OBC Scholarship 2026 — Complete Guide to All Scholarships for OBC Students

If you belong to the Other Backward Class (OBC) community, the Government of India has multiple scholarships waiting for you right now.

Many OBC students do not apply for scholarships because they think scholarships are only for SC/ST students. That is completely wrong.

The PM YASASVI Scholarship Scheme 2026 is one of the major education support programmes introduced by the Government of India to help students from socially and economically disadvantaged communities continue their studies. It primarily benefits students from the Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Backward Classes (EBC), and Denotified Tribes (DNT).

On top of that, every state has its own OBC scholarship — Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, UP, Bihar, Assam, Gujarat, and more. Together, these central and state schemes can cover your tuition fee, hostel costs, books, and monthly living expenses.

This article gives you the complete picture — every OBC scholarship available in 2026, the exact amount, eligibility, and how to apply.

1. What Are OBC Scholarships?

OBC scholarships are financial assistance programmes provided by the central and state governments of India specifically for students belonging to the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.

OBC is a constitutional classification for communities that face social and educational disadvantage. The Indian Constitution under Articles 15(4) and 16(4) allows the government to make special provisions for the advancement of OBC communities — including education scholarships.

The PM YASASVI programme was introduced as an umbrella initiative to support students from backward and economically weaker communities. It combines several earlier scholarship schemes and hostel development programmes under one framework to expand educational opportunities. The scheme includes multiple components such as Pre Matric Scholarship, Post Matric Scholarship, Top Class School Education, Top Class College Education, and hostel construction.

In short, if you are OBC, there is a scholarship for almost every level of your education, from Class 9 all the way to postgraduate.

2. The Main Central OBC Scholarship — PM YASASVI 2026

The full name is PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India (PM YASASVI).

The scheme is managed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and implemented through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). With financial assistance of up to ₹1.25 lakh per year, the programme helps students continue their studies without worrying about educational expenses.

The earlier entrance test called the YASASVI Entrance Test (YET) has been discontinued, and students are now selected based on academic merit and eligibility criteria. A state-wise merit list is prepared after reviewing the marks obtained in the previous class examination. The final list of selected students is then published on the National Scholarship Portal.

This is good news for students who were worried about an extra entrance exam — you no longer need to give one. Just apply, meet the eligibility, and get selected based on your existing marks.

Apply at: scholarships.gov.in

3. PM YASASVI Amount — What You Actually Receive

Here is the exact money breakdown for the PM YASASVI Scholarship 2026:

Level	Amount Per Year
Class 9 (Pre-Matric, Top Class School)	₹75,000/year
Class 11 (Pre-Matric, Top Class School)	₹1,25,000/year
Post-Matric (Class 11-12)	₹6,000–₹7,000/year
UG and above (Post-Matric)	₹10,000–₹15,000/year
Top Class College Education	Full tuition + hostel, up to ₹1,25,000/year

The scholarship aims to reduce financial barriers faced by students studying in Classes 9 and 11 and encourage them to pursue quality education in well-performing schools. The amount is directly transferred to the student’s Aadhaar-linked bank account through the Direct Benefit Transfer system.

The grants will cover tuition fees, hostel expenses, and other necessary charges as mandated by the school, up to a maximum limit of ₹75,000 per year per student for Class 9 and 10, and ₹1,25,000 per year per student for Class 11.

4. PM YASASVI Eligibility — Who Can Apply

Condition	Requirement
Category	OBC, EBC (Economically Backward Class), or DNT (De-Notified Tribe)
Family Income	Annual family income must not exceed ₹2.5 lakh
Course	Regular, full-time course only — distance or correspondence not eligible
Previous Exam	Must have passed the previous year’s exam
Age	No specific age limit — must be enrolled in the eligible class/course
Other Scholarship	Must not be receiving another government scholarship or stipend
Family Limit	Only two male siblings from the same parent or guardian will be granted the DNT, EBC or OBC scholarship. However, this limitation is not applicable in the case of girls.

Students pursuing distance learning or correspondence courses, only regular and full-time courses are covered. Students who have already completed their education career with one professional course (for example, LLB, after B.Ed) will not be eligible for the scheme.

