Scholarships After 12th in India :- Scholarships after high school are essential for helping individuals from less advantaged households afford their higher education. Both students and their parents get a sense of relaxation when they receive their class 12 results. Of course, for every person, class 12 marks the beginning of their professional journey. The question of what to do after class 12 now arises. Which career path should I take? What scholarships are available to students after higher education that can help them financially pursue their ideal careers?
Students will learn about the numerous post-12th-grade scholarships offered in India as well as the solutions to many often asked concerns about these opportunities in this article.

Scholarships after 12th – The Need
Architecture, engineering, or medicine? Indian colleges or international studies? Undoubtedly, choosing the appropriate college and path after higher secondary is a crucial moment in every student’s life. However, given the steadily rising cost of higher education, many students are also concerned about scholarships after the 12th grade. In actuality, college tuition costs are skyrocketing up the entrance rankings with each passing year. Even though proper education is a necessary requirement for every child’s development, most parents are unable to make this investment. In turn, this leads to greater dropout rates after the 12th grade.
According to a government study by the National Statistical Office (NSO):
- At the secondary school level, more than 17% of students must leave school.
- In high school, about 62.9% of dropouts occur.
- One out of every eight students who register in a school or college leaves before completing their studies.
The statistics are clear, and money problems are the most frequent cause. Scholarships are extremely important in ensuring that everyone can access education in this situation. For deserving and disadvantaged students, the federal government, state governments, and other private organisations provide a variety of scholarships after the 12th grade.
Government-Funded Scholarships after 12th
The Government of India has introduced many scholarship possibilities in an effort to lend a helping hand to gifted and deserving students so they can pursue higher education. Students can apply for scholarships through various state and federal government departments.
While the federal government and state governments each run their own independent scholarship programmes, they jointly administer many other programmes. These scholarships are provided by the state government with funding from the federal government. The list of government-funded scholarships that students must not overlook is provided here.
Scholarships after 12th by Central Government
One widespread misperception about scholarships is that they are exclusively available to school students. But the fact is far different from these false notions. The scholarship’s scope extends beyond just school-level studies; it is also open to 12th-graders who wish to continue further education at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.
Students can locate the most popular central government scholarships available to class 12 graduates in the table below.
Central Government Aided Scholarships
Central Government Scholarships | Offered By | Application Period* |
Post Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities | Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India | July to October |
Post Matric Scholarships Scheme for Minorities | Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India | July to October |
Merit Cum Means Scholarship for Professional and Technical Courses CS (Minorities) | Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India | July to October |
Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students | Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India | July to October |
Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles | Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India | July to October |
National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students | Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India | July to October |
Scholarships for Top Class Education for Students with Disabilities | Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India | July to October |
Financial Assistance for Education of the Wards of Beedi/Cine/IOMC/LSDM Workers – Post-Matric | Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India | July to October |
Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) | Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India | June to September |
NEC Merit Scholarship | North Eastern Council (NEC) | October to January |
The above-mentioned application period is a guideline that could alter based on the scholarship givers’ choice.
Scholarships after 12th by State Government
The state governments provide students who graduate from class 12 with several financial opportunities, much like the scholarships provided by the federal government. The list of scholarships granted by various state governments after the 12th grade is highlighted in the table below.
State Government Aided Scholarships
State | Scholarship | Application Period* |
Uttar Pradesh | Post matric (Other Than Intermediate) Scholarship for OBC, Uttar Pradesh | May to August |
Post matric (Other Than Intermediate) Scholarship for Minorities, Uttar Pradesh | May to August | |
Post matric Other State Scholarship for ST, SC, General Category, Uttar Pradesh | May to August | |
Post matric (Other than Intermediate) Scholarship for ST, SC, General Category, Uttar Pradesh | May to August | |
Kerala | Sanskrit Scholarship (SSE), Kerala | June to August |
State Merit Scholarship, Kerala | June to August | |
Suvarna Jubilee Merit Scholarship, Kerala | June to August | |
Hindi Scholarship (HS), Kerala | June to August | |
Music Fine Arts Scholarship (MFAS), Kerala | June to August | |
Muslim Nadar Girls Scholarship, Kerala | June to August | |
Blind/PH Scholarship, Kerala | June to August | |
Odisha | PRERANA Post Matric Scholarship for ST/SC/OBC/SEBC/EBC Communities | August to October |
Maharashtra | Government of India Post-Matric Scholarship, Maharashtra | Runs all through the year |
Tuition Fees and Examination Fees to O.B.C. Students, Maharashtra | Runs all through the year | |
