AICTE Post Graduate (PG) Scholarship Scheme

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

Higher education at the postgraduate level can involve significant expenses, especially for students pursuing technical and professional courses. The AICTE Post Graduate (PG) Scholarship Scheme provides monthly financial support to eligible full-time postgraduate students so that they can continue their studies with greater financial assistance. Under the scheme, eligible students can receive a scholarship of ₹12,400 per month for up to 24 months, subject to the applicable course duration and scheme conditions.

The scheme is implemented by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It is intended for eligible students admitted to AICTE-approved postgraduate programmes in approved institutions or university departments with a valid GATE or CEED score, as applicable. The scholarship is transferred through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system to the eligible student's Aadhaar-linked bank account after the required verification and attendance process.

Students should note that the scholarship is subject to several conditions. Admission must be on a full-time basis and within the approved intake of the programme. Students are also required to follow the academic and institutional requirements, including the prescribed teaching or research assistance of around 8–10 hours per week. The scholarship is not generally available to part-time, sponsored or management-quota students, and students receiving other financial assistance must follow the applicable AICTE rules.

The application process is completed online through the AICTE PG Scholarship system. The concerned institute first creates the student's ID and verifies the application before it is processed by AICTE. Students need to keep their GATE/CEED scorecard, Aadhaar and eligible bank account details, along with applicable category certificates, ready for the application. For any application or payment-related issue, students can contact the AICTE PG Scholarship helpdesk or their institute's designated coordinator.

Students exploring other financial support options for technical education can also check the Pragati Scholarship Scheme for eligible girl students, the Saksham Scholarship Scheme for eligible students with disabilities, and the Swanath Scholarship Scheme for eligible students facing specified circumstances. These schemes have different eligibility conditions and benefits, so students should check the applicable requirements before applying.

Scheme Benefits

The AICTE PG Scholarship Scheme provides monthly financial support to eligible postgraduate students so they can manage their study-related expenses while pursuing an approved full-time programme.

• Eligible students receive a scholarship of ₹12,400 per month.
• The scholarship is available for a maximum of 24 months or the course duration, whichever is earlier.
• A student can receive up to ₹2,97,600 over 24 months, subject to meeting all eligibility and continuation conditions.
• The scholarship is paid directly to the student's eligible bank account through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
• The scheme supports eligible full-time students pursuing approved postgraduate programmes such as M.E., M.Tech. and M.Des., as applicable under the latest AICTE notification.
• Students are required to undertake around 8–10 hours of teaching or research assistance per week as part of the scholarship conditions.
• Eligible students can receive the scholarship for the prescribed period without having to repay the amount, provided they continue to meet the scheme conditions.

The scholarship is subject to AICTE rules, including satisfactory academic performance, attendance, institutional verification and compliance with other applicable conditions. Students should also check the latest academic-year notification because eligible programmes and application requirements may be updated.

AICTE PG Scholarship Amount and Duration

The scholarship amount is fixed under the AICTE PG Scholarship Scheme, while the total payment period depends on the duration of the eligible postgraduate course.

The total amount received may be lower if the eligible course is shorter than 24 months or the scholarship is stopped earlier due to non-compliance with the scheme conditions.

Eligibility Requirements

Students need to meet the prescribed academic, admission and banking requirements to receive the AICTE PG Scholarship. The main eligibility conditions are as follows:

• The applicant must be a full-time student admitted to an AICTE-approved postgraduate programme.
• The applicant must have a valid GATE score at the time of admission. For eligible M.Des programmes, a valid CEED score is applicable.
• Students who qualify GATE or CEED after taking admission are not eligible for the scholarship.
• Admission must be within the AICTE-approved intake of the institution or university department.
• Part-time students are not eligible for the scholarship.
• Students admitted through management quota are not eligible.
• Sponsored candidates and foreign students are not eligible for the scholarship.
• The applicant must follow the academic and attendance requirements prescribed by the institution and AICTE.
• The student must have a savings bank account in their own name linked with Aadhaar for receiving the scholarship through DBT. Students can refer to the AICTE manual for linking the bank account with Aadhaar for guidance.
• Joint, minor and no-frills bank accounts are not accepted for scholarship payment.
• Students receiving another scholarship, stipend, salary or similar financial assistance must follow the applicable AICTE rules and generally cannot receive another financial benefit at the same time.
• For applicable reserved categories, the student must submit a valid category certificate. OBC students must meet the prescribed Non-Creamy Layer requirements.
• Students who have already received the AICTE PG Scholarship for an earlier postgraduate course are generally not eligible to claim the scholarship again for another postgraduate admission.

Required Documents

Before applying for the AICTE PG Scholarship, students should keep the required documents ready in the prescribed format. These documents are used to verify the student's qualification, category and bank details.

• Valid GATE or CEED scorecard, as applicable to the eligible postgraduate programme.
• First page of the student's bank passbook showing the account holder's name, account number and IFSC code.
• Aadhaar card of the student, wherever applicable under the current AICTE requirements.
• Valid caste certificate for students applying under SC or ST category, if applicable.
• Recent Non-Creamy Layer certificate for OBC candidates, where applicable.
• Valid PwD certificate, if applicable.
• Admission details and Student ID provided by the concerned institute for the PG Scholarship application.

Students should make sure that the name and other details on their Aadhaar, bank account and scholarship application match correctly. The latest AICTE notification should be checked for the exact document format and any additional documents required for the particular academic year.

Steps to Apply

Applying for the AICTE PG Scholarship involves both the student and the concerned institute. The institute first confirms the student's eligibility and creates the required Student ID, after which the student can complete the online application and submit the required documents.

