Important Facts about the Merit-cum-Means Scholarship for Minority Students

The Merit-cum-Means scholarship is the front-running scholarship scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The scholarship provides financial assistance to the meritorious minority students so as to encourage them to pursue technical or professional education.

General Features of Merit-cum-Means Scholarship 2018

• The scholarship can be availed by students to pursue technical or professional courses only in India.
• The scholarship is distributed among students through their respective State/ UT designated administrative machinery.
• 60,000 scholarships are distributed every year to minority students belonging to the poor sections of the society.
• A certain percentage of the scholarship is allocated to every State/UT of India every year. The allocation of scholarships to various states is made on the basis of the percentage of the minority student’s population in that State/ UT. The Census 2001 population statistics are used to make the allocation. `

Eligibility for the Merit-cum-Means Scholarship 2018

• The applicant should have secured admission through the competitive entrance exam.
• The college/ institution should be approved by the AICTE.
• Those applicants who have taken admission without taking any competitive entrance exam can also avail this scholarship provided they should have scored a minimum aggregate of 50% marks in Class 12^th or Graduation. Students will be selected on the merit basis.
• The annual family income of the applicant should not exceed ₹ 2.5 lakhs. It should be noted that the income certificate that would be submitted by the student will be considered valid only for a year. The beneficiary student should submit the annual family income certificate every year.
• Applicants should have Aadhaar Card.

Benefits of the Merit-cum –Means Scholarship 2018

• Those students who will be selected for the scholarship will get tuition-fee and maintenance allowance on the monthly basis to pursue a course. The maintenance allowance is given for 10 months in a year.
• The scholarship amount will be transferred directly into the bank account of the beneficiary students.

Tuition- Fee for the course

Day Scholars – Day scholar students get ₹ 20,000 or the actual tuition-fee (which one is less) annually to complete their studies.

Hostellers - Hostellers get ₹ 20,000 or the actual tuition-fee (which one is less) annually to complete their studies.

Maintenance Allowances

Day scholar –The day scholars receive ₹ 500 on the monthly basis for 10 months in a year. It means in year for each student ₹ 5,000 is allocated.

Hostellers –The hostellers get ₹ 1,000 on the monthly basis for 10 months in a year. It means in a year each student can get ₹ 10,000.

Mode of Payment of the Scholarship

• The scholarship amount will be credited directly into the bank account of the student.
• Those students who are pursuing M.B.B.S, the scholarship will not be paid during the period of their internship. Also in such cases, where the student is getting remuneration/ stipend during internship, the student cannot avail the scholarship.

Other Conditions of Eligibility

• Students should be pursuing a professional or technical course on the Bachelors or Post graduation levels.
• Students will continue to avail the scholarship on the basis of their performance in the previous year exam.
• The student should not be availing benefits under any other scholarships.

Reservation for Girl Students

Out of the total number of the scholarships, 30% of it is reserved for the girl students. However, it is not the upper ceiling of the total number of the scholarships rather the lowest ceiling.

Conditions for Distribution of the Merit-cum-Means Scholarship 2018

• Every Year State/ UT is required to invite applications for the scholarship.
• Each State/ UT government is responsible for assessing and scrutinizing the applications and submits a list of the eligible students for the scholarship to the Ministry of the Minority Affairs.
• If the total number of the beneficiary students in State/ UT is less than the total number of allocated scholarships, then the scholarships will be distributed to minority students of other State/ UT.
• The scholarship is given to students on the basis of their residence in a State/ UT and not on the basis of his/ her place of study.
• In a State/ UT, the applications of the eligible students sent from the listed Graduation or Post graduation institutions get priority while distributing the scholarship. Students can check the list of listed institutions on the Ministry of Minority Affairs website.

Merit-cum-Means Scholarship 2018: Conditions for the Discontinuation Scholarship

• If the Head/ Principal of institution/ college writes that the student resorts to indiscipline or violence or any other in-disciplinary activities, then the scholarship will be discontinued.
• If the beneficiary student has changed the subject of study or the college/ institution of the course without obtaining any prior approval of the concerned State/ UT government, then the scholarship will be discontinued. The students will be liable to refund the scholarship.
• If the student has availed benefits of the scholarship on the pretext of false statements, then the scholarship will be cancelled. Such student will be blacklisted and will be debarred from obtaining this scholarship in future.

Merit-cum-Means scholarship: How to Apply

• Interested students can apply for the Merit-cum-Means scholarship 2018 online through the NSP (National Scholarship Portal).
• They should click on the link, www.scholarships.gov.in.
• By clicking on this link, they will be taken to NSP portal where they will be able to access the application form.
• The applicant should fill all the specified columns of the application form.
• After filling the application form, they will be required to submit the scanned copies of the following documents –

• • Photograph of the student
  • Address-Proof
  • Verification Form of the Institution
  • Self-declared Income Certificate by the student
  • Self-declared Community Certificate by the student
  • Copies of the fee receipts of the current year
  • Previous Academic Mark sheets which should be self-attested by the students.
  • Proof of Bank Account opened in the name of student
  • Aadhaar Card

Any other document that is required to be submitted