The Government of India, under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, has introduced the OBC hostel scheme 2026 to benefit students from Other Backwards Classes (OBCs). Since 1998-99, the scheme has been introduced to address the educational backwardness of OBC communities in the fields of housing and accommodation.
Many students from rural, remote, and economically disadvantaged families face difficulties continuing their secondary and higher education due to a lack of nearby educational institutions and accommodation. The government offers financial support through this scheme to provide hostels for OBC students so they do not face the difficulty of accommodation during their studies.
The Government hostel scheme in India is mainly for educationally and socially deprived students who can avail the opportunities very easily, especially for the girl child and students of poor socio-economic families. The scheme also helps to upgrade educational facilities in the old towns and districts.
Overview Of The Construction Of Hostels For OBC Boys And Girls Scheme
The table below highlights the key insights of the OBC students' accommodation scheme:-
| Particulars | Details |
|---|
| Scheme Name | Construction of Hostels for OBC Boys and Girls Scheme. |
| Launched By | Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India. |
| Ministry | Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. |
| Launch Year | 1998-99. |
| Objective | To provide hostel facilities to OBC students for continuing education. |
| Beneficiaries | OBC students belonging to non-creamy layer families. |
| Mode Of Application | Offline. |
| Target Areas | Rural areas, remote regions, and educationally backward districts. |
| Type Of Assistance | Financial assistance for the construction of hostels. |
| Special Reservation | At least 5% seats are reserved for students with disabilities. |
Also Read: Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme For The Scheduled Castes
What Is The Construction Of Hostels For OBC Boys And Girls Scheme?
The Construction of Hostels for OBC Boys and Girls Scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for constructing hostel facilities for students of OBC. The government understood that many of the OBC students quit studying due to the lack of accommodation near schools/colleges/universities/technical institutions.
Under this boys and girls hostel scheme, financial assistance is given by the Government to the States, Union Territories, Union universities/colleges, and educational institutions to build hostels for OBC students. This is primarily for students in post-metric, secondary, senior secondary, undergraduate, post-graduate and professional level education.
Objectives Of The Construction Of Hostels For OBC Boys And Girls Scheme
The educational hostel scheme for OBC has been launched to ensure educational equality and greater opportunity for socially and educationally backward communities. The key aims of the scheme are summarised below:
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To offer safe and affordable Hostel facilities for the OBC students studying out of their homes.
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To support students belonging to rural and remote areas where educational facilities are limited or unavailable nearby.
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To minimise the economic disparity and accommodation disadvantage related to dropouts of OBC students.
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To promote education among socially and educationally backward students belonging to such a caste.
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To upgrade educational infrastructure in the districts and regions which are having high OBC population with less educational development.
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To encourage girls' education through special financial assistance for a special girls' hostel under the scheme.
Benefits Of The Construction Of Hostels For OBC Boys And Girls Scheme
The OBC welfare education scheme gives financial assistance for the construction of hostels and the development of buildings and infrastructure. Both the geographical area and the type of hostel determine the level of government assistance.
Financial Assistance Per Hostel Seat
| Region | Financial Assistance Per Seat |
|---|
| North Eastern Region | ₹3.50 lakh per seat. |
| Himalayan Regions | ₹3.25 lakh per seat. |
| Rest Of India | ₹3.00 lakh per seat. |
The assistance amount can also be dependent on the State PWD / CPWD schedule of rates that are applicable in the concerned State / U.T, whichever is applicable.
One-Time Grant For Furniture And Equipment
Apart from the construction costs, the Government offers a one-time non-recurring grant for hostel furniture and equipment.
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Each student receives a one-time payment of ₹2,500 for furniture and basic equipment for the hostel.
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The grant can be utilised for beds, tables, chairs, cupboards, study materials, and other essential elements of the hostel.
Also Read: Disha Scheme 2026: Early Intervention Scheme For Children With Disabilities
Funding Pattern Under The Scheme
The funding pattern varies depending on the type of hostel and the implementing agency.
| Category | Central Share | State/Institution Share |
|---|
| Boys Hostels | 60% | 40% |
| Girls Hostels | 90% | 10% |
| Union Territories | 100% | Nil |
| North Eastern & Himalayan States | 90% | 10% |
| Central Universities/Institutes | 90% | 10% |
The financial assistance is released in three instalments in the ratio of 50:45:5.
