e-Grantz Scholarships (Kerala) 2026-27
Scheduled Castes Development, Scheduled Tribes Development and Backward Classes Development Departments, Government of Kerala
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About This Scholarship
e-grantz 3.0 is the online centralised system of the Government of Kerala for disbursing scholarships and schemes to pre-matric and post-matric students of the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes communities. It is run by the Scheduled Castes Development Department for the SC, ST and OBC departments and was developed by C-DIT. A student registers once with name, address, date of birth, gender, mobile number, bank account details and Aadhaar number, and the same registration then serves the various schemes; institutions can enter applications when a student cannot apply online. Money reaches the student's bank account by Direct Benefit Transfer. The portal won a National Award for e-Governance for 2010-11. This page covers its post-matric schemes.
For 2026-27 the portal's notice board lists the OEC post-matric scheme for institutions of national importance outside Kerala (last date 30 November 2026), the Kedavilakku scholarship for OBC students in classes 1 to 8 (last date 30 September 2026) and a special assistance scheme for OBC and SEBC girls in medical courses who have lost a parent (last date 15 September). It lists no 2026-27 notice for SC and ST post-matric scholarships or for in-state OEC post-matric assistance, which opened on 15 September in 2025. The SC and ST rules come from two Government orders dated 5 January 2023 that apply from 2022-23; the orders say the lumpsum grant, hostel fee and pocket money stay at current rates until a revised order is issued.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes Development Departments, Government of Kerala |
| Who | SC, ST and OBC (including OEC) students of Kerala |
| Amount | Fees at State-fixed rates plus the State Academic Allowance; day-scholar stipend Rs 8,500 a year; research fellowship at 75 percent of UGC rates |
| Income limit | OEC: none (Rs 6 lakh for 30 listed communities); SC and ST: Central criteria or the State limit |
| Applications 2026-27 | By scheme: OEC outside Kerala till 30 November 2026; SC and ST post-matric and in-state OEC not announced yet |
| Portal | egrantz.kerala.gov.in (e-grantz 3.0) |
Post-matric schemes on the portal
| Scheme | Who | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Post-matric scholarship, SC and ST | SC and ST students of Kerala admitted on merit or reservation to approved post-matric and post-secondary courses, in Kerala or outside | Compulsory non-refundable fees plus State Academic Allowance; students under the Central criteria get the Central-State scholarship |
| Fellowship for SC and ST research scholars | Ph.D, M.Phil, M.Tech and M.Lit students without UGC, GATE or NET qualification; age up to 40 to apply | Fellowship and contingent grant at 75 percent of UGC rates |
| OEC post-matric educational assistance, outside Kerala | OEC and OBC(H) students admitted on merit or reservation to institutions of national importance outside Kerala | Fee heads and amounts in Annexure 2 of the circular; last date 30 November 2026 |
Sources: e-grantz 3.0 portal, Government order on SC and ST post-matric conditions, Government order on State Academic Allowance, OEC circular and Kedavilakku circular. Checked on 5 October 2026.
Provider
Scheduled Castes Development, Scheduled Tribes Development and Backward Classes Development Departments, Government of Kerala
Type
Need-based
Level
Post-Matric
Duration
Course duration, renewed each year on satisfactory performance and 75 percent attendance
Course duration, renewed each year on satisfactory performance and 75 percent attendance
Duration
SC and ST post-matric: compulsory non-refundable fees (tuition, exam, special) at rates fixed by the State, the university or the Fee Fixation Committee, plus the State Academic Allowance (lumpsum grant and stipend or pocket money; day-scholar stipend Rs 8,500 a year). OEC outside Kerala: the fee heads and amounts in Annexure 2 of the circular
Coverage
Eligibility Criteria
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Community | SC or ST student of Kerala; OEC, OBC(H) or SEBC student for the OEC scheme |
| Admission | Admission on merit or reservation to an approved post-matric or post-secondary course |
| Institution | AISHE or UDISE code, registered on NSP, accepts the State Freeship Card; higher education institutions without NAAC or NBA accreditation before 2024 are not eligible |
| Study outside Kerala | SC and ST: admission through all-India merit or reservation; OEC: institutions of national importance only |
| Income | OEC: no limit; the 30 communities with OEC-type benefits: Rs 6 lakh a year; SC and ST: Central criteria or the State limit |
| Bank account | Aadhaar-seeded |
| Renewal | Satisfactory performance and 75 percent attendance |
- Only one scholarship can be taken where a student qualifies for more than one.
