central government scheme
Digital Gujarat Scholarships for Girl Students 2026-27
The Digital Gujarat portal (digitalgujarat.gov.in) is Gujarat government's single-window platform for all welfare and scholarship schemes. For girl students in Gujarat, it offers some of the most generous state-level financial support in India, covering SC/ST/OBC/EBC/Minority communities as well as general category meritorious girls.
SC/ST Post-Matric Scholarship
OBC/EBC Post-Matric Scholarship
Vidyadeep Scholarship
Minority Girls Scholarship
Higher Education Scholarship (SC Girls)
Mukhyamantri Yuva Swavalamban Scheme
All Major Scholarship Schemes for Girl Students India 2026-27
Here is a comprehensive list of the most important central, state, and institutional scholarships available to girl students in India this academic year:
Central Government Scholarships (via NSP)
AICTE Pragati Scholarship (Degree)
AICTE Pragati Scholarship (Diploma)
AICTE Saksham (Differently-Abled Girls)
Central Sector Scholarship (CSS)
NMMS Scholarship
INSPIRE Scholarship (DST)
State-Specific Girl Scholarships (Major Schemes)
Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan (Bihar)
Kalibai Bheel Medhavi Chatra (Rajasthan)
Kanya Vidyadhan (UP)
Savitribai Phule Scholarship (Maharashtra)
Vidyasiri / Sandhya Suraksha (Karnataka)
Ladli Laxmi / MP Free Laptop (MP)
Private & Foundation Scholarships for Girls
Tata Trusts Scholarship
Sitaram Jindal Foundation
LIC Golden Jubilee Scholarship
Scholarship Amount & Eligibility Comparison Table 2026-27
| Scholarship Name | Level | Amount/Year | Income Limit | Stream | Apply At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AICTE Pragati (Degree) | UG Technical | ₹50,000 | ₹8 lakh | Engineering/Tech | aicte-india.org |
| AICTE Pragati (Diploma) | Diploma | ₹30,000 | ₹8 lakh | Technical | aicte-india.org |
| INSPIRE (DST) | UG/PG Science | ₹80,000 | No limit | Natural Sciences | online-inspire.gov.in |
| Central Sector Scholarship | UG/PG | ₹12,000–20,000 | ₹8 lakh | All streams | scholarships.gov.in |
| Post-Matric SC/ST (Central) | Class 11–PhD | ₹3,000–25,000 | ₹2.5 lakh | All streams | scholarships.gov.in |
| NMMS | Class 9–12 | ₹12,000 | ₹3.5 lakh | All streams | scholarships.gov.in |
| Digital Gujarat SC/ST Post-Matric | Class 11–PG | ₹10,000–50,000 | ₹2.5 lakh | All streams | digitalgujarat.gov.in |
| Digital Gujarat Mukhyamantri Yuva | Diploma/Degree | ₹10,000–80,000 | ₹4.5 lakh | All streams | digitalgujarat.gov.in |
| Kanya Utthan (Bihar) | Birth–UG | ₹25,000–50,000 | None | All streams | edudbt.bih.nic.in |
| Kalibai Bheel (Rajasthan) | UG/PG | ₹40,000–2.5L+scooter | ₹1.5–2.5 lakh | All streams | hte.rajasthan.gov.in |
| Tata Trusts | UG/PG | Up to ₹2,00,000 | ₹4 lakh | All streams | tatatrusts.org |
Documents Required for Girl Student Scholarships
Most scholarship portals NSP, AICTE, Digital Gujarat require the following standard documents. Have scanned copies (PDF/JPG, under 200 KB each) ready before starting your application.
- Aadhaar Card | Mandatory for all government schemes; must match name in school/college records
- Income Certificate | From a Tehsildar/SDM; must be of the current financial year (2025-26)
- Caste/Category Certificate | Required for SC/ST/OBC/EBC/Minority schemes; issued by competent authority
- Bonafide/Admission Certificate | From your school or college, confirming current enrollment
- Previous Year Marksheet | Class 10/12 or last semester result as applicable
- Bank Passbook (front page) | Account must be in the girl student's name and Aadhaar-linked for DBT
- Passport-size Photograph | Recent, plain background, in JPG/JPEG format
- Disability Certificate | Only for AICTE Saksham and similar PwD schemes; issued by medical board
- Domicile/Residence Certificate | For state scholarships (Digital Gujarat, Bihar, Rajasthan, etc.)
- Income certificate must reflect the current financial year (2025–26 for 2026-27 applications).
- Ensure your bank account is Aadhaar-linked or scholarship money will not reach you via DBT.
- Name spelling must be identical across Aadhaar, marksheet, income certificate, and bank account.
- Keep file sizes below 200 KB use tools like ilovepdf or Smallpdf to compress if needed.
How to Apply for Girl Student Scholarships 2026-27 | Step by Step
The application process differs slightly by portal, but the core steps are universal. Here's the complete guide:
Identify the right scholarship Match your level (Class 9–12, UG, PG, PhD), stream (engineering, arts, science, etc.), state, category (SC/ST/OBC/General/EWS), and family income to shortlist 2–3 schemes you qualify for. Use the comparison table above.
Register on the correct portal For central schemes: scholarships.gov.in (NSP). For AICTE schemes: aicte-india.org. For Gujarat schemes: digitalgujarat.gov.in. Use your mobile number for OTP-based login.
Complete your profile & fill the form Enter accurate academic details, family income, bank account (Aadhaar-linked), and Aadhaar number. Double-check name spellings they must match exactly across all documents.
Upload all required documents Scan and upload Aadhaar, income certificate, marksheet, caste certificate, admission proof, bank passbook, and photo in the prescribed format (PDF/JPG, under 200 KB each).
Submit before the deadline Most NSP schemes close on October 31, 2026. AICTE Pragati typically closes in August. Digital Gujarat deadlines are announced on the portal in August–September. Do not wait for the last day.
Institute verification After you submit, your school or college must verify and forward the application online. Follow up with your institute's scholarship cell immediately after submission this step is often delayed.
State-level verification & approval The state nodal authority reviews and approves verified applications. You will receive SMS/email updates at each stage.
Scholarship credited via DBT On approval, the amount is directly credited to your Aadhaar-linked bank account. Check your NSP dashboard for disbursement status. If not credited within 30 days of approval, raise a grievance on the portal.
Latest News: Digital Gujarat Scholarship Dates 2026-27
The section below fetches the latest scholarship announcements and important dates from the Digital Gujarat portal using AI-powered summarisation updated automatically on every page load.
Live Updates | Digital Gujarat Scholarships
Expert Tips to Maximise Your Scholarship Success
Common Rejection Reasons (and How to Avoid Them)
| Rejection Reason | How to Avoid |
|---|---|
| Name mismatch across documents | Ensure Aadhaar name = bank name = school records name |
| Outdated income certificate | Always use certificate from the current FY (2025–26) |
| Bank account not Aadhaar-linked | Link at your bank branch before applying |
| Institute did not verify in time | Submit early and follow up with the scholarship cell |
| Wrong institute code entered | Ask your registrar office for the correct AISHE/DISE code |
| Applying for two central schemes | Choose only one central scheme per year |