AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Scheme

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

The AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Scheme is a scholarship programme implemented by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to promote the advancement of girls pursuing technical education. The scheme supports eligible girl students who take admission to the first year of BBA, BCA or BMS degree courses in AICTE-approved institutions. Through financial assistance, AICTE aims to help girl students continue their higher education and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for a successful future.

Under the AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Scheme, selected students receive ₹25,000 per annum for every year of study, for a maximum period of 3 years. Students can use this assistance towards college fees, purchase of computers, stationery, books, equipment and software. The scholarship does not provide any additional grant instead of hostel or medical expenses. AICTE has earmarked 3,110 scholarships every year for BBA, BCA and BMS students studying in AICTE-approved institutions, with State/UT-wise allocation specified under the scheme guidelines.

To become eligible for the Saraswati Scholarship, a girl student must be admitted to the first year of an eligible degree-level course. A maximum of two girl children per family can receive the scholarship, while the family's annual income from all sources must not exceed ₹8 lakh during the current financial year. The applicant must submit a valid income certificate issued by the State/UT Government. The gap between passing the qualifying examination and admission to the degree course must not exceed two years. An Aadhaar number is mandatory for applying under the scheme.

AICTE awards the scholarship on the basis of merit in the 10+2 or equivalent qualifying examination and prepares State/UT-wise merit lists according to the available scholarship allocation. If marks in the qualifying examination do not break a tie, the higher percentage in the 10th examination receives preference, followed by the candidate of older age. Reservation applies as per Government of India norms. The selected students receive the scholarship through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) on an annual basis.

The AICTE Saraswati Scholarship for girls can be renewed for the next year of study by submitting the renewal form through the AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Portal along with a Promotion Certificate issued on the institution's letterhead and certified by the Head of Institution. Students who fail to get promoted to the next class or level forfeit the scholarship. Students who fail or drop out in a subsequent year are not eligible for further scholarship. The scheme also does not permit the student to receive another scholarship, stipend, salary, emolument or other financial assistance during the course; receiving such assistance can result in discontinuation of the scholarship and recovery of the amount already paid.

The AICTE Saraswati Scholarship applications are invited online once a year after AICTE initiates the application process and publishes the relevant notice. Students complete their registration, personal details, family and income information, institute details, academic details and bank details online before uploading the required attachments and submitting the application. For the 2026 application cycle, the revised last date for students to submit fresh or renewal applications is 15 September 2026, while the portal is scheduled to close on 30 September 2026. The student's institution verifies the application at the first level, followed by AICTE's second-level scrutiny. Students interested in other AICTE scholarship opportunities can also explore the AICTE Yashasvi Scholarship Scheme and Pragati Scholarship Scheme.

Scheme Benefits

The AICTE Saraswati Scholarship Scheme provides financial assistance to eligible girl students pursuing BBA, BCA and BMS degree courses.

• Financial assistance of Rs. 25,000 per year for every year of study, for a maximum of 3 years.
• Total support of up to Rs. 75,000 over the full course duration for an eligible student.
• Covers college/tuition fees, purchase of a computer, stationery, books, equipment, and software.
• No documentary proof, bills, or receipts are needed to avail this benefit.
• Amount is credited directly to the student's Aadhaar-seeded bank account through DBT, once every year.
• 3,110 scholarships are earmarked every year across all states and union territories.
• Every state or union territory gets at least 10 scholarships, even if its calculated share works out lower.
• Hostel charges and medical charges are not covered under this scholarship.

Eligibility Requirements

Girl students must meet the following eligibility conditions to apply for the AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Scheme.

• Applicant must be a girl student admitted to the first year of a BBA, BCA, or BMS degree course.
• The course must be pursued at an AICTE-approved institution only.
• A maximum of two girl children per family are eligible for this scholarship.
• Family income from all sources must not exceed Rs. 8 lakh per annum in the current financial year.
• A valid income certificate issued by the State/UT Government is required to prove the income criterion.
• The gap between passing the qualifying (10+2) examination and admission to the degree course must not exceed two years.
• The candidate must hold an Aadhaar number; applications without an Aadhaar number are not accepted.
• The candidate's bank account must be seeded with her Aadhaar number, as payment is Aadhaar-DBT linked.
• The student must not be receiving any other scholarship, stipend, or financial assistance during the course; doing so makes her ineligible for this one.
• Reservation benefits apply as per Government of India norms; a reserved-category student who also qualifies in the General Category merit list is counted under the General Category.