- Distance, online, part-time and evening courses get fees only, without the State Academic Allowance.
- A change of course or institution without permission cancels the scholarship.
Sources: SC and ST order and OEC circular.
Eligible Categories
Scholarship Benefits
Financial Support
Amount varies
Disbursement: Online through the e-Grantz or NSP portal by Direct Benefit Transfer to the student's Aadhaar-seeded bank account; tuition, exam and special fees credited to the student must be paid to the institution within a week
What's Covered
SC and ST post-matric (Government orders of 5 January 2023, from 2022-23)
| Component | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Compulsory non-refundable fees | Tuition, exam and special fees at the rates fixed by the State, the university or the Fee Fixation Committee |
| State Academic Allowance, day scholar | Lumpsum grant plus stipend; the stipend is fixed at Rs 8,500 a year irrespective of distance |
| State Academic Allowance, hosteller | Lumpsum grant plus pocket money; rates stay at the current level until a revised order |
| Students under the Central criteria | Central-State scholarship; the State pays the difference when the Central allowance is lower than the State Academic Allowance |
| Distance, online, part-time courses | Fees only |
| Research fellowship without UGC, GATE or NET | 75 percent of the UGC fellowship and contingent grant; age up to 40 to apply and 45 to receive the benefit |
| Repeaters | Fee benefits and 50 percent of the State Academic Allowance, once (up to 3 times for ST students) |
OEC outside Kerala: fee heads in Annexure 2 of the circular
| Fee head | Amount in Rs |
|---|---|
| Tuition fee | 10,00,000 |
| Lab fee | 25,000 |
| Exam fee, computer lab fee, advanced lab facility fund | 10,000 each |
| Digital activity fund, placement activity fund | 5,000 each |
| Admission fee, library fee, registration or enrolment fee, students welfare fund, medical insurance | 1,000 each |
Other heads in Annexure 2 range from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000. Hostel, mess and electricity charges are shown apart from the compulsory non-refundable fees in the fee structure. The State issues a Freeship Card to eligible students, who register on the portal with a passport-size photograph, educational certificates, caste certificate and income certificate; the card is issued within 30 days of verification and institutions must admit the student without collecting fees in advance. The portal notice asks students to pay the tuition, exam and special fee credited to the account to the institution within a week.
How to Apply
Application Guide
- Open https://egrantz.kerala.gov.in and complete One Time Registration with name, address, date of birth, gender, mobile number, bank account details and Aadhaar number. The portal also links a video on how to get an OTR number.
- Log in through Student Login and apply for the scheme named in the notice; the same registration serves every scheme. An institution can enter the application if the student cannot apply online.
- Upload the documents for the scheme: caste proof, income certificate where required, admission slip, allotment memo, and the fee structure and bonafide certificate certified by the head of the institution.
- For OEC assistance outside Kerala, apply within 2 months of admission (6 months at most, with a reason); the 2026-27 notice sets 30 November 2026 as the last date. Printouts and documents are not sent to the Department.
- Follow the application under Track Application on the portal, and pay the tuition, exam and special fee credited to the account to the institution within a week.
- For renewal, log in with the same id, change the academic year, and upload the current fee structure and the institution's certificate that the course continues.
Selection Process
The schemes are entitlement-based and the orders read prescribe no merit list. SC and ST students who are admitted on merit or reservation to an approved course and meet the conditions receive the scholarship once the application is verified. OEC applications are scrutinised on the documents uploaded, and incomplete or unclear applications are not considered. An application filed after the time limit is rejected. Renewal depends on satisfactory performance and 75 percent attendance, with a medical certificate allowing renewal after illness, and false information leads to cancellation and action under the rules.
Documents Required
Important Dates
Important dates will be announced soon. Check back later for updates.