Revised central pre-matric and post-matric scholarship guidelines adopted for VJNT, OBC and SBC students

Main points

Fact from the GR

• Pre-matric scholarship is for students of Class 9 and 10 in government schools. It is Rs 4,000 a year as an educational allowance. A valid caste certificate is needed, and the student must have at least 75 percent attendance and Aadhaar authentication.
• The pre-matric scholarship is open to students whose family income is Rs 2.50 lakh a year or less. It is given for two children of one parent, and this limit does not apply to girls. At least 5 percent of beneficiaries must be disabled students and at least 30 percent girls.
• For the post-matric scholarship the family income limit from all sources is Rs 2.50 lakh a year. Courses are accepted from the Centre's list after the concerned state departments give their opinion, and the scheme is run on the MahaDBT portal.
• A student cannot take another scholarship for the same class, and a false claim leads to cancellation, recovery of the money and a permanent bar.
• The Directorate of Other Backward Bahujan Welfare, Pune, prepares the yearly plan by 28 February for the next academic year. The Joint Director at state level and the District Assistant Director at district level are the grievance officers.

Who can this affect?

LABHLO simple explanation

Students of the VJNT, OBC and SBC categories in Class 9 and 10 (pre-matric) and in post-matric courses, and their parents, in Maharashtra.

What changed?

Fact from the GR

• The revised central guidelines of 5 May 2022 replace the central guidelines of 1998 that the state used before.
• The scheme is placed under the PM-YASASVI umbrella scheme with a 60:40 sharing between the Centre and the state, as approved by the GR of 23 June 2023 and the Cabinet decision of 29 April 2025.
• The family income limit of Rs 2.50 lakh a year and the priority rules for choosing pre-matric beneficiaries are stated.

Takes effect

The GR states no separate effective date. It is dated 20 June 2025 and follows the Cabinet meeting of 29 April 2025.

Financial impact

The cost is shared 60 percent by the Centre and 40 percent by the state. Pre-matric: budget heads 2225 F 737 (Centre) and 2225 F 746 (state). Post-matric: 2225 F 755 (Centre) and 2225 F 764 (state). Administrative expenses are up to 1 percent of the yearly scheme cost. The GR states no total amount.

What should you do?

LABHLO simple explanation

Read the scheme pages for OBC, VJNT and SBC scholarships on LABHLO and apply on the MahaDBT portal. Ask your school or college scholarship officer if you are unsure about the income proof or the caste certificate.

Newer GRs may exist. Check the official portal.