What does the SHREYAS Scheme cover?

The scheme covers SC students for pursuing studies beyond Class 12.

How many sub-schemes are there under the SHREYAS scheme?

There are 4 sub-schemes under the SHREYAS scheme.

What is the objective of the Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs?

The objective is to provide coaching of good quality for economically disadvantaged SCs and OBCs candidates, enabling them to appear in competitive and entrance examinations for jobs and higher education institutions.

How many beneficiaries have benefited from the SHREYAS schemes?

Till 2022-23, a total of ₹109.77 crore has been released to benefit 19,995 beneficiaries under various SHREYAS sub-schemes.

Home

Schemes

Services

Community

About Us

SHREYAS - Young Achievers Scholarships Scheme for SC/OBC Students

Q: What is the SHREYAS Scheme?

The SHREYAS scheme is a government initiative aimed at providing financial assistance for the education of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) students in India

Neha Gupta

Author

Updated: 28-01-2025 at 6:16 AM

SHREYAS - Young Achievers Scholarships Scheme for SC/OBC Students

The recognition and upliftment of the backward classes and castes in light of the discrimination that such classes have been through has always been at the core of national policies. The government formulates certain special schemes to uplift and elevate such classes.

The SHREYAS scheme is one such umbrella scheme by the Government of India that seeks to provide educational benefits specifically to students belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and OBC categories.

Read below this article to explore what SHREYAS scheme is, its eligibility, benefits, application process, and more.

Overview

Name of the scheme	Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers Scheme
Ministry	Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Objective	To provide financial aid to students from the SC, ST, and OBC community
Target group	SC, ST, OBC
Types of courses	Science, engineering, technology, humanities and social sciences
Application mode	Online

What Is The SHREYAS Scheme?

The Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers Scheme (SHREYAS) is a cluster name for four sub-schemes that are provided under this head. The motive of the scheme is to provide scholarships for various fields and modes of education to students, specifically those from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Also read: Easiest Way To Open A PM Jan Dhan Yojana

Background

The four schemes included under SHREYAS can be summed up as

Zero-cost coaching for SCs and OBCs
Top-rated education for SCs
National Overseas Scheme for SCs
National Fellowship for SC Students

These schemes collectively form the SHREYAS scheme and work in the best interests of the students belonging to the SC category.

SHREYAS Scheme Benefits

The SHREYAS scheme has been specially formulated to cater to the needs of SC students who also fall under an economically backward class (EBC). The scheme caters to the financial assistance required by such students in pursuance of their higher education, both in India and abroad. Let us have a glance at the SHREYAS scheme benefits.

Also read: National Overseas Scholarship For Scheduled Caste (SC) Students 2024

Free Coaching:

One of the schemes under SHREYAS provides free coaching to financially disadvantaged students from the SC and OBC communities to encourage them to undertake competitive examinations. Such coaching enables them to seek education from good medical, technical, and other reputed institutes.

3500 slots open up annually for 70% SCs, 30% OBCs, and 30% for females.

Financial Assistance for Meritorious Students:

Meritorious students who clear competitive exams or secure positions in institutes such as IITs, IIMs, NLUs, etc., along with NAAC++ accredited institutes, are provided with a tuition fee waiver and academic assistance throughout their course. The family income ceiling is set at Rs. 8 lakh per annum for this purpose.

The rates of fellowship are:

Serial No. Head Rates Applicable	JRF Rates Applicable	SRF
Fellowship in all streams.	Rs. 31,000/- p.m. for initial two years	Rs. 35,000/- p.m. for remaining tenure
Contingency for Humanities & Social Sciences	Rs.10,000/- p.a. for initial two years	Rs.20,500/- p.a. for remaining tenure
Contingency for Sciences, Engineering & Technology	Rs. 12,000/- p.a. for initial two years	Rs. 25,000/- p.a. for remaining tenure.

Financial Assistance for Overseas Education:

Students from the SC background aged 35 or younger are eligible to secure financial assistance from the government in case they secure admission to the top 500 QS-ranking foreign institutes or universities. All the expenses, such as travel fares, tuition fees, and others, are covered under this scheme.

Presently, there are 125 slots available under the scheme. Till 2023, around 197 crores have been invested by the government for the scheme.

National Fellowships:

This scheme is enforced by the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Division to provide fellowships to students who qualify for the National Eligibility Test-Junior Research Fellowship (NET-JRF) of UGC and Junior Research Fellows for Science stream qualifying UGC-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (UGC-CSIR) Joint Test to pursue such fellowships from Indian Universities and Institutes recognised by the Universities Grants Commissions.

The scheme provides 2000 new slots every year wherein 500 slots are for students from the science stream and 1500 for students from the humanities and social science stream.

SHREYAS Scheme Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for SHREYAS scheme are:

The students should have secured admission in the approved courses at Masters, M.Phil, or Ph.D levels abroad for the courses listed at Para- M.
He/She should have availed loan from a scheduled bank under the Education Loan Scheme of the Indian Banks Association (IBA) for the purpose.
For OBC candidates, total income from all sources of the employed candidate or his/her parents/guardians in case of an unemployed candidate shall not exceed the present Creamy Layer criteria.
For EBC candidates, the total income from all sources of the employed candidate or his/her parents/guardians in case of an unemployed candidate shall not exceed Rs.5.00 lakh per annum.

SHREYAS Scheme Documents Needed

The following documents are required to apply under the SHREYAS scheme:

Aadhar Card
PAN Card
Passport
Voter’s ID Card
Bank Details
Marksheets from educational institutions
Caste certificate
Income certificate

SHREYAS Scheme Application Process

The procedure to apply for the SHREYAS scheme online has been given below:

Step 1: Visit the National Scholarships Portal.
Step 2: Register on the portal by providing the required details if you are a new user.
Step 3: Use your credentials to log in to the portal.
Step 4: Complete the application form with accurate information and upload the necessary documents.
Step 5: Review your application and submit it online.

Other Scholarship Schemes For SCs & STs

There are many other scholarship schemes launched by the government for students from the SC and ST communities such as:

Top-class education scheme: The scholarship enables students from SC/ST communities to secure admission in IITs, IIMs, NITs, etc.
Pre-Matric & Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme: Enables students in classes 9th and 10th to complete their education.
Rajiv Gandhi National Scholarship: Helps students from SC/ST communities in pursuing higher education.

Conclusion

The government needs to implement such schemes to bridge the opportunity gap that exists between sections of society due to discrimination. Hence, the SHREYAS scheme acts as an active policy measure for fulfilling such gaps and maintaining social order.

To know more about such government schemes and information, stay connected to Jaagruk Bharat. You can also share your thoughts or ask questions with us by reaching out to our community page.