MHRD Scholarships 2023 – Detailed List, Eligibility Criteria, Awards & More

MHRD Scholarship – The Ministry of Human Resource Development plays a significant role in the nation’s education sector. Contributing effectively to the socio-economic development of the country, the ministry functions through its two distinctive departments namely, the Department of School Education & Literacy and the Department of Higher Education. Both departments together work for the upliftment of educational standards across the nation. The ministry offers a number of MHRD scholarships to provide financial assistance to both school and college students.

The ministry offers two types of MHRD scholarships – one at the national level and the other at the external level. The national-level scholarships are run by different departments under MHRD. However, external-level scholarships are offered in collaboration with the government of different foreign countries under Educational/Cultural exchange programmes.

This article provides insight into each MHRD scholarship, its eligibility, application process, rewards and selection process.

MHRD Scholarship – The Complete List

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) offers not only national-level scholarships for Indian students but also external scholarship opportunities for studying abroad in countries such as Israel, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Italy. While the national-level MHRD scholarships are administered by the MHRD itself, the external scholarships are managed by foreign countries under educational and cultural exchange programs. In this section, a comprehensive list of MHRD scholarships, both at the national and external levels has been discussed.

Detailed list of MHRD scholarship

Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students

ScholarshipType: National Level

Application Period: Between July and October

Eligibility Criteria: 

• Applicants must be pursuing a regular course at Colleges/Institutions recognized by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the respective Regulatory Bodies concerned.
• They must have scored above the 80th percentile of successful candidates in the relevant stream from the respective board of examination in Class 12 of the 10+2 pattern or equivalent.
• The annual family income of the applicants must not be more than INR 4.5 lakh from all sources.
• Applicants must not be in receipt of any other scholarship.

Application Process: Apply online through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).

Selection Process:

• The scholars will be selected on the basis of merit as per state-allocated quota.
• The verification of applications will be done at two levels – the institution level and the Applicants must be pursuing a regular course at Colleges/Institutions recognized by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and respective Regulatory Bodies concerned.
• State Education Board level.

Rewards:

• For graduation level, the scholarship amount is INR 10,000 per annum.
• For the postgraduation level, the scholarship amount is INR 20,000 per annum.
• For a 5-year professional course, the scholarship amount is INR 20,000 per annum in the 4th and 5th years.

Prime Minister Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) for Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh

ScholarshipType: National Level

Application Period: Between March and May

Eligibility Criteria:

• The scholarship is applicable to students who are domicile of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
• The students must have passed class 12th or 10+3 diploma from J&K board, CBSE or J&K state polytechnic schools/institutions located in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• The students who are willing to study outside J&K and Ladakh can also apply.
• The annual income of the family must be less than INR 8 Lakh.

Application Process: Apply online through PMSSS J&K Scholarship Portal.

Selection Process: The selection of scholars will be made on the basis of merit.

Rewards:

• Academic fees of up to INR 30,000 per annum will be paid to the institution.
• Maintenance charges of INR 1,00,000 will be paid in two equal instalments.

National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education (NSIGSE)

ScholarshipType: National Level

Application Period: Between August and October

Eligibility Criteria:

• The scholarship is open for girl students of SC/ST communities who are enrolled in Class 9.
• The applicants are required to have passed the class 8th examination from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and enrol in Class 9 in a state government, local body or government-aided schools
• Only unmarried girls below the age of 16 years can apply.

Application Process: Apply online through NSP or offline through respective District Education Officers

Selection Process: All eligible girls will receive the scholarship under this scheme.

Rewards: An amount of INR 3000 will be deposited as a term deposit or fixed deposit in a public sector bank or post office, in the name of each eligible girl child. 

National Means Cum Merit Scholarship

ScholarshipType: National Level

Application Period: Between July and October

Eligibility Criteria:

• Students must be enrolled in Class 9 in Government, Government-aided, and local body schools.
• They must have secured at least 55% marks or equivalent grades in Class 9 and 10.
• The annual family income of the candidates must be less than INR 3.5 lakh from all sources.