Required Documents

Applicants should keep the required documents and details ready before applying for the AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Scheme. Aadhaar and a valid State/UT Government income certificate are mandatory requirements.

• Aadhaar card of the candidate.
• Annual family income certificate.
• APAAR ID.
• Proof of admission to the first year of BBA/BCA/BMS at an AICTE-approved institution.
• Class 10th and Class 12th/Diploma mark sheets.
• Bank account details, with the account seeded to the candidate's Aadhaar number.
• Recent passport-size photograph and signature, both in JPG format.
• Promotion certificate on the institution's letterhead, certified by the Head of Institution (required only at renewal, not for a fresh application).

Steps to Apply

Applicants can apply for the AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Scheme only online, through the dedicated AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Portal. There is no offline or CSC-based application route for this scheme.

How to Apply Online (Fresh Application)

1. Visit the official AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Portal at sarswati.aicte.gov.in.
2. Click on the "Register here" button on the login page to open the Student Registration Form.
3. Generate your APAAR ID beforehand, if you don't already have one, through the ABC portal or DigiLocker.
4. Enter your APAAR ID, name, and Aadhaar number in the registration form.
5. Select your year of admission and your annual family income bracket from the dropdown menus.
6. Enter your email ID, mobile number, and a password, then click "Register."
7. Check your registered email for the login credentials sent by the portal, and verify your email address.
8. Log in using your Candidate ID and password.
9. Fill in the Personal Details tab: name, father's name, gender, date of birth, category, contact details, and address.
10. Fill in the Family & Income Details tab with your parents'/guardians' occupation, designation, and income.
11. Fill in the Institute Details tab, searching your AICTE Institute ID, course details, and admission date.
12. Fill in the Education Details tab with your Class 10th and Class 12th/Diploma marks, subject-wise.
13. Fill in the Bank Details tab with your Aadhaar-seeded bank account information.
14. Upload all required documents under the Attachments tab, in PDF/JPG/PNG format and under 2 MB each.
15. Tick the Declaration checkbox, click "Preview" to check the filled form, and then click "Submit Application."

How to Apply for Renewal

1. Log in to the same AICTE Sarswati Scholarship Portal using your existing Candidate ID and password.
2. Open the renewal form for the next year of study.
3. Upload your Promotion Certificate, issued on the institution's letterhead and certified by the Head of Institution.
4. Review and submit the renewal application online.

Selection Process

AICTE selects Sarswati Scholarship awardees purely on academic merit, not through an interview or a separate exam.

• Selection is based solely on the percentage of marks scored in the 10+2 or equivalent qualifying examination.
• AICTE prepares a separate State/UT-wise merit list, matching the number of scholarships allotted to that State/UT.
• If a candidate's mark sheet shows CGPA, it is converted to a percentage by multiplying the CGPA by 9.5.
• Where both CGPA and total marks appear on the mark sheet, the total marks are used to calculate the percentage.
• If the mark sheet uses letter grades (A1, A2, B1, B2, etc.), these are first converted to CGPA, averaged, and then converted to percentage using the same 9.5 multiplier.
• In case of a tie in the qualifying exam percentage, the candidate with the higher Class 10th percentage is ranked higher.
• If the tie still remains after comparing Class 10th percentage, the older candidate is ranked higher.

State-Wise Scholarship Allocation

AICTE distributes the 3,110 Sarswati Scholarship seats across every state and union territory, based on BBA/BMS and BCA seat strength in AICTE-approved institutions. Find your state's allocation below.

Application Dates

Relevant Links

• AICTE SARSWATI Scholarship Scheme Registration Link
• AICTE SARSWATI Scholarship Scheme Application Login
• AICTE SARSWATI Scholarship Scheme Guidelines
• AICTE SARSWATI Scholarship Scheme Promotion Certificate Format

Contact Information

• AICTE SARSWATI Scholarship Scheme Helpline Number: 011-29581119
• Email: [email protected]