NSP Scholarship 2026-27: October 31 Last Date for Major Schemes, Check OTR and Eligibility

Students looking for financial support for school, college, technical education or higher studies can now check and apply for eligible schemes under the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) 2026-27. The portal has been open for the 2026-27 academic year since June 1, 2026, and several major Central Government scholarship schemes are currently accepting applications.

For a large number of schemes, the NSP Scholarship 2026-27 last date is October 31, 2026. This includes scholarships administered by AICTE, UGC, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and several other departments. However, students must check the deadline against the specific scheme they want to apply for because NSP itself is only the common application platform.

One Time Registration, or OTR, is compulsory before a student can submit an NSP scholarship application. OTR is a unique 14-digit number linked to Aadhaar or Aadhaar Enrolment ID and remains valid throughout the student’s academic career.

NSP Scholarship 2026-27 Overview

The current portal also makes an important distinction between merit-based schemes and welfare-based schemes. From academic year 2026-27, a student may apply for one merit-based scholarship and one or more welfare-based scholarships, provided the student satisfies the eligibility rules of each scheme.

NSP Scholarship 2026-27 Last Date

October 31, 2026 is currently the most important NSP deadline for students because it is the closing date displayed against a large number of active schemes.

For many of these scholarships, the schedule is:

The October 31 deadline currently applies to schemes including AICTE Pragati, Saksham and Swanath scholarships, UGC postgraduate and Ishan Uday scholarships, scholarships for students with disabilities, National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship, Top Class Education for SC students, PM-YASASVI Top Class Education and several other schemes.

Students should nevertheless open their individual schemes before applying. Some scholarships are accepting fresh applications, while others listed on NSP are currently available only for renewal applications.

Major NSP Scholarships Open for 2026-27

The following are some of the scholarships currently open on the National Scholarship Portal.

The UGC’s National Scholarship for Post Graduate Studies and Ishan Uday Special Scholarship Scheme for NER, for example, opened on September 16, 2026 and are currently scheduled to close on October 31, 2026.

NSP Scholarship Eligibility 2026-27

There is no single eligibility criterion called “NSP eligibility.” Eligibility belongs to the individual scholarship scheme.

Before applying, students generally need to check:

• current class or course;
• category, where applicable;
• annual family income;
• qualifying examination marks or merit position;
• domicile or region;
• disability status, where applicable;
• type of institution;
• whether the course is regular or distance mode;
• whether the student is already receiving another scholarship;
• fresh or renewal status.

A student eligible for one NSP scholarship may be completely ineligible for another.

PM-USP Central Sector Scholarship: Who Is Eligible?

One of the major higher-education scholarships administered through NSP is the PM-USP Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students, commonly called CSSS.

Under the Ministry of Education’s eligibility conditions, applicants generally need to:

• be above the 80th percentile among successful Class 12 candidates in the relevant stream of their examination board;
• be studying in a regular course;
• have annual family income of up to Rs. 4.5 lakh;
• not be receiving another scholarship or fee reimbursement;
• not be enrolled in a diploma course;
• not have taken a drop after Class 12 for the relevant fresh application conditions.

The scheme is designed as a merit-cum-means scholarship to help meritorious students meet part of their expenses while pursuing higher education.

For 2026-27, the NSP currently specifically shows the renewal window for PM-USP CSSS, with October 31 as the student application deadline. Students looking for a fresh CSSS application should therefore check the current scheme status shown in their login instead of assuming the renewal notice covers fresh applicants.

NMMSS Scholarship: Eligibility and Amount

The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme, or NMMSS, is intended to reduce school dropouts and support meritorious students from economically weaker families.

The scheme provides Rs. 12,000 per year, equivalent to Rs. 1,000 per month under the scheme structure.

The scholarship is meant for selected students studying in Class IX and can continue through Classes X, XI and XII subject to the renewal requirements.

Selection takes place through an examination conducted by the respective State or UT. The scheme guidelines also prescribe income and academic requirements, so students should follow the current state-level and NSP conditions applicable to their batch.

For 2026-27, NSP currently lists NMMSS applications as open until October 31, 2026.

Scholarship for Students with Disabilities: Eligibility and Benefits

Students with benchmark disabilities have multiple scholarship options on NSP, rather than one common disability scholarship.

Pre-Matric Scholarship

This scheme is for students studying in Classes IX and X.

Key eligibility conditions include:

• Indian nationality;
• benchmark disability of 40% or more;
• family income up to Rs. 2.5 lakh per year;
• Aadhaar and UDID requirements;
• the student should not simultaneously receive another scholarship or stipend under the specified conditions.