5. PM YASASVI Sub-Schemes — Which One Is for You?

PM YASASVI is not one scheme — it is an umbrella of multiple schemes. Pick the one that matches your level:

Sub-Scheme	Who It Is For
Pre-Matric Scholarship for OBC	OBC students in Class 9 and 10
Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC/EBC/DNT	OBC/EBC/DNT students from Class 11 to PG
Top Class School Education	OBC students in top-rated schools (Class 9–12)
Top Class College Education	OBC students in premier colleges (UG/PG level)
Hostel Construction Scheme	Fund for building OBC student hostels

The OBC/EBC/DNT students already studying in the Top Class Schools can apply on the National Scholarship Portal for the scheme along with the marks they have obtained in the final exam of the previous class.

6. Post Matric Scholarship for OBC Students

The Post Matric Scholarship for OBC students provides scholarships ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹20,000 per annum for post-matric to post-graduate classes under the Government of India’s Post Matric Scholarship scheme.

This is the most widely available OBC scholarship at the higher education level. It covers:

• Class 11 and 12
• Diploma and ITI courses
• UG and PG (professional and non-professional)
• MPhil and PhD

Income limit: Family income must not exceed ₹2.5 lakh/year for the centrally sponsored scheme.

Apply at: scholarships.gov.in (NSP) — select “Post Matric Scholarship for OBC” under PM YASASVI.

7. OBC Scholarship State-Wise Guide

Apart from the central PM YASASVI, every major state has its own OBC scholarship portal. Check your state’s portal for additional benefits on top of the central scholarship.

State	Portal	Key OBC Scheme
Maharashtra	mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in	Post Matric Scholarship OBC — full tuition + maintenance
Madhya Pradesh	mptaas.mp.gov.in	MPTAAS OBC Scholarship — Samagra-based
Karnataka	ssp.postmatric.karnataka.gov.in	SSP OBC Post Matric Scholarship
Uttar Pradesh	scholarship.up.gov.in	UP Pre and Post Matric OBC Scholarship
Bihar	pmsonline.bihar.gov.in	Bihar OBC/EBC Post Matric Scholarship
Assam	scholarships.gov.in (NSP) + state portal	PM YASASVI Top Class School Scheme for OBC — open August 2026
Gujarat	digitalgujarat.gov.in	OBC Pre and Post Matric Scholarship
Rajasthan	hte.rajasthan.gov.in	OBC Post Matric Scholarship
West Bengal	oasis.gov.in	OBC Post Matric Scholarship

8. OBC Scholarship Maharashtra — MahaDBT

The MahaDBT Scholarship (Aaple Sarkar DBT) is Maharashtra’s official Direct Benefit Transfer portal designed to provide timely financial assistance across various courses and categories. The platform offers a range of scholarships for SC, ST, OBC, EBC, ITI, and Class 11-12 students.

OBC scholarship Maharashtra amount (Post Matric, MahaDBT):

Eligible OBC applicants are paid a maintenance allowance:

• Course Group A (professional courses): Hostellers ₹425/month, Day Scholars ₹190/month
• Course Group B and C: Hostellers ₹290/month, Day Scholars ₹190/month
• Course Group D: ₹230/month

Plus full tuition fee and exam fee reimbursement for eligible courses.

As of March 2026, the Maharashtra government reported that over 93,326 scholarship applications are currently stuck in the verification queue. The main reasons for these delays are students failing to upload the correct documents or failing to submit the physical hard copies.

Action point for Maharashtra OBC students: Go to your college scholarship office and physically submit your hard copy documents. Do not rely on online submission alone.

Maharashtra OBC Helpline: 022-49150800 (9:30 AM–6:00 PM)

Only two children — any number of girls, maximum 2 boys — of the same parents are eligible for the OBC Maharashtra scholarship.

9. OBC Scholarship MP — MPTAAS

The Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Automation System (MPTAAS) is a fully digital platform where students can complete OTR Registration, create a Profile, apply for scholarships, track status, and complete MPTAAS Renewal online.

Eligible students seeking to benefit from the MPTAAS scheme must update their caste or income certificate details on the Samagra Portal, as MPTAAS directly retrieves this information from the platform. Ensuring accurate and up-to-date details on Samagra is essential for successful application processing.