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The first instalment is available from the start of the project once it has been approved.
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The second instalment is published when extensive construction work has been completed at the roof level.
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Last 5% instalment is given when the hostel is completed and occupied by OBC society students.
What Is The Eligibility Criteria Of The Construction Of Hostels For OBC Boys And Girls Scheme?
The scheme is not directly meant for individual students to apply for hostel construction funds. Eligible agencies and institutions can apply to the government for financial assistance to build hostels instead. The following organisations qualify under the scheme:
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The State Governments and Union Territory Administrations can apply for financial support to build the OBC Hostel.
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Central Universities, IITs, NITs and similarly, Institutes/colleges formed by the Government of India according to statutory provisions are eligible.
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Autonomous educational organisations established by the Central Government can also seek assistance under the scheme.
Eligibility Criteria For Students To Get Hostel Admission
Students seeking admission into hostels constructed under the scheme must fulfil certain eligibility conditions.
| Eligibility Criteria | Details |
|---|
| OBC Category Requirement | Students applying for a residential facility for OBC students must belong to castes included in the Central, State, or Union Territory list of Other Backwards Classes (OBCs). Students falling under the creamy layer category are not eligible to receive hostel benefits under the scheme. |
| Educational Qualification Requirement | The hostel facilities are mainly intended for post-matric students pursuing higher secondary, undergraduate, postgraduate, technical, or professional education. However, if seats remain vacant, pre-matric students studying at the secondary level may also be considered for accommodation. |
| Income Preference | Preference is generally given to students belonging to economically weaker and low-income OBC families so that financially disadvantaged students can continue their education without accommodation-related difficulties. |
| Reservation For Students With Disabilities | At least 5% of the total hostel seats should be reserved for students with disabilities wherever possible to promote inclusive and equal access to educational opportunities. |
Also Read: Nari Niketan Scheme - Accommodation, Eligibility & Application
Hostel Construction Priority Areas
The government prioritises hostel construction proposals based on educational backwardness and infrastructure gaps. The areas that are preferred in general are:
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In the districts and regions where OBC hostel facilities are not available.
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Wherever geographical isolation and resource constraints present a significant hurdle in rural and remote areas.
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Towns/Districts with a sufficient number of educational institutions with poor hostel facilities.
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Zones of greater density of socially and educationally deprived groups.
The hostels are built as near as possible to educational institutions so that students can have ready access to schools, colleges and universities.
Application Process For The Construction Of Hostels For OBC Boys And Girls Scheme
The procedure for application to the OBC hostel scheme 2026 is entirely offline and is applicable mostly to eligible institutions and government agencies.
Step 1: All Eligible agencies need to download the prescribed proposal format as provided in Annexure I of the official statement of the scheme.
Step 2: The institution or agency should carefully draw up the proposal incorporating all technical details, construction estimate, land documents, and institutional information.
Step 3: Please attach all required supporting documents to the proposal form.
Step 4: The completed proposal should be submitted to the following address:
The Joint Secretary (Backwards Classes)
Empowerment depends on the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Government of India
Shastri Bhavan
New Delhi – 110001.
Step 5: Approval and financial support are given after verification of the project by the Ministry, with the synthesis of feasibility studies, land availability, construction estimates and institutional eligibility.
Documents Required Under The Scheme
The required documents, including various technical and financial documents, will be submitted to the applicant along with the proposal. The typical documents that are needed for the Backward class student hostel are:
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Written proof of land ownership/land available, asserting details of the area and plot number.
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Site plan of the proposed hostel construction area.
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A draft construction cost estimate, based on State PWD/CPWD rates and signed by an Executive Engineer or higher rank officer.
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A copy of the institution's/organisation's last annual report.
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Audited two years' income-expenditure statements, which have been certified by a Chartered Accountant.
Conclusion
The Construction of Hostels for OBC Boys and Girls (Central assistance hostel scheme) is a significant welfare education program launched by the Government of India to help students from socially and educationally backward communities. The financial support given in hostel construction is helping them to pursue their studies without any hindrance arising due to their poor economic status or the rural background of the students.
In addition to bringing education within the reach of everyone, the government hostel scheme in India strengthens education infrastructure in underserved areas. Through better hostel facilities, especially for girls and students with disabilities, the government aims to promote inclusive education, reduce dropout rates, and encourage higher education participation among OBC students across India.
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