Note – A relaxation of 5% for SC/ST students has been made in the qualification criteria.

Application Process: Apply online through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).

Selection Process: The selection of scholars will be made through a selection test namely, Mental Ability Test (MAT) and Scholastic Ability Test (SAT) conducted by each state/UT.

Rewards: A total of 1 lakh scholarships will be disbursed under this scheme. The selected scholars will receive INR 12,000 per annum (INR 1,000 per month).

Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF)

ScholarshipType: National Level

Application Period: Between March and April

Eligibility Criteria:

To be eligible for the PMRF Scholarship, applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

For Direct Entry Channel:

• Completed or pursuing the final year of 4- (or 5) year undergraduate or 5-year integrated M.Tech or 5-year integrated M.Sc. or 2-year M.Sc. or 5-year undergraduate-postgraduate dual degree programs in Science and Technology streams from IISc/IITs/NITs/IISERs/IIEST and centrally funded universities with a CGPA/CPI of at least 8.0 (on a 10 point scale) or equivalent, OR
• Completed or pursuing the final year of 4- (or 5) year undergraduate or 5-year integrated M.Tech or 5-year integrated M.Sc. or 2-year M.Sc. or 5-year undergraduate-postgraduate dual degree programs in Science and Technology streams from any other (not covered in the first point) Institute/University recognized in India with a CGPA/CPI of at least 8.0 (on a 10-point scale) or equivalent, along with a minimum score of 650 in the respective GATE subject, OR
• Qualified GATE and pursuing or completed M.Tech./MS by Research at one of PMRF granting institutions with a minimum CGPA or CPI of 8.0 (on a 10-point scale) at the end of the first semester, with a minimum of four courses.

For Lateral Entry Channel:

• Pursuing PhD in one of the PMRF granting institutions and completing at most 12 months in the PhD programme (if joined with a Master’s degree), OR completing at most 24 months in the PhD programme (if joined with a Bachelor’s degree)
• Completed at least four courses in the PhD programme, each of which should be a full-semester course
• Obtained an aggregate CGPA of 8.5 (out of 10) or higher.

Application Process: Apply online through PMRF online application portal.

Selection Process:

The selection of fellows will be made in two stages –

• Shortlisting of application forms by Reviewers
• Performance of the applicant in Written test or interview at a nodal institute.

Rewards:

• INR 70,000 per month for the first and second years of study.
• INR 75,000 per month for the third year of study.
• INR 80,000 per month for the fourth and fifth years of study.
• Additional research grant of INR 2 Lakh per annum for 5 years.

AICTE Pragati Scholarship for Girls

ScholarshipType: National Level

Application Period: Between August and October

Eligibility Criteria:

• This scholarship is open for girl students who have secured admission to the first year or second year of a diploma/degree program (through lateral entry) at an AICTE-recognised institution.
• The annual income of the family should be less than INR 8 lakh from all sources.
• The scholarship is applicable for up to two girl children of the family.

Application Process: Apply online through the official website of AICTE Pragati Saksham

Selection Process: The selection of the candidates will be made on the basis of merit obtained by them in the qualifying examination.

Rewards:

• A lumpsum of INR 50,000 per annum to cover college fees, purchase of computers, stationeries, books, equipment, software etc.

AICTE-Saksham Scholarship Scheme

ScholarshipType: National Level

Application Period: Between August and October

Eligibility Criteria:

• The scholarship is open for differently-abled students with a disability level of not less than 40% who have secured admission in the first year of a technical degree/diploma course at an AICTE-recognised institution.
• The annual income of the family should be less than INR 8 Lakh from all sources.

Application Process: Apply online through the official website of AICTE Pragati Saksham

Selection Process: The selection of the candidates will be based on their academic merit.

Rewards:

• A lumpsum of INR 50,000 per annum to cover college fees, purchase of computers, stationeries, books, equipment, software etc.

