Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme is a state government incentive that provides a one-time cash award of ₹50,000 to permanent residents of Uttarakhand selected in the country's premier defence academies. The Higher Education Department, Government of Uttarakhand, implements the scheme through the Directorate of Higher Education, Haldwani (Nainital). The scheme aims to encourage eligible youth to pursue careers as commissioned officers in the Indian Armed Forces by recognising their success in the selection process.

The scheme was first introduced in the financial year 2011-12 and initially covered only candidates selected in the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA). Candidates selected in the Officers Training Academy (Gaya and Chennai), the Air Force Academy (Hyderabad), and the Indian Naval Academy remained outside its scope. To bring parity, the Government of Uttarakhand later extended the ₹50,000 award to candidates selected in the Officers Training Academy, the Air Force Academy, and the Indian Naval Academy as well.

The primary objective of the Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme is to encourage the youth of Uttarakhand to pursue careers as officers in the Indian Armed Forces and to recognise the hard work of those who clear the rigorous selection process. The scheme ensures equal treatment for every defence academy so that a selected candidate receives the same incentive whether joining the Army, Navy or Air Force through NDA, IMA, OTA, INA or IAF Academy. The award is given purely as a reward for selection and does not depend on family income or category.

The application process for the Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme is straightforward. After selection, the candidate submits an application to the Directorate of Higher Education along with proof of selection and proof of training or study from the concerned academy. The Directorate examines the applications and forwards its recommendation, along with the payable amount, to the government every six months, after which the funds are released. A key condition applies: if the candidate fails to complete the course or fails during training, the award money must be returned. 

Alongside the Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme, the Higher Education Department also runs the Uttarakhand UPSC/UKPSC Pre-Qualified Students Coaching Scheme for students who qualify the preliminary examination of UPSC or UKPSC to help them prepare for the main examination, and the Uttarakhand CM Meritorious Scholarship Scheme for Admission in Top 50 NIRF Institutions. offers a one-time incentive to eligible students securing admission to undergraduate courses at institutions ranked among the top 50 in the NIRF Overall category. Interested candidates can check the complete details of both schemes here.

Latest Update: 

Applications for the July–December 2026 session are open under the Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme through the official Scholarship Application Portal. Eligible candidates can submit their applications online until 31 December 2026 and are advised to complete the application process before the deadline.

Scheme Benefits

Eligible candidates under the Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme are entitled to the following benefits:

• Award Amount: ₹50,000 per selected candidate.
• Nature of Award: One-time incentive/prize money given on selection.
• Academies Covered: NDA, IMA, OTA (Gaya and Chennai), Indian Air Force Academy (Hyderabad) and Indian Naval Academy (Visakhapatnam).
• Payment Cycle: The Directorate sends the recommendation and payable amount to the government every six months for release.
• Payment Mode: The amount goes to the candidate's bank account, which is why bank details form part of the application.
• Equal Benefit: Candidates of all three services get the same award amount.

Eligibility Requirements

A candidate must fulfil the following eligibility conditions to claim the award under the Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme.

• The candidate must be a permanent resident (native) of Uttarakhand.
• The candidate must be selected in NDA, IMA, OTA, Indian Naval Academy or Indian Air Force Academy.
• Date of Selection (NDA/IMA): The candidate must be selected after 09 November 2011.
• Date of Selection (OTA/INA/IAF): The candidate must be selected after the issue of the Government Order dated 04 September 2019.
• The candidate must be undergoing or have joined training at the concerned academy and must obtain proof of this from the institution.
• The candidate must not have availed the benefit of this scheme earlier.

Documents Required

Before starting the online application, candidates are advised to keep the following documents ready.

• Aadhaar Card of the candidate
• PAN Card
• Bank account details (passbook/cancelled cheque)
• Permanent Residence Certificate of Uttarakhand
• Appointment/Selection letter
• Training certificate or proof of training from the concerned academy
• Proof of joining after training (if applicable)
• Self-declaration stating that the candidate has not availed this benefit earlier

Steps to Apply

The application process for the Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme is completely online. Eligible candidates can apply through the Samarth Scholarship Portal by following the steps given below.

• Visit the official Scholarship Application Portal
• Click the "Register" button in the top-right corner of the home page.
• Fill in the required details (email, mobile number, parents' names, gender, date of birth & category), create and confirm your password, and then submit.
• Click "Login" and sign in with the credentials you created.
• Choose the Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme from the list of available schemes.
• Enter your personal details, residence details, academy and selection details, and bank account information carefully.
• Upload scanned copies of the residence certificate, appointment/selection letter, training proof, Aadhaar, PAN, bank details, and the declaration.
• Review all details and submit the form.
• Keep a copy or screenshot of the submitted application for future reference.

Note: The last date to apply for the Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme is 31 December 2026. Eligible applicants are advised to submit their applications well before the deadline to avoid last-minute delays.

Relevant Links

• Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme Registration
• Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme Login
• Higher Education Department, Uttarakhand
• Samarth Scholarship Application Portal
• Uttarakhand Armed Forces Selected Candidates Award Scheme Notification

Contact Information

• Higher Education Department, Uttarakhand Helpdesk Email: [email protected]