Scholarship spending rises as delivery shifts toward verified direct transfers
The government reports ₹51,474.57 crore in central assistance for two Scheduled Caste scholarship schemes from FY2014-15 through FY2025-26.
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment reports ₹4,893.03 crore in central assistance for pre-matric scholarships and ₹46,581.54 crore for post-matric scholarships for Scheduled Caste students from FY2014-15 through FY2025-26.
For FY2025-26, the release reports ₹562.36 crore for 26.79 lakh pre-matric beneficiaries and ₹6,186.95 crore for 47.53 lakh post-matric beneficiaries. The post-matric scheme has used direct transfers to Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts since FY2021-22.
Why it matters
Scholarship design and payment reliability influence whether disadvantaged students can remain in school and access post-secondary education.
SCULTRA point of view
Spending and beneficiary counts should be paired with payment timeliness, rejection and grievance rates, dropout reduction, course completion and privacy-respecting audit evidence.
Limitations
The release reports administrative totals, not unique students across the full period or causal education outcomes. Aadhaar-linked verification can reduce some errors but may also create exclusion risks that are not quantified here.
Source: Press Information Bureau / Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 14 September 2026, 7:15 PM IST.