Students entering technical education in 2026–27 may be eligible for one of two AICTE scholarship schemes that provide ₹50,000 per year through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
The AICTE Pragati Scholarship is meant for eligible girl students, while the AICTE Saksham Scholarship is for eligible specially-abled students pursuing technical education.
For the 2026–27 academic year, both schemes are open on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), and the student application deadline is 31 October 2026. The NSP currently lists separate Pragati and Saksham schemes for technical degree and diploma students. Scholarships India
Here is what students and parents need to know before applying.
What are Pragati and Saksham scholarships?
Both scholarships are implemented by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
Pragati Scholarship
Pragati is intended for girl students pursuing eligible technical degree or diploma programmes in AICTE-approved institutions.
Saksham Scholarship
Saksham is intended for specially-abled students pursuing eligible technical degree or diploma programmes in AICTE-approved institutions.
The scholarship amount is ₹50,000 per year, subject to the applicable scheme conditions. AICTE's published scheme guidelines describe the ₹50,000 assistance as a lump-sum amount toward expenses such as college fees, computer, stationery, books, equipment and software. IIT Roorkee
The important date: 31 October 2026For Academic Year 2026–27, the National Scholarship Portal shows:
Student application deadline: 31 October 2026
The portal opened these AICTE schemes on 1 June 2026.
After the student deadline:
- Defective application verification: 15 November 2026
- Institute verification: 15 November 2026
- DNO/SNO/MNO verification: 30 November 2026
The latter dates are verification deadlines, not extensions of the student's application deadline. Scholarships India
So if you are eligible and have not submitted the application, do not wait for November verification dates.
Who can apply for Pragati?The core eligibility conditions include:
- The applicant must be a girl student.
- She must be admitted to an eligible AICTE-approved technical degree or diploma programme.
- Fresh applicants generally enter in the first year, or the applicable second year through lateral entry.
- A maximum of two girls per family can receive the Pragati scholarship.
- Family income must be within the prescribed limit of ₹8 lakh per year.
- The applicant must satisfy the other conditions prescribed for the scheme and the academic year.
AICTE's published Pragati guidelines specify first-year degree/diploma admission or second-year admission through lateral entry, the two-girl-per-family condition and an annual family-income ceiling of ₹8 lakh. IIT Roorkee
The current NSP listing confirms that Pragati is available separately for Technical Degree and Technical Diploma students for AY 2026–27. Scholarships India
Who can apply for Saksham?Saksham is for specially-abled students pursuing eligible technical education.
The published AICTE guidelines specify:
- Admission to the first year of an eligible degree/diploma course, or applicable second year through lateral entry.
- The student must have a disability of at least 40%.
- Family income must not exceed ₹8 lakh per year.
- The institution and programme must be approved by AICTE.
- The scholarship is paid through DBT.
The NSP currently lists both Technical Degree and Technical Diploma Saksham schemes for AY 2026–27. Shantilal Shah Engineering College
How much money does the scholarship provide?The scholarship amount is:
₹50,000 per year
It is not necessarily a monthly stipend.
The AICTE guidelines describe it as a lump-sum annual amount that can cover expenses such as:
- College fees
- Computer
- Stationery
- Books
- Equipment
- Software
The scheme guidelines state that no separate additional grant is payable in lieu of hostel or medical expenses. IIT Roorkee
The scholarship is transferred through DBT to the student's bank account. Shantilal Shah Engineering College
How many years can you receive it?The duration depends on the level of course and the year of entry.
For example, under the published Pragati guidelines:
Degree student entering first year
The scholarship can be available for up to four years, subject to the renewal conditions.
Degree student entering through lateral entry
The maximum duration can be three years.
Diploma student entering first year
The maximum duration can be three years.
Diploma student entering through lateral entry
The maximum duration can be two years.
The exact continuation depends on satisfying the applicable renewal conditions. IIT Roorkee
What courses are covered?This is not a general scholarship for every college course.
The student must be studying an eligible technical programme in an AICTE-approved institution.
That means you should check both:
1. Is my institution AICTE-approved?
2. Is my particular course/programme covered under the applicable AICTE scheme?
Do not rely solely on the college name.
