Minority Scholarships in 2026 — What Is Still Open After the Central Schemes Stopped
Central minority scholarships (pre-matric, post-matric, merit-cum-means) have taken no new students since 2022-23. What minority students can apply for.
The central minority scholarships — Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means from the Ministry of Minority Affairs — have not taken new students since the 2022-23 academic year. The government confirmed this in a written reply to the Lok Sabha in July 2026. Minority students can still apply for every general scholarship and for state minority schemes. Here is what is open.
Status of the central minority schemes
| Scheme | Status |
|---|---|
| Pre-Matric Scholarship for minorities | No fresh awards since 2022-23 (it had already been limited to Classes 9–10) |
| Post-Matric Scholarship for minorities | No fresh awards since 2022-23 |
| Merit-cum-Means Scholarship | No fresh awards since 2022-23 |
| Maulana Azad National Fellowship | Discontinued from 2022-23 |
| Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship | Run by the Maulana Azad Education Foundation, which was ordered closed in February 2024 |
| Padho Pardesh (loan interest subsidy for study abroad) | Discontinued from 2022-23 |
What minority students can apply for
| Stage | Scholarship | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Class 8 | NMMS — ₹12,000 a year, Class 9–12 | Government/aided school, family income up to ₹3.5 lakh |
| After Class 12 | Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships — ₹12,000 a year in UG | Top 20% of your board, family income up to ₹4.5 lakh |
| After Class 12 (science) | INSPIRE-SHE — ₹80,000 a year | Top 1% of your board or other merit routes |
| Girls in technical courses | AICTE Pragati — ₹50,000 a year | AICTE-approved degree/diploma, family income up to ₹8 lakh |
| Any stage | State minority and state merit scholarships | Varies by state — check your state's minority welfare department or scholarship portal |
See our scholarships for girls, National Scholarship Portal guide and the state guides linked from our scholarship guide.
How to apply
- Central schemes — through the National Scholarship Portal after One Time Registration.
- State schemes — on your state's scholarship portal; keep your minority community certificate, income certificate, marksheet and Aadhaar-seeded bank account ready.
- Get your institute to verify the application before its deadline.
Merit scholarships reward strong marks
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Start freeScheme status is based on the Government's replies in Parliament. If the Ministry of Minority Affairs announces a new scheme, its website and the National Scholarship Portal will carry the notice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are the central minority scholarships still open?
Not for new students. The Ministry of Minority Affairs' Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means scholarships were not approved for continuation beyond the 2021-22 academic year, and no fresh scholarships have been awarded since 2022-23 (Minister's written reply to the Lok Sabha, July 2026). Students already on these schemes received their renewal payments under the old guidelines.
Who qualifies as a minority student?
Students from the six notified minority communities: Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi.
What scholarships can minority students apply for now?
All the scholarships open to every student: NMMS in Class 8, the Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships and INSPIRE-SHE after Class 12, AICTE Pragati for girls in technical courses, and your state's merit and means-based schemes. Several states also run their own minority scholarships — check your state's minority welfare department.
What happened to the Maulana Azad National Fellowship and Begum Hazrat Mahal scholarship?
The Maulana Azad National Fellowship was discontinued from 2022-23. The Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship was run by the Maulana Azad Education Foundation, which the Ministry ordered closed in February 2024.