Post-Matric Scholarship for Persons with Disability, Maharashtra | Runs all through the year | |
Tuition Exam Fee (Freeship), Maharashtra | Runs all through the year | |
State Government Open Merit Scholarship, Maharashtra | Runs all through the year | |
Open Merit Scholarships for EBC Students, Maharashtra | Runs all through the year | |
AMS Scholarship, Maharashtra | Runs all through the year | |
Government of India Post-Matric Scholarship for ST, Maharashtra | Runs all through the year | |
Himachal Pradesh | Technical Education Scholarships for PG/Degree/Engineering Courses, Himachal Pradesh | October to December |
Kalpana Chawla Chatravriti Yojana | August to December | |
Centrally Sponsored Post Matric Scholarship for ST Students | August to December | |
Dr. Ambedkar Post Matric Scholarship for Economically Backward Classes | August to December | |
Centrally Sponsored Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC Students | August to December | |
Centrally Sponsored Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for OBC Students | August to December | |
Tripura | NEC Merit Scholarship, Tripura | March to April |
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Post Matric Scholarship for EBC Tripura | October to December | |
Tripura Post Matric Scholarship for SC Students | September to November | |
Tripura Post Matric Scholarship for OBC Students | September to November | |
Jammu & Kashmir | Prime Minister Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS), J&K | March to May |
Chhattisgarh | Post Matric Scholarship for SC/ST/OBC, Chhattisgarh | December to January |
Haryana | Haryana State Meritorious Incentive Scheme | January to February |
Merit-cum-Means Minority Scholarship Scheme, Haryana | January to February | |
Post Matric Scholarship for SC Students, Haryana | January to February | |
Haryana State Merit Scholarship | January to February | |
State Merit Scholarship for UG Girls Students, Haryana | January to February | |
Madhya Pradesh | Mukhyamantri Medhavi Vidyarthi Yojana (MMVY), Madhya Pradesh | Runs all through the year |
Meghalaya | Meghalaya Border Areas Scholarship | December to January |
Nagaland | NEC Stipend and Book Grant Scheme, Nagaland | June to July |
Nagaland State Merit Scholarship | June to July | |
Uttarakhand | Pre and Post Matric Disability Scholarship Uttarakhand | January to February |
Post-Matric Scholarship for SC/ST/OBC Students, Uttarakhand | January to February | |
West Bengal | Bigyani Kanya Medha Britti Scholarship (JBNSTS), West Bengal | June to July |
West Bengal Post-Matric Scholarship for SC/ST/OBC | September to November | |
Swami Vivekananda Merit cum Means Scholarship | ||
CM Relief Fund Scholarship / Nabanna Scholarship | Throughout the Year | |
Chandigarh | Chandigarh Post-Matric Scholarship for Transgender Students | September to October |
Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC, Chandigarh | August to September | |
Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for OBC, Chandigarh | ||
Delhi | Post Matric Scholarship for SC students, Delhi | December to April |
Post Matric Scholarship for OBC students, Delhi | December to April | |
Merit Scholarship for SC/ST/OBC/Minority Students, Delhi | December to April |
The above-mentioned application period is a guideline that could change depending on the authorities’ choices.
Private-Funded Scholarships after 12th
Many private institutions and organisations provide scholarships for students to pursue their desired academic pursuits following class twelve in addition to the government-sponsored scholarships. Some reputable non-profit organisations and profitable businesses provide scholarships for students in an effort to make education more affordable for them (under their CSR project). The table displayed below contains information on these scholarships.
List of Scholarships after 12th – Private Funded
Scholarship | Who is offering? | Application Period* |
Reliance Foundation Scholarships | Reliance Foundation | January to February |
MakeMyTrip Foundation ‘Padhte Raho, Badhte Raho’ Scholarship | MakeMyTrip Foundation | January to February |
Kotak Shiksha Nidhi | Kotak Group Companies | September to March |
L’Oréal India For Young Women in Science Scholarship | L’Oréal India | August to October |
BYPL SASHAKT Scholarship | BSES Yamuna Power Limited | September to December |
DBS Business for Good Internship | DBS Foundation | November to December |
HDFC Ltd’s Badhte Kadam Scholarship for General Undergraduate Courses | HDFC | December to February |
Auxilo’s Edevate Scholarship Program | Auxilo Finserve Pvt. Ltd. | November to December |
SBI General Suraksha Support Scholarship Program | SBI General Insurance Company Limited | October to November |
Dr. Reddy’s Foundation Sashakt Scholarship | Dr Reddy’s Foundation | May to November |
Kotak Kanya Scholarship | Kotak Education Foundation | August to March |
JM Sethia Merit Scholarship Scheme | JM Sethia Charitable Trust | June to July |
Santoor Women’s Scholarship | Wipro Consumer Care and Wipro Cares | June to August |
Siemens Scholarship Program | Siemens India | July to August |
Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship Programme | Reliance Foundation | June to August |
R D Sethna Loan Scholarship | R. D. Sethna Scholarship Fund | April to August |
Nurturing Brilliance Cummins Scholarship Program | Cummins India Foundation | June to August |
OIL Awards & OIL Merit Scholarship | OIL India Limited | July to August |
North South Foundation (NSF) Scholarship | North South Foundation | July to September |
Keep India Smiling Educational Foundation Scholarship | Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd | July to September |
IndusInd Foundation Merit-cum-Means Scholarship | IndusInd Foundation | July to September |
Baba Gurbachan Singh Scholarship Scheme | Sant Nirankari Mandal | July to September |
Gaurav Foundation Scholarship | Gaurav Foundation | July to October |
G.P. Birla Education Foundation Scholarship | G.P. Birla Educational Foundation | June to July |
JSPN Scholarship | Jaya Satya Pramoda Nidhi | July |
Legrand Scholarship Program | Legrand India | August to October |
Nirmaan Scholarship and Mentorship Program (NSMP) | Nirmaan Organization | May to July |
The above-mentioned application period is a guideline that could change depending on the authorities’ choices.