The NSP also provides a facility to search institutions registered on the portal using the institution's State, district, name or AISHE/DISE/ITI code. Scholarships India
What documents should students keep ready?The exact upload requirements can depend on the applicant and scheme, but students should prepare their documents before starting the application.
Commonly required records can include:
Identity documents
- Aadhaar
- Other required identity details
Academic documents
- Class 10 certificate/marksheet
- Class 12 certificate/marksheet where applicable
- Previous-year marksheet for renewal cases
- Admission or enrolment details
Income document
For applicants subject to the income condition:
- Valid family income certificate issued by the competent State/UT authority
Institution documents
- Bonafide/admission certificate
- Institution and course details
Bank details
- Student's bank account details
- Aadhaar-linked/seeded bank account where required for DBT
For Saksham applicants
- Valid disability certificate/UDID-related documentation as required
AICTE's published FAQs state that Aadhaar and an Aadhaar-seeded bank account in the student's name are mandatory for submitting Pragati/Saksham applications. AICTE Quality Assurance
Aadhaar and bank account: check this before applyingA common source of problems is the bank account.
The scholarship is transferred through DBT, so students should ensure that:
- The bank account is in the student's name.
- The account is active.
- Aadhaar details are correctly linked/seeded as required.
- The bank account can receive DBT payments.
- The name and date-of-birth details are consistent across records.
AICTE's published FAQ specifically states that an Aadhaar-seeded bank account in the candidate's name is required for Pragati/Saksham applications. AICTE Quality Assurance
Don't wait until after submission to discover that the bank account cannot receive the payment.
You need an NSP One-Time Registration numberThe National Scholarship Portal introduced One-Time Registration (OTR) as a prerequisite for scholarship applications.
For AY 2026–27, NSP states that students need an OTR number to fill the scholarship application. Scholarships India
If you haven't completed OTR yet, start that process before attempting the scholarship form.
How to apply on the National Scholarship PortalThe process is online.
Step 1: Complete OTR
Generate your NSP One-Time Registration number if you don't already have one.
Step 2: Log in to NSP
Use the student's credentials to access the scholarship application.
Step 3: Select the correct scheme
Choose:
AICTE – Pragati Scholarship Scheme for Girl Students
or
AICTE – Saksham Scholarship Scheme for Specially Abled Student
Then select the applicable Technical Degree or Technical Diploma scheme.
The NSP currently lists these as separate schemes. Scholarships India
Step 4: Enter academic details
Provide:
- Institution
- Course
- Year of study
- Admission details
- Previous academic information where required
Step 5: Enter family and income information
Make sure the information matches your supporting documents.
Step 6: Provide bank details
Check the account number and IFSC carefully.
Step 7: Upload documents
Upload clear copies in the format and size specified by NSP.
Step 8: Submit
Review the application carefully before final submission.
Step 9: Save the application details
Download or save:
- Application ID/reference number
- Submitted application
- Acknowledgement
- Uploaded documents
You may need them during verification or if a grievance arises.
Is an offline application accepted?The AICTE FAQ states that applicants must apply online and upload the required documents through the online process; offline applications can be rejected. AICTE Quality Assurance
The 2026–27 application should therefore be completed through the National Scholarship Portal rather than relying on a paper submission to the college.
What happens after you submit?Submitting the form does not immediately mean the scholarship has been sanctioned.
There is a verification process.
For AY 2026–27, the NSP schedule currently shows:
Student submits application → Institute verification → Department/State-level verification → Processing/sanction → DBT
For the current cycle, the student deadline is 31 October, while institute and higher-level verification continues into November. Scholarships India
This is why students should check the application status after submission.
What if your application is marked defective?A defective application is not necessarily the same as a rejected scholarship.
A verification authority may identify an issue such as:
- Incorrect document
- Unclear upload
- Missing information
- Incorrect academic details
- Mismatch between documents
- Incorrect bank details
The NSP schedule provides a period for defective-application verification after the student submission deadline. For AY 2026–27, the current deadline shown is 15 November 2026. Scholarships India
If your application is marked defective, check the reason shown on NSP and correct the issue within the permitted period.
Can you apply for both Pragati and Saksham?These are different eligibility categories.
Pragati is specifically for eligible girl students.
Saksham is specifically for eligible specially-abled students.