South Korean Government Scholarships

ScholarshipType: External

Application Period: Between February and March

Eligibility Criteria:

• Applicants must be Indian citizens.
• They must not hold Korean citizenship or dual citizenship.
• The maximum age limit for the candidates in undergraduate degree programs is 25 years and the postgraduate degree is 40 years.
• Candidates must have secured 80% and above marks in their last qualifying examination.
• They must be in good physical and mental health condition.

Application Process: Apply online through the Sakshat Portal of MHRD

Selection Process: The scholars will be shortlisted by the Selection Committee for the interview on the basis of merit.

Rewards:

• Fully-funded scholarship (up to KRW* 5,000,000 per semester)
• Airfare expenses of grantees 
• Resettlement Allowance (up to KRW* 20,000)
• Monthly living allowances of KRW* 350,000
• Medical Insurance (free National Health Insurance)
• KRW* 100,000 award to be given to students after degree completion

*KRW – South Korean Won

Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships

ScholarshipType: External

Application Period: Between February and March

Eligibility Criteria:

• Applicants must be Indian citizens.
• They must have been born on or after 2nd April 1999.
• They must have completed 12 years of schooling in countries other than Japan.
• Also, candidates must be willing to learn the Japanese language.
• They must also submit a health certificate in the prescribed format.
• Applicants are required to arrive in Japan between 1st April 2024-7th April 2024.
• They must have newly issued student visas.

Note – 

• Preference will be given to candidates who are proficient in the Japanese language.
• Applicants who will meet the above conditions by March 2024 are eligible to apply.
• Candidates who are military personnel or military civilian employees at the time of their arrival in Japan or during the payment of the scholarship are not eligible.
• Students who have already received MEXT scholarships are not eligible.
• Candidates who cannot arrive in Japan by the last date of joining the host institution are not eligible.
• Candidates who are enrolled in other programs under the Japanese Government (MEXT) are not eligible.
• Students who already have a ‘student’ visa for Japan and are enrolled in any institution/university in Japan are not eligible.
• Candidates who are planning to apply/have received scholarships from any other organisation in Japan are not eligible.

Application Process: Apply offline through the Embassy of Japan in India

Selection Process: The Japanese diplomatic missions will conduct the first screening of applicants by reviewing the submitted application documents, written academic examinations and interviews.

Rewards:

Selected candidates will be provided with the following benefits –

• Allowance – Selected candidates will receive 11,7000 yen (approximately INR 71,200) each month. They will also receive a supplemental regional allowance of up to 3,000 yen per month to study and conduct research in specially designated regions.
• Education Fee – All the fees related to entrance examinations, matriculation, and tuition at colleges of technology will be covered by the Government of Japan (MEXT).
• Travel Expenses – Transportation to Japan will be stipulated by the Government of Japan (MEXT). Flight tickets for an economy class will be provided to students to visit the designated institutions.

Italian Government Scholarships

ScholarshipType: External

Application Period: Between March and April

Eligibility Criteria:

• The scholarship is open for the study of master’s degree, PhD, Research and Italian language & culture courses.
• For the Master’s level of study, the students must be a graduate from India and should be below 28 years of age.
• For PhD, the students must meet the qualification and entry requirements of the Italian University along with a letter of acceptance from them and their age should not be more than 30 years.
• For the research level, the students must be below 40 years of age and should submit the research project along with the letter of admission.
• For Italian language and culture courses, the students have to provide a proficiency certificate in the Italian language.

Application Process: Apply online through the Sakshat Portal of MHRD.

Selection Process: The initial level of selection will be made by MHRD and the final selection will be made by the Italian Government.

Rewards: 

• A 100% tuition fee will be covered under this scholarship.
• An annual allowance of EUR 11000 will also be provided.