For OBC applicants, the annual family income must be less than ₹1.5 lakh — note this is lower than the central government’s ₹2.5 lakh limit.

MPTAAS OBC Scholarship Portal: mptaas.mp.gov.in

Key requirement: Aadhaar e-KYC must be linked to both your Samagra ID and your bank account for DBT payment.

10. OBC Scholarship Karnataka — SSP Portal

The Government of Karnataka’s State Scholarship Portal (SSP) is a unified, paperless system designed to administer pre-metric and post-metric scholarships. The cornerstone of the system is Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), which ensures scholarships are paid directly into the student’s Aadhaar-linked bank account, minimizing delays and fraud.

OBC students in Karnataka apply at ssp.postmatric.karnataka.gov.in.

SC/ST/OBC post-matric applicants must register on the NSP first, obtain the OTR number, and then quote it in their SSP application. It creates a unified student record.

Karnataka OBC Helpline: 1902 (for critical corrections like wrong bank details — contact your institution’s Nodal Officer)

11. OBC Scholarship Last Date 2026

Since we are in March 2026, here are the upcoming expected deadlines for the 2026-27 academic year:

Scholarship	Expected Application Opening	Expected Last Date
PM YASASVI Pre-Matric (Central/NSP)	June–July 2026	October–November 2026
PM YASASVI Post-Matric (Central/NSP)	August 2026	November 2026
OBC Scholarship Assam (PM YASASVI)	Expected August 2026	Check state portal
MahaDBT OBC Maharashtra	April–June 2026	Check mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in
MPTAAS OBC MP	June–August 2026	Check mptaas.mp.gov.in
SSP OBC Karnataka	June 2026	Check SSP portal
UP OBC Scholarship	July 2026	Check scholarship.up.gov.in

Always verify at scholarships.gov.in → “Schemes Dates at a Glance” for the exact, current deadline for your scheme. Deadlines are announced fresh every year and can change.

12. Documents Required for OBC Scholarship

Have these ready before opening any application form:

Document	Important Notes
Aadhaar Card	Linked to your mobile number for OTP
OBC Caste Certificate	Issued by Tehsildar/SDM — current and valid
Non-Creamy Layer Certificate	Mandatory for most OBC central scholarships — confirms your family is below the “creamy layer” income threshold
Income Certificate	Current year — from Circle Officer/Tehsildar. Must show all sources of family income
Aadhaar-Linked Bank Account	If applying as a hosteller, from the warden
Previous Year Marksheet	Latest qualifying exam marksheet
Enrollment/Admission Proof	Current year fee receipt or enrollment letter from college
Hostel Certificate	Recently, passport-size
Passport Photo	If applying as a hosteller — from the warden

Critical for OBC students: The Non-Creamy Layer Certificate is the most frequently missed document. Many OBC students are rejected because they submit only the caste certificate, but not the Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) certificate. These are two different documents. Get both from your Tehsildar’s office.

13. How to Apply for OBC Scholarship Online

For Central PM YASASVI (scholarships.gov.in):

Go to scholarships.gov.in. Complete your OTR (One Time Registration) using your Aadhaar number. Log in with your OTR ID. Select the PM YASASVI sub-scheme that matches your level. Fill out the applicant form. Upload the required documents and submit. The applications have to be verified online by the Nodal Officers of the School and confirmed by the State Government online.

For Maharashtra OBC (mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in):

Click on “New User Registration” and finish your account setup. Navigate to “Apply for Scholarship.” Select the appropriate scheme based on your category and course. Enter personal details (name, contact, Aadhaar). Upload documents in PDF or JPG format, each file under 200 KB. Submit and note your Application ID.

For MP OBC (MPTAAS — mptaas.mp.gov.in):

Fill in the required details and click “Save and Continue” step by step. After successful registration, the User ID will appear on the window, which you can save for future reference. Log in with the User ID, password, and captcha to proceed with the MPTAAS login process. Ensure your Samagra ID is updated with the correct caste and income details before applying.

14. How to Check OBC Scholarship Status

Students can track the status of their application and even the benefits received directly by logging into their account on the NSP portal. Once your OBC scholarship is approved, your funds will be transferred via DBT to your Aadhaar-linked bank account.