The NSP states that from AY 2026–27, students may apply for one merit-based scholarship scheme and one or more welfare-based scholarship schemes, subject to the eligibility conditions. Scholarships India
However, that does not mean a student can claim two scholarships for the same eligibility circumstances.
The individual scheme rules regarding receipt of other Central Government, State Government or AICTE scholarships also need to be checked.
What if you already receive another scholarship?This is important.
AICTE's published Pragati/Saksham FAQs have stated that students already receiving another Central Government, State Government or AICTE-sponsored scholarship are not eligible under those scheme conditions. Scribd
Therefore, don't assume that you can simply stack Pragati or Saksham on top of another government scholarship.
Before submitting, check the current scheme conditions and the scholarship you are already receiving.
Renewal is not automaticStudents who receive the scholarship in one year generally have to complete the applicable renewal process through NSP for subsequent years.
The published AICTE guidelines state that renewal involves submission through NSP and academic progression documentation such as marksheets/passing information and certification from the institution. Students who do not progress to the next class/level can lose the scholarship. Scribd
So after receiving the first year's payment, don't simply assume that the scholarship will continue without action.
Watch the NSP for the next renewal cycle.
What can cause an application to fail?Before submitting, check these common problem areas.
Wrong scheme selected
A degree student should not accidentally select the diploma scheme, or vice versa.
Institution not eligible
Confirm that the institution and course meet AICTE requirements.
Income certificate problem
Check the income year, issuing authority and details against the scheme requirements.
Aadhaar mismatch
The name and personal details should be consistent across the relevant records.
Bank account problem
A wrong account number, inactive account or DBT-related issue can cause payment problems.
Poor document scans
Upload clear, readable documents in the format requested.
Missing disability documentation
Saksham applicants should ensure their disability-related documentation meets the applicable requirements.
Waiting until the final day
If there is a technical problem or document mismatch on 31 October, there may not be enough time to correct it.
A simple checklist for Pragati applicantsGirl student? ✓
AICTE-approved technical degree/diploma? ✓
First year or eligible lateral-entry year? ✓
Family income within ₹8 lakh limit? ✓
Maximum two eligible girls per family? ✓
Aadhaar ready? ✓
Aadhaar-seeded student bank account? ✓
Income certificate ready? ✓
Academic documents ready? ✓
NSP OTR completed? ✓
Application submitted before 31 October 2026? ✓
A simple checklist for Saksham applicantsSpecially-abled student? ✓
Disability of at least 40% under the applicable scheme? ✓
AICTE-approved technical degree/diploma? ✓
Eligible first-year/lateral-entry admission? ✓
Family income within ₹8 lakh limit? ✓
Disability documentation ready? ✓
Income certificate ready? ✓
Aadhaar and bank details ready? ✓
NSP OTR completed? ✓
Application submitted before 31 October 2026? ✓
Important dates for AICTE Pragati and Saksham 2026–27StageDateNSP applications open1 June 2026Student application deadline31 October 2026Defective application verification15 November 2026Institute verification15 November 2026DNO/SNO/MNO verification30 November 2026
These dates are the current AY 2026–27 dates displayed on the National Scholarship Portal. Scholarships India
Where should you apply?Use the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and select the relevant AICTE scheme for Academic Year 2026–27.
The portal currently lists:
- AICTE Pragati — Technical Degree
- AICTE Pragati — Technical Diploma
- AICTE Saksham — Technical Degree
- AICTE Saksham — Technical Diploma
All four show 31 October 2026 as the student application closing date. Scholarships India
Avoid websites or agents claiming that they can "guarantee" scholarship approval.
One final check before you click SubmitGo through these five fields one more time:
Name → Aadhaar → Income certificate → Institution/course → Bank account
A mismatch in any of these can create problems during verification or DBT processing.
And remember that ₹50,000 is the annual scholarship amount, not a guaranteed cash payment simply for submitting an application. Eligibility, verification and the applicable scheme conditions must all be satisfied.
For 2026–27, the student application deadline currently displayed by NSP is 31 October 2026. Scholarships India
If you are eligible, completing the OTR, preparing the documents and submitting the correct AICTE scheme application well before the deadline can help avoid last-minute verification problems.