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Pre-Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities 2026-27: apply on NSP by 31 October

By AiCoN | Published 20 October 2026 | Dates re-checked 2 November 2026

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities is accepting applications for the Pre-Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities 2026-27 on the National Scholarship Portal. It supports students with 40% or more disability studying in classes 9 and 10, with a maintenance allowance of Rs 800 per month for hostellers and Rs 500 for day scholars, plus disability and book allowances. The last date for students to apply is 31 October 2026.

Scoped update: 2 November 2026. The NSP scheme card for this scheme now reads "Student Application Closed on: 31-10-2026". The steps below are kept for reference; check NSP or your school for any reopening before relying on them. Our 20 October version said applications were open. Original publication date unchanged.

Good to knowA scholarship is paid for a class only once - if a student repeats a class, the scholarship is not given again for that class. The student cannot hold any other scholarship or stipend at the same time. Not more than two children with disabilities of the same parents can get the benefit (a twin second child is allowed). The scheme has a fixed 25,000 slots a year including renewals, and fresh cases are considered only against slots left after renewals, so meeting the eligibility criteria does not by itself guarantee the scholarship. 50% of slots are reserved for female candidates (unused slots can go to eligible male candidates).

Who can apply

Regular, full-time student studying in class IX or X in a Government school or a school recognised by the Government or a Central/State Board of Secondary Education
Student with benchmark disability - 40% or more disability as defined in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 - with a valid disability certificate and UDID card or UDID enrolment (apply at swavlambancard.gov.in if you do not have one)
Aadhaar-based biometric authentication (AadhaarFaceRD app) during registration
Parental income not more than Rs 2.5 lakh per year
Indian national

What you get (from the official scheme guidelines)

Maintenance allowance: Rs 800 per month for hostellers, Rs 500 per month for day scholars
Disability allowance: Rs 4,000 per year for visual impairment or intellectual disabilities; Rs 2,000 per year for all other types of disabilities
Book allowance: Rs 1,000 per year

Key dates (checked 20 October 2026; updated 2 November 2026)

Scheme opened: 25 July 2026
Student applications closed: 31 October 2026 (NSP card: "Student Application Closed on: 31-10-2026")
Defective application verification and institute verification: 15 November 2026
DNO/SNO/MNO verification: 30 November 2026

How to apply: step by step

NSP All Scholarships page with the Pre Matric Scholarship For Students With Disabilities card showing applications open till 31-10-2026 — Step 1 - On scholarships.gov.in open "All Scholarships" and expand the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities section. The Pre Matric Scholarship card shows the scheme open from 25-07-2026 with student applications open till 31-10-2026.

Keep documents ready: UDID card or disability certificate, Aadhaar, income certificate of parents, bank account seeded with Aadhaar for DBT, previous marksheet and school details.

NSP homepage showing the Get your OTR section - One Time Registration is a 14-digit number based on Aadhaar — Step 2 - New users must first complete One Time Registration (OTR) on the NSP homepage. OTR is a unique 14-digit number issued based on Aadhaar, valid for the student's entire academic career.

Complete OTR with Aadhaar face authentication using the AadhaarFaceRD app, then log in with your OTR number.
Choose "Pre Matric Scholarship For Students With Disabilities" from the scheme list, fill the application form and upload the documents.
The student window closed on 31 October 2026. If you applied in time, note your application ID. Your institute verifies by 15 November; if your application is marked defective, correct it before the same date.
Track status on NSP. The scholarship is paid by Direct Benefit Transfer to the Aadhaar-seeded bank account.

Watch: apply step by step

English: NSP Scholarship 2026-27 - How to Apply Online Step-by-Step - MahaConnectDigital, September 2026 (English captions verified). Covers the OTR and application flow shared by all NSP schemes.
Malayalam: NSP OTR registration Malayalam - E-KERALAM ONLINE SERVICE, December 2025 (Malayalam captions verified), and OTR verification Malayalam - TECHIES, September 2025. These walk through the OTR registration step.

We could not find a reliable video made specifically for this Pre-Matric PwD scheme - the videos above cover the shared NSP OTR and apply flow, which is the same for this scheme. They are by independent creators, not the government - always cross-check with the official sources below. Details above are from the NSP All-Scholarships page and the Department's official scheme guidelines, checked 20 October 2026.

Sources: NSP All Scholarships - Pre Matric Scholarship For Students With Disabilities, Scheme of Scholarships for Students with Disabilities - official guidelines (DEPwD), UDID card portal. Checked 20 October 2026. Explainer by AiCoN - not a government publication.