With the objective of promoting literacy and uninterrupted education at the pre-matric level for children belonging to Scheduled Castes and children of parents/guardian who are engaged in unclean and hazardous occupations, the Government of India has been implementing two Centrally Sponsored Schemes, namely (i) the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC Students and (ii) Pre-Matric Scholarship scheme for the children of parents/guardians engaged in unclean and hazardous occupation since 01.07.2012 and 01.04.1977 respectively. Keeping in view the large overlap in the target groups of these schemes, and with the objective of streamlining the implementation and optimizing resources, it has been decided to merge them into single scheme namely, ‘Pre-matric Scholarship Scheme for SC Students & Others’ w.e.f 2021-22. In order to have a separate data base for policy and planning purposes, this scheme will have two components, one for SC students studying in classes IX and X (Component 1), and the other for the children studying in Classes I to X, of parents/guardians engaged in unclean and hazardous occupation (Component 2). 

Scholarship under the Scheme will be available for studies in India only and will be awarded by the Government of the State/Union Territory to which the applicant belongs i.e. where he is domiciled.

The scholarship will be provided for students studying in Government School and private schools which have been duly recognized by the concerned State Government/ Union Territory Administration/ Central Board having valid UDISE code.

Further, in order to cover the poorest households, the State Governments shall ensure that the poorest students belonging to all the eligible categories are identified and encouraged to enroll under the scheme.