NSP Status Check: Go to scholarships.gov.in → Login with OTR ID → “Track Application Status”

PFMS Payment Status: Go to pfms.nic.in → “Know Your Payment” → Enter Aadhaar or bank account number

MahaDBT Status Check: Log in using MahaDBT scholarship login. Go to the “Schemes Applied” section. Status messages include: Submitted, Verified, Under Scrutiny, Approved, Payment Processed, Rejected, Defective. SMS alerts are sent to your Aadhaar-registered mobile when payment is credited.

If stuck: For Maharashtra, contact the helpline at 022-49150800. For national NSP issues, contact 0120-6619540 or helpdesk@nsp.gov.in.

15. Frequently Asked Questions

What are OBC scholarships?

OBC scholarships are government-funded financial assistance programmes for students belonging to the Other Backward Class (OBC) community. The main central government OBC scholarship is PM YASASVI (PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India), managed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It covers Pre-Matric, Post-Matric, and Top Class Education for OBC, EBC, and DNT students. Each state also has its own OBC scholarship portal with additional schemes.

What is Post Matric Scholarship for OBC students?

The Post Matric Scholarship for OBC students is a centrally sponsored scheme under PM YASASVI that provides financial support to OBC/EBC/DNT students studying from Class 11 to the postgraduate level. It covers maintenance allowance (₹5,000–₹20,000/year), tuition fee reimbursement for eligible professional courses, and book grants. Family income must not exceed ₹2.5 lakh/year. Applications are submitted through NSP at scholarships.gov.in.

What is SC/ST/OBC scholarship scheme 2025-26?

The SC/ST/OBC Scholarship Scheme 2025-26 is a collection of central and state scholarship programmes. For SC students — the Post Matric Scholarship (PMS-SC) under the Ministry of Social Justice. For ST students, the PMS-ST is under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. For OBC students — PM YASASVI (Pre-Matric, Post-Matric, Top Class schemes) under the Ministry of Social Justice. All central schemes are applied through the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in. State schemes are applied through individual state portals like MahaDBT, MPTAAS, SSP Karnataka, and others.

What are OBC scholarships 2026?

OBC scholarships in 2026 include: PM YASASVI Pre-Matric (₹75,000 for Class 9, ₹1.25 lakh for Class 11 in top schools), PM YASASVI Post-Matric (₹5,000–₹20,000/year for Class 11 to PG), Top Class College Education (up to ₹1.25 lakh for premier institutes), Maharashtra MahaDBT OBC Post-Matric Scholarship (full tuition + maintenance), MP MPTAAS OBC Scholarship, Karnataka SSP OBC Scholarship, and state-specific schemes in UP, Bihar, Gujarat, Assam, and other states. Applications for 2026-27 are expected to open from June to August 2026 on respective portals.

How much OBC scholarship amount for UG students?

For OBC UG students under PM YASASVI Post-Matric, the annual amount ranges from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 depending on the course level. For professional UG courses (B.Tech, MBBS, LLB, Nursing), Maharashtra’s MahaDBT provides full tuition fee + ₹425/month maintenance for Group A course hostellers. MP MPTAAS provides tuition fee reimbursement plus maintenance allowance based on course type. Always check the specific scheme’s notification for the exact amount as it varies by course, state, and whether you are a day scholar or hosteller.

Conclusion

OBC scholarships in 2026 cover everything from Class 9 to PhD — and in the right scheme, can pay up to ₹1.25 lakh per year directly into your bank account.

But the money only reaches you if you apply on time with the right documents.

Your immediate action plan:

Step 1: Get your Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) Certificate from your Tehsildar today. This is the document most OBC students miss.

Step 2: Go to scholarships.gov.in and complete your OTR registration using your Aadhaar.

Step 3: Use the “Scheme Eligibility” filter on NSP to see every PM YASASVI sub-scheme you qualify for. Apply for all of them.

Step 4: If you are iMaharashtra, also check mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in. In MP — check mptaas.mp.gov.in. In Karnataka — check ssp.postmatric.karnataka.gov.in.

Do not leave money on the table. The reservation system and scholarship system exist because people fought for them. Use them.

Jai Bhim. 🙏