Top Class Scholarship (SC) 2026: eligibility, amount, selection and how to apply

Who can apply for Top Class Scholarship (SC)

Check if you can apply

Answer from your own documents. The questions are the scholarship's published rules; your answers stay in this browser.

Answer the questions to see if you meet the published conditions.

How many get it: A tentative 1,900 new scholarships in 2025-26, within a cap of 4,500 in all (new and renewals), shared among notified institutions; 30% of each institution's slots are for girls. Source: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

JanWatchdog does not give a percentage chance: the scholarship does not publish one. Meeting every rule makes you eligible to apply; selection then depends on the steps below.

What Top Class Scholarship (SC) pays

Full tuition (with a ceiling at private institutions) plus a yearly allowance. Full tuition fee and non-refundable charges (ceiling Rs 2 lakh a year at private institutions), plus an academic allowance of Rs 86,000 in the first year and Rs 41,000 in each later year for living expenses, books, stationery and a computer or laptop.

What it covers

• Full tuition and non-refundable charges
• Academic allowance: Rs 86,000 in year 1, Rs 41,000 a year after that

How Top Class Scholarship (SC) selection works

1. The institution selects eligible SC students by the entrance exam merit list, keeping at least 30% of slots for girls
2. When marks tie for the last slot, the lower family income gets preference
3. Students left out can get the Post-Matric Scholarship for SC students through the State
4. Institutions verify applications on NSP by 31 October each year

How to apply for Top Class Scholarship (SC), step by step

1. Apply on the National Scholarship Portal in your first year.
2. Upload your income certificate, caste certificate, bank details, admission rank and fee details.
3. Self-employed parents need an income certificate from a revenue officer not below Tehsildar; employed parents need one from the employer.
4. Deposit the fee with your institute within a month of receiving the money.

Documents to keep ready

• Caste certificate
• Income certificate (Tehsildar-level revenue officer, or the employer for employed parents)
• Admission rank and fee details
• Bank account details
• Affidavit that you are not the third sibling availing the scheme

Keeping the scholarship every year

• It continues until the course ends if your performance is satisfactory
• It stops if you are not promoted and restarts once you are promoted

Apply on the National Scholarship Portal

Letter of recommendation

No letter of recommendation. The institution verifies your documents and rank.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from these documents and pages, and this year's dates from the National Scholarship Portal. Checked 18 Oct 2026.

• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment: Scheme Guidelines of Top Class Scholarship for SC Students (applicable from 2025-26)

JanWatchdog is not connected with any scholarship. Apply only on the official website; applying is free and no agent is needed.

Other scholarships

Central Sector Scholarship (CSSS)PM YASASVI Top Class (College)NMMS (Class 9 to 12)AICTE Pragati (girls, degree)AICTE Saksham (disability, degree)UGC PG ScholarshipINSPIRE-SHE (science)PM Research Fellowship (PhD)National Overseas Scholarship (NOS)Bihar Post Matric (BC, EBC)UP Scholarship (pre and post-matric)Chevening (UK)Commonwealth Master's (UK)Rhodes Scholarship (Oxford)Gates CambridgeFulbright-Nehru Master's (USA)DAAD EPOS (Germany, master's)DAAD Doctoral (Germany, PhD)Erasmus Mundus (Europe)MEXT Japan (research students)

All scholarships and this year's National Scholarship Portal dates