• First, confirm that you have secured admission to an eligible full-time postgraduate programme in an AICTE-approved institution and have the required valid GATE or CEED score, as applicable.
• The concerned institute enters the details of eligible students on the AICTE PG Scholarship Portal and creates a Student ID for the student.
• After receiving the Student ID from your institute, open the AICTE PG Scholarship Portal and use the Student ID to access the student application section. You can follow the steps given below or refer to the AICTE manual for applying for the PG Scholarship for detailed guidance.
• Enter your personal information, admission details and GATE or CEED information carefully. Make sure the details match your official documents.
• Provide your bank account details, including the account number and IFSC code. The account should be in your own name and meet the Aadhaar and DBT requirements prescribed by AICTE.
• Upload the required documents, such as the GATE or CEED scorecard, Aadhaar card, bank passbook and applicable category certificates, in the format specified on the portal.
• Review the complete application before submitting it. Check your name, score details, bank information and uploaded documents carefully to avoid verification problems later.
• Select the option to submit the application. Saving the form is not enough; the application must be formally submitted for the institute to process it.
• After submission, the concerned institute checks the application and supporting documents and forwards the verified application to AICTE.
• AICTE carries out the required scrutiny and processes eligible beneficiaries for scholarship payment through the prescribed DBT and PFMS mechanism.
• After approval, the scholarship is credited to the student's eligible Aadhaar-linked bank account. The institute also has to maintain and submit the required attendance information for continued monthly payment.

Students should keep their Student ID and application details safely after submission. If there is a problem with verification, bank details or scholarship payment, the first point of contact is generally the PG Scholarship coordinator at the concerned institute, followed by the AICTE helpdesk where required.

Important Conditions for Scholarship

Students must follow certain conditions to continue receiving the AICTE PG Scholarship. These conditions mainly relate to attendance, academic performance, work assigned by the institute and scholarship payment.

• Students need to complete around 8–10 hours of teaching or research-related work every week as assigned by the institute.
• This work may include tutorials, laboratory assistance, evaluation work or helping faculty members with research activities.
• The institute must record and verify the student's attendance and submit the required details for scholarship payment.
• Students must maintain satisfactory academic performance and follow the rules of their university or institute.
• The institute must record and verify the student's attendance and submit the required details for scholarship payment.
• Students may avail casual leave of up to 15 days in an academic year, subject to the applicable AICTE rules.
• Medical leave of up to 30 days in an academic year may be allowed, subject to the prescribed conditions and approval of the institute.
• Maternity leave is available as per the applicable Government of India rules.
• Students cannot normally receive another scholarship, stipend, salary or similar financial assistance during the same period.
• The scholarship is paid through DBT, so the student must maintain an eligible Aadhaar-linked bank account in their own name.
• All information and documents provided during the application and verification process must be correct.
• Any change in admission, course status or bank details should be reported to the concerned institute through the prescribed process.

These conditions help the institute verify the student's eligibility and attendance before the monthly scholarship is processed.

Why Can the AICTE PG Scholarship Be Stopped?

The scholarship is linked to the student's continued eligibility and academic status. If a student no longer meets the conditions of the scheme, AICTE can stop the scholarship according to the applicable rules.

• The scholarship stops when the student completes the eligible course or reaches the maximum scholarship period.
• If a student leaves the postgraduate course midway, the scholarship is discontinued.
• Scholarship payments may be stopped if the student fails to maintain the required academic performance.
• Misconduct, ragging or serious violation of institutional rules can lead to discontinuation of the scholarship.
• Failure to meet the prescribed attendance or academic requirements can affect continued payment.
• Providing incorrect information or submitting invalid documents can lead to rejection or discontinuation after verification.
• Receiving another scholarship, stipend, salary or financial assistance in violation of the AICTE conditions can also affect eligibility.
• Payment can be affected if the student's bank account or Aadhaar details do not meet the prescribed DBT requirements.

Students should therefore keep their academic, attendance and bank details updated throughout the course and immediately contact their institute's PG Scholarship coordinator if any issue arises.

AICTE PG Scholarship: GATE vs CEED

The qualification required for the AICTE PG Scholarship depends on the postgraduate programme being pursued. GATE is generally relevant to engineering and technology programmes, while CEED is applicable to eligible design programmes covered under the current AICTE scholarship framework.

The required GATE or CEED qualification must be valid at the time of admission. A student who qualifies the required examination after taking admission is not eligible on that basis. Students should always check the latest AICTE notification for the academic year because the list of eligible programmes and applicable qualification requirements can be updated.

Relevant Links

• AICTE Official Website
• AICTE PG Scholarship Scheme
• AICTE PG Scholarship Portal
• AICTE PG Scholarship General Instructions
• AICTE PG Scholarship Guidelines
• AICTE PG Scholarship FAQs
• AICTE Post Graduate (PG) Scholarship Scheme Guidelines
• Graduate (PG) Scholarship Scheme 2025-26 NOtification
• AICTE Post Graduate (PG) Scholarship Scheme Students Manual
• AICTE Post Graduate (PG) Scholarship Scheme Manual for Bank Account Linkage

Contact Information

For questions related to the AICTE PG Scholarship, students can contact the scholarship helpdesk or use the technical support details provided by AICTE.

• PG Scholarship Helpline: 011-29581119
• PG Scholarship Email: [email protected]
• Technical Helpdesk: 011-29581333
• Technical Helpdesk Email: [email protected]
• Address: All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Nelson Mandela Marg, New Delhi – 110070

Students should first contact the PG Scholarship coordinator at their institute for application verification, Student ID, attendance or document-related issues. For portal or technical problems that cannot be resolved through the institute, they can contact the AICTE helpdesk.