Current financial support includes a book grant of Rs. 1,000 per year, disability allowance depending on the nature of disability and monthly maintenance support. The currently stated monthly support is Rs. 800 for hostellers and Rs. 500 for day scholars, payable for the prescribed period.

Post-Matric Scholarship

The Post-Matric Scholarship covers eligible students in Classes XI-XII, diploma, degree and postgraduate courses.

The eligibility includes a benchmark disability of at least 40% and an annual family income up to Rs. 2.5 lakh.

Depending on the course and applicable rules, financial support can include tuition/admission fees, other compulsory fees, book allowance, disability allowance and maintenance allowance.

The department currently specifies maintenance support of up to Rs. 1,200 per month for hostellers and Rs. 650 per month for day scholars, along with other admissible components.

Top Class Education Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

This is meant for students studying in notified institutions at graduate, postgraduate or diploma level.

Important conditions include:

• benchmark disability of 40% or more;
• study in a notified institution;
• family income up to Rs. 8 lakh per year.

Benefits can include tuition/admission fee support of up to Rs. 1.90 lakh per year, books and stationery assistance, computer support, assistive devices, disability allowance and monthly maintenance support.

The stated monthly maintenance support is Rs. 3,000 for hostellers and Rs. 1,500 for day scholars.

All three disability scholarship categories are currently listed on NSP with an October 31, 2026 student application deadline.

Top Class Education Scholarship for SC Students

The Central Sector Scholarship of Top Class Education for SC Students supports Scheduled Caste students studying beyond Class 12 in notified institutions.

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has issued specific 2026-27 scheme guidelines, and the scheme covers eligible SC students admitted to empanelled institutions notified by the Ministry. These may include leading higher-education institutions such as IITs, NITs, IIMs and other notified professional institutions.

The scholarship is currently open through NSP until October 31, 2026.

Students should check the current 2026-27 guidelines for family income, admissible fee reimbursement and other conditions before selecting the scheme.

What Is OTR in NSP?

OTR means One Time Registration.

It is not the scholarship application itself. It is the identity-based registration required before a student can apply for schemes hosted on NSP.

The OTR is:

• a unique 14-digit number;
• generated using Aadhaar or Aadhaar Enrolment ID;
• valid throughout the student’s academic career;
• mandatory for NSP scholarship applications;
• generated only once for each student.

NSP explicitly warns that simply generating an OTR does not mean that the scholarship application has been submitted. Students must subsequently log in with OTR and complete the scholarship form.

Documents and Details Needed for OTR

The official OTR process requires an active mobile number.

Aadhaar is normally required. If Aadhaar has not yet been allotted, a student can use the Aadhaar Enrolment ID (EID).

For a minor who has not yet received Aadhaar, registration may be possible using the Aadhaar of the parent or legal guardian under the conditions specified by NSP.

Students should ensure that basic demographic information such as name, date of birth and gender matches Aadhaar/EID records before completing OTR.

How to Generate NSP OTR

The official registration sequence is:

1. Open the OTR registration facility on the National Scholarship Portal.
2. Read and accept the OTR instructions.
3. Enter an active mobile number.
4. Verify the mobile number using OTP.
5. Complete Aadhaar-based eKYC or use the permitted Aadhaar Enrolment ID route.
6. After registration, note the reference number sent to the registered mobile.
7. Install the NSP OTR application and Aadhaar Face RD service on an Android device where required.
8. Complete face authentication using the reference number.
9. After successful authentication, the 14-digit OTR is generated.
10. Use the OTR to log in and complete the actual scholarship application.

NSP states that there is no fee for OTR registration.

Important Rule: Do Not Create Multiple OTRs

NSP allows only one OTR per student.

If more than one OTR is detected for the same student, the student can face debarment from scholarships.

A parent or legal guardian using their Aadhaar for minor children may generate up to two OTRs for two minor children, subject to the NSP conditions.

This is particularly important for students who forget their earlier OTR. They should recover or retrieve the existing registration rather than casually creating another one.

What Documents Are Required for NSP Scholarship?

The document list differs by scholarship. Students should not upload random documents before checking the scheme specifications.

Depending on the scholarship, commonly required information or documents may include:

• Aadhaar details;
• OTR;
• recent academic marksheet;
• admission or bonafide certificate;
• family income certificate;
• caste/category certificate;
• domicile or residence certificate;
• UDID card for applicable disability schemes;
• institution and course details;
• bank-related details as required for DBT;
• previous scholarship details for renewal applications.

Some schemes may demand additional supporting documents based on category, course or beneficiary status.

Bank Account and Aadhaar Seeding Matter

Scholarships are generally transferred through the government’s Direct Benefit Transfer mechanism. Students should therefore make sure that the bank-related information required under their scheme is accurate.

