PM-USP Special Scholarship Scheme for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

For students from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, studying outside their home region can bring additional costs such as college fees, hostel expenses, food, books and other day-to-day education expenses. The PM-USP Special Scholarship Scheme for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh (SSSJKL) is designed to help eligible students meet these costs while pursuing higher education outside the Union Territories. The scheme provides 5,000 fresh scholarships every year, along with academic fee assistance of up to ₹3 lakh per year for eligible medical courses and a maintenance allowance of up to ₹1 lakh per year, subject to the applicable course and scheme conditions.

SSSJKL is implemented by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The scholarship is available to eligible students who are domiciled in Jammu & Kashmir or Ladakh and have completed Class 12 or a qualifying three-year diploma from an eligible institution in these regions. The annual family income must not exceed ₹8 lakh.

The scholarship covers different types of higher education. The 5,000 fresh scholarships include 2,070 scholarships for general degree courses, 2,830 for professional and engineering courses, and 100 for medical and BDS courses. The amount of academic fee assistance depends on the course category, while the maintenance allowance is provided to help with eligible living and study expenses.

Admission and scholarship allocation under SSSJKL follow the prescribed AICTE process. Eligible students register online, get their documents verified at designated facilitation centres and then participate in merit-based online counselling and choice filling for seat allocation.

Students who are looking for a regular merit-cum-means scholarship can also read about PM-USP CSSS. Students who need interest support on an education loan can check PM-USP CSIS.

Scheme Benefits

SSSJKL provides both academic fee assistance and maintenance support. The main benefits depend on the course selected by the student.

• The scheme provides 5,000 fresh scholarships every year.
• General degree students can receive academic fee assistance of up to ₹30,000 per year.
• Students in professional, engineering, B.Sc Nursing, B.Pharm, B.Arch and BA-LLB courses can receive academic fee assistance of up to ₹1.25 lakh per year.
• Students pursuing eligible medical and BDS courses can receive academic fee assistance of up to ₹3 lakh per year.
• Eligible students can receive a maintenance allowance of up to ₹1 lakh per year.
• The maintenance allowance can help meet eligible expenses such as hostel, mess, books and stationery.
• The first-year maintenance allowance is generally paid in nine instalments, while subsequent years are generally paid in ten monthly instalments.
• Scholarship payments are transferred through DBT after the prescribed verification and approval process.

Number of Scholarships

The scheme has a fixed annual allocation of 5,000 fresh scholarships. These are divided among three broad course categories:

Academic Fee Assistance

The academic fee support is different for each course group. The maximum assistance available under the scheme is:

Note: In the first year, the maintenance allowance is generally paid in nine instalments. From the second year onwards, it is generally paid in ten monthly instalments, subject to the applicable scheme rules and payment process.

Eligibility Requirements

Students should check the following conditions before registering for the SSSJKL scholarship:

• The student must be domiciled in Jammu & Kashmir or Ladakh.
• The student must have passed Class 12 or a qualifying three-year diploma from an eligible JKBOSE or CBSE-affiliated institution located in Jammu & Kashmir or Ladakh.
• The annual family income must not exceed ₹8 lakh.
• The student must take admission in an eligible course outside Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• The student must meet the applicable admission and academic conditions for the selected course.
• The student must not receive another government scholarship for the same purpose.
• The college or institution must meet the applicable SSSJKL requirements.

Required Documents

Students should keep their education, domicile, income and identity documents ready for registration and verification. The exact documents can depend on the course and admission process.

• Class 12 marksheet or qualifying three-year diploma certificate.
• Domicile certificate of Jammu & Kashmir or Ladakh.
• Family income certificate showing annual income of up to ₹8 lakh.
• Aadhaar card or other valid identity document.
• Admission or offer letter from the eligible institution.
• Course and fee-related documents, where required.
• Bank account details for receiving the scholarship and maintenance allowance.
• Any additional document requested during AICTE verification.

Steps to Apply

The SSSJKL application process is different from the regular CSSS application process. Students must follow the prescribed AICTE registration, document verification, counselling and seat-allocation procedure. For an overview of all PM-USP components, read the PM-USP Yojana article.

1. First, check the latest SSSJKL registration instructions and admission-related updates available through the official AICTE website .
2. Complete the online registration by entering the required personal, academic, domicile and family-income details.
3. Upload the required documents during registration and keep the original documents ready for verification.
4. Visit the designated facilitation centre with the required documents when called for document verification.
5. After successful verification, participate in the merit-based online counselling and choice-filling process.
6. Select colleges and courses according to your eligibility and preference.
7. Check the seat-allocation result and follow the instructions for admission to the allotted institution.
8. Complete the admission formalities at the allotted institution within the prescribed time.
9. Continue checking official AICTE communications for further verification, scholarship processing and payment instructions.

Students interested in the other PM-USP components can also read about the PM-USP CSSS and PM-USP CSIS .

AICTE Counselling and Seat Allocation

Admission under SSSJKL is linked with the AICTE counselling process. Eligible students first complete document verification and then participate in online counselling and choice filling. Seats are allocated on the basis of merit, available seats, student choices and the applicable scheme rules.

Students should carefully select their preferred courses and institutions because the choices entered during counselling play an important role in the seat-allocation process.

Renewal of SSSJKL Scholarship

Students who continue their studies under SSSJKL may receive the scholarship in subsequent years if they satisfy the applicable renewal conditions. Renewal depends on continued eligibility, academic progress, admission status and compliance with the scheme requirements.

Students should follow the renewal instructions issued through the official AICTE system and complete any required verification within the given timeline.

Important Points to Remember

• SSSJKL is meant for eligible students domiciled in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• The student must pursue higher education outside the Union Territories under the applicable scheme conditions.
• The family income limit is ₹8 lakh per year.
• There are 5,000 fresh scholarships available each year.
• The maximum academic fee assistance varies according to the course.
• Maintenance assistance is separate from academic fee support.
• Admission and scholarship allocation follow the prescribed AICTE counselling process.

Relevant Links

• All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
• SSSJKL Scholarship Portal
• PM-USP SSSJKL Scheme Guidelins

Contact Information

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)

• Phone: 0112958 1050 - 1000
• Address: Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi -110070