Mexican Government Scholarships

ScholarshipType: External

Application Period: Between April and May

Eligibility Criteria:

• The Mexico government scholarship for 2023 is open to international students from around the world.
• The scholarship award is based on academic performance and is available for all levels of specialization, specialty, and degree programs.
• To be eligible, applicants must apply to or be currently enrolled in one of the eligible institutions. They should not be living in Mexico at the time of applying.
• The courses eligible for the scholarship of excellence must be directly related to the applicant’s previous job history or academic achievements.
• Additionally, applicants should choose an area of study that can contribute to the development of their country.
• The program should be linked to specific current or approved projects with an impact on the development of the applicant’s country.
• Lastly, all documents must be written in Spanish or translated into the Spanish language.

Application Process: Apply offline through MHRD or online through the Mexican government’s website

Selection Process: The initial level of selection will be made by MHRD and the final selection will be made by the Mexican Government.

Rewards:

• The scholarship includes coverage for local transportation costs, full tuition fees, and monthly stipends of $11,700.36 for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, and $14,625 for PhD programs.
• It also provides health medical coverage, visa issuance fee, and air transportation costs. Additionally, air tickets will be provided for courses related to Discovery.

Israel Government Scholarships

ScholarshipType: External

Application Period: Between October and November

Eligibility Criteria:

• The students who hold a letter of acceptance from an Israeli University/supervisor can apply.
• The applicants need to have a master’s degree for research/specialisation in the field of Chemistry, Biology, Agriculture, Economics, Environment Studies, Biotechnology, Mass Communication and Business Management.
• For the Hebrew Language and Literature course, the students must be pursuing a postgraduate course in the same subject.
• Proficiency in English or Hebrew language is a must.

Application Process: Apply online through the Sakshat Portal of MHRD

Selection Process: The selection of the candidates will be made on the basis of merit.

Rewards:

• The full scholarship covers tuition fees, basic health insurance and a monthly allowance for one academic year (8 months only).
• The partial scholarship covers part of the tuition fee, basic health insurance and monthly allowance for one academic year (8 months only).

Brazilian Government Scholarships

ScholarshipType: External

Application Period: Between June and August

Eligibility Criteria:

• This MHRD scholarship is open for residents of India between 18 and 25 years of age.
• The applicants must have passed their class 12 board examination with at least 60% overall and with a minimum of 60% in English.
• The students currently studying in class 12 can also apply but they have to present their final mark sheet and board certificate during the time of enrolment in a Brazilian University.
• Proficiency in the Portuguese language is also required.

Application Process: Apply offline through the Brazilian Embassy or Consulate

Selection Process: The selection of the candidates will be made on the basis of merit.

Rewards: Full tuition fee waiver.

Presidential Scholarships, Sri Lanka

ScholarshipType: External

Application Period: Between August and October

Eligibility Criteria:

• The students pursuing bachelor’s degree courses can apply for the scholarship (It does not cover Engineering, Dentistry and Medicine).
• The age of the applicant must be under 25 years.

Application Process: Apply offline by submitting your applications along with supporting documents to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)

Selection Process: The selection of candidates will be made by the Government of Sri Lanka.

Rewards:

• Covers tuition and registration fee.
• Free Visa for studies.
• Settlement allowance of LKR 10,000.
• Monthly living allowance of LKR 30,000.
• Reimbursement of cost of return airfare (economy class) to come to Sri Lanka.
• Reimbursement of IELTS/TOEFL examination fees.

Ms. Agatha Harrison Memorial Fellowship

ScholarshipType: External

Application Period: Between January and February

Eligibility Criteria:

• The fellowship is open for students who maintain a uniform academic record with at least 60% marks in post-graduation and with a PhD degree in the respective subject field.
• Scholars between the age of 30 years and 40 years can apply.
• The students need to have an inclination towards an academic career in the following specialisations –
  • History
  • Political Science
  • Economics
• Also, the applicants also need to have a minimum teaching experience of 3 years at the graduate/postgraduate level after completing a PhD.

Application Process: Apply online through the Sakshat Portal of MHRD.

Selection Process: Only one candidate will receive the fellowship through an interview.

Rewards: GBP 29,944.85 per annum (including stipend amount, travel allowance, college lunches, 6 high table dinners and other administration charges).