The NSP currently points students to the Bharat Aadhaar Seeding Enabler (BASE) system for Aadhaar seeding and de-seeding services connected with DBT.

Incorrect beneficiary details or unresolved Aadhaar/bank issues can affect payment even after the scholarship application has passed earlier stages.

Special Rule for Students with Disabilities

There is a specific 2026-27 instruction for disabled applicants.

The NSP states that students with disabilities must first log in to the UDID portal and provide consent for sharing their UDID details. Without that consent, they may not be able to submit their NSP application.

Students applying for disability-related schemes should therefore complete the UDID-related step before waiting until the application deadline.

How to Apply Online for NSP Scholarship 2026-27

Once OTR is available, the scholarship application itself can be completed.

The practical sequence is:

1. Complete or retrieve the student’s OTR.
2. Log in to the NSP student section.
3. Open the scholarship application for academic year 2026-27.
4. Fill or verify personal and academic information.
5. Check the scholarships for which the student is eligible.
6. Select the appropriate scheme.
7. Enter course, institution, income and other scheme-specific information.
8. Upload or provide the documents requested for that scheme.
9. Recheck the application carefully.
10. Submit it before the scheme’s deadline.
11. Check the application status after submission.
12. Respond if the application is marked defective or requires correction.

Students should not select a scholarship merely because its name appears relevant. Scheme specifications should be checked first, particularly the category, income ceiling, institution eligibility and fresh/renewal conditions.

What Happens After NSP Application Submission?

Submission does not automatically mean scholarship approval.

For many 2026-27 schemes closing on October 31, the application can subsequently move through:

Student submission → Defective application check → Institute verification → District/State/Ministry or other designated verification → Scholarship sanction/payment

The current common timeline for many schemes gives institutes until November 15, 2026, followed by higher-level verification until November 30, 2026.

Students should therefore continue checking their application dashboard after submission.

Can Students Apply for More Than One Scholarship in 2026-27?

There is an important change for 2026-27.

NSP now states that a student may apply for one merit-based scholarship and one or more welfare-based scholarship schemes, subject to the eligibility conditions of those schemes.

This does not mean that students can indiscriminately claim multiple benefits. Scheme-level restrictions, duplication rules and payment conditions still apply.

Students should carefully check how their selected scholarship is classified on NSP.

NSP Services at CSC: How Much Can Centres Charge?

Students who cannot complete OTR or the scholarship form themselves can use services available through Common Service Centres (CSCs).

NSP states that the total charge for the complete scholarship-related activity, including generation of the reference number, biometric authentication, OTR generation and filing of the complete application, is fixed at Rs. 30, inclusive of applicable taxes.

This is useful information for students who are being asked to pay substantially higher “NSP registration fees” by intermediaries.

Facing NSP Face Authentication Error 904?

NSP has also published guidance for a common OTR problem.

Students receiving Error 904 during face authentication have been advised to update the UIDAI AadhaarFaceRD application.

Face authentication may also fail if Aadhaar biometrics are locked. Students or parents using Aadhaar for authentication should ensure that biometric authentication is unlocked before retrying the OTR process.

Fresh vs Renewal Application: Check This Before Applying

One of the easiest mistakes to make on NSP is confusing fresh and renewal applications.

A fresh application is generally used when entering a scholarship scheme for the first time.

A renewal application is used by an existing scholarship beneficiary who is continuing under the scheme and satisfies its renewal requirements.

The difference matters in 2026-27 because not every scheme currently listed on NSP is necessarily open for both categories.

For example, NSP currently identifies the PM-USP CSSS and PM-USP Special Scholarship Scheme for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh as being open for renewal applications, with October 31, 2026 as the closing date.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NSP Scholarship 2026-27 last date?

For many currently active Central schemes, the student application deadline is October 31, 2026. Students should check their individual scheme because NSP hosts multiple scholarships and the dates can differ.

Is NSP OTR compulsory in 2026-27?

Yes. OTR is required for scholarship applications on the National Scholarship Portal.

Does a student need a new OTR every year?

No. The OTR remains valid throughout the student’s academic career.

Is there any fee for generating OTR?

No. NSP states that OTR registration itself is free.

Can students without Aadhaar register for OTR?

Students who have not yet been allotted Aadhaar can use an Aadhaar Enrolment ID under the prescribed procedure. Additional provisions exist for minors without Aadhaar.

Can students apply for more than one NSP scholarship?

For academic year 2026-27, NSP permits a student to apply for one merit-based scheme and one or more welfare-based schemes, subject to the eligibility and restrictions of each scheme.

What is the application fee for NSP Scholarship 2026-27?

NSP does not charge students an application fee for generating OTR. Students using the complete assisted NSP service through a CSC may be charged the officially specified Rs. 30 for the entire activity.