Central Sector Scholarship of Top Class Education for SC Students (TCES) 2026-27
Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
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About This Scholarship
The Central Sector Scholarship of Top Class Education for SC Students (TCES) is run by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, for Scheduled Caste students admitted to institutions notified under the scheme. These are IITs, IIMs, IIITs, NITs, AIIMS, NLUs and other central institutions, and any other institution with NAAC A++ or A+ accreditation, a place in the NIRF top 100 or Institution of National Importance status. Only SC students are covered; the Ministry of Tribal Affairs runs a separate scheme for ST students. NSP lists TCES as a merit-based scheme. The scholarship pays full tuition and non-refundable fees plus an academic allowance and continues until the course ends. The guidelines on the MSJE site, listed there as Scheme Guidelines for 2026-27 but headed Applicable from 2025-26, cap the scheme at 4,500 scholarships in 2025-26, of which 1,900 are fresh slots spread over 285 institutions.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment |
| Who | SC students with family income up to Rs 8 lakh a year, admitted to a notified institution |
| Amount | Full tuition and non-refundable fees (up to Rs 2 lakh a year in private institutions) plus Rs 86,000 in year 1 and Rs 41,000 in later years |
| Applications 2026-27 | On NSP: open from 1 June 2026, last date 31 October 2026 |
| Verification 2026-27 | Institute by 15 November 2026; second level by 30 November 2026 |
| Fresh awards | First-year students only |
| Portal | National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in) |
Fresh slots by discipline
| Discipline | Institutions | Slots |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering | 98 | 1,017 |
| Management | 26 | 264 |
| Law | 23 | 167 |
| Medical | 31 | 134 |
| Fashion | 33 | 90 |
| Agriculture and allied sciences | 22 | 64 |
| Hospitality | 23 | 53 |
| Institutes for disabilities, flying training, miscellaneous | 29 | 111 |
| Total | 285 | 1,900 |
The slot table is Annexure-1 of the guidelines (fresh slots, 2025-26). No 2026-27 slot list for the SC scheme was found.
Sources: TCES scheme guidelines (MSJE), MSJE scheme page and Schemes on NSP. Checked on 5 October 2026.
Provider
Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Type
Merit-based
Level
Undergraduate
Duration
Until the course is completed, subject to satisfactory performance and promotion
Until the course is completed, subject to satisfactory performance and promotion
Duration
Full tuition fee and non-refundable charges (ceiling Rs 2 lakh a year per student in private-sector institutions), plus an academic allowance of Rs 86,000 in year 1 and Rs 41,000 in later years for living expenses, books, stationery and a laptop
Coverage
Eligibility Criteria
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Category | Scheduled Caste (SC) student |
| Family income | Total annual family income from all sources up to Rs 8 lakh |
| Admission | Full-time prescribed course in an institution notified under the scheme, admitted under that institution's general selection criteria |
| Year of study | Fresh scholarship only for first-year students; second, third and fourth-year students cannot be selected as fresh candidates |
| Girls | 30 percent of each institution's slots are reserved for SC girls on inter-se merit; unfilled girl slots pass to boys |
| Siblings | Not more than 2 siblings in a family; an affidavit is given to the institute |
- Changing the institute after selection ends the scholarship.
- A selected student cannot take another scholarship of a similar Centre or State scheme.
- SC students beyond an institution's slot limit can still seek the Post-Matric Scholarship through their State.
- The scholarship stops if the student is not promoted and is released again once the student is promoted.
Source: TCES scheme guidelines (MSJE).
Income Limit
₹8,00,000 p.a.
Eligible Categories
Scholarship Benefits
Financial Support
INR 41,000 - 86,000
Disbursement: Paid directly to the student by DBT after admission; the student deposits the fee with the institute within a month of receipt
What's Covered
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition fee and non-refundable charges | In full; ceiling of Rs 2 lakh a year per student in private-sector institutions |
| Academic allowance, first year | Rs 86,000 |
| Academic allowance, each later year | Rs 41,000 |
The academic allowance covers living expenses, books and stationery, and a computer or laptop of a reputed brand with accessories such as a UPS and printer. It is paid as a lump sum without vouchers. All payments go directly to the student by Direct Benefit Transfer and become payable once the student is admitted and classes begin. The student deposits the fee with the institute within a month of receiving it. The scholarship continues until the course is completed, subject to satisfactory performance.
How to Apply
Application Guide
- Open the National Scholarship Portal (https://scholarships.gov.in) and complete Apply For One Time Registration (OTR) if not already registered.
- Under Apply For Scholarship, select Central Sector Scholarship Of Top Class Education For SC Students (Merit Based Scheme).
- Upload the income certificate and caste certificate, and enter the bank account details, admission rank and fee details.
- Give the institute the affidavit that the student is not the third sibling in the family availing the scheme.
- Submit by 31 October 2026. The institute verifies the details and forwards the application to the Ministry; NSP sets 15 November 2026 for institute verification and 30 November 2026 for the second level.
- For renewal, the institute's verification confirms that the student has been promoted and has taken admission in the next class.
Selection Process
Each notified institution is allotted a number of scholarship slots by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. For first-year entrants the institution selects eligible SC students on the merit list of the entrance examination listed for the course in Annexure-3 of the guidelines, keeping at least 30 percent of the slots for girls. If more eligible students are admitted than there are slots, the top students on the merit list receive the scholarship, and a tie for the last slot goes to the student with the lower family income. The institution's decision on caste, income, qualification and rank is treated as final by the Ministry, and the income certificate is verified by both the institute and the Ministry. Students not selected remain eligible for the Post-Matric Scholarship through the State.
Documents Required
Important Dates
Application Start
Monday, 01 June 2026
Date passed
Application End
Saturday, 31 October 2026
Application Deadline
Saturday, 31 October 2026