A scholarship exam after Class 12 is any test whose score decides a scholarship, grant or fee waiver. Only some scholarships for 12th passed students work this way. Four routes exist in 2026-27.
Route
How you qualify
What you receive
Examples
Dedicated scholarship test
Score in a test built for the scholarship
Grant or fee waiver
Reliance Foundation aptitude test, Aakash iACST, PWNSAT, CT-SET
AICTE Pragati, Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC students
Passing Class 12 alone does not unlock an entrance-score scholarship. You must also score well in the specific entrance exam.
Two older routes no longer apply. NTSE has not been conducted since 2022, and KVPY was discontinued in 2022 and merged into INSPIRE.
Scholarship exams and tests open to 12th passed students
Four dedicated tests accept 12th passed students in 2026-27, and each pays a different benefit. The table shows the benefit, the eligible group and the status on 19 October 2026.
Test
Run by
What it pays
Who can take it
Status on 19 October 2026
Reliance Foundation aptitude test
Reliance Foundation
Grant of up to USD 2,073 (INR 2,00,000) over the degree
First-year full-time undergraduates with at least 60 percent in Class 12
Applications closed on 5 October 2026; the test follows for applicants
PWNSAT
Physics Wallah
Up to 100 percent coaching fee waiver; cash rewards for top ranks
Class 12 passed students and droppers
Level 1 ended on 15 October 2026; Level 2 (Prodigy) runs on 1 November 2026
Aakash iACST
Aakash
Up to 90 percent coaching fee waiver
Class 12 passed students
Online; you pick your own date and time slot
CT-SET
CT University
Up to 100 percent tuition fee coverage
Students of all streams and states
Check the university for the current round
Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship
The Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship is a merit-cum-means grant for first-year undergraduate students. Reliance Foundation announced the 2026-27 round on 14 August 2026 and offers 5,000 undergraduate awards. Each scholar can receive up to USD 2,073 (INR 2,00,000) over the degree.
Eligibility: Class 12 passed with at least 60 percent, enrolled in the first year of a full-time degree in any stream, resident Indian citizen.
Income: Household income up to USD 15,544 (INR 15 lakh), with preference for households below USD 2,591 (INR 2.5 lakh).
Test: One mandatory online aptitude test of 60 minutes and 60 multiple-choice questions.
Fee: None at any stage.
Window: 14 August to 5 October 2026.
PWNSAT (Physics Wallah National Scholarship cum Admission Test)
PWNSAT is a scholarship and admission test that Physics Wallah runs for Classes 5 to 12 and Class 12 passed droppers. Registration costs nothing.
Level 1: A 60-minute test. The JEE track has 30 questions and the NEET track has 60. The online window ran from 1 to 15 October 2026, and offline sessions ran on 3, 4, 10 and 11 October 2026.
Benefit: Scholarship of up to 100 percent on Physics Wallah courses, set by score and All India Rank. The top 500 students receive free education and scholarship.
Level 2 (Prodigy): Held on 1 November 2026, with cash rewards of up to USD 2,073 (INR 2,00,000) for top ranks.
Limit: The waiver applies only inside Physics Wallah programs.
Aakash iACST and ANTHE
The Aakash Instant Admission cum Scholarship Test (iACST) is an online test that grants an instant scholarship on Aakash coaching fees. Class 12 passed students are eligible, and the test lasts 60 minutes. Aakash offers up to 90 percent through iACST, and the result arrives right after the test.
The Aakash National Talent Hunt Exam (ANTHE) also accepts students who have completed Class 12, and it offers up to 100 percent. Check the Aakash website for the 2026 ANTHE dates.
CT-SET (CT University)
CT-SET is the scholarship exam of CT University. It is open to students from all streams and states, offers up to 100 percent tuition fee coverage, and runs online and offline. Students appearing in their final qualifying exam can apply provisionally. It is a university test, not a national exam.
Scholarships with no exam that 12th passed students can claim
The largest scholarships for 12th passed students need no exam. They rank you by Class 12 results and family income instead. Two schemes lead the list.
Scheme
Run by
What it pays
Who qualifies
CSSS (PM-USP Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship)
Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education
USD 124 (INR 12,000) a year in years 1 to 3 of a degree; USD 207 (INR 20,000) a year from year 4 and at postgraduate level
Above the 80th percentile of your Class 12 board and stream; family income up to USD 4,663 (INR 4.5 lakh); regular full-time degree; no other scholarship
INSPIRE-SHE
Department of Science and Technology
USD 829 (INR 80,000) a year: USD 622 (INR 60,000) scholarship plus USD 207 (INR 20,000) mentorship grant
Top 1 percent in Class 12 boards, studying natural or basic sciences (BSc, BS or integrated MSc)
CSSS (Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship)
CSSS is a merit-cum-means scholarship of the Ministry of Education for college and university students. The scheme grants about 82,000 fresh scholarships a year. Applications run on the National Scholarship Portal, which opened the 2026-27 window on 1 June 2026. Most schemes on the portal close on 31 October 2026.
Renewal needs at least 50 percent marks in the previous exam and 75 percent attendance.
Distance, correspondence and diploma courses are not covered.
The payment covers part of day-to-day expenses, not the degree fee.
INSPIRE-SHE (Scholarship for Higher Education)
INSPIRE-SHE is a Department of Science and Technology scholarship for top science students. Applicants apply on the INSPIRE portal with no application fee. Students admitted to IISER, NISER or the DAE Centre for Basic Sciences also qualify. The scholarship continues only with at least 60 percent marks or a 7.0 CGPA, and enrolment must happen in the year you pass Class 12. Some 2026 reports say the 2025 and 2026 batches were not notified, so check the portal for the current notice.
Means and category schemes
AICTE Pragati supports girl students in technical degrees through NSP, and its scheme page lists the current amount. Post-matric schemes for SC, OBC and minority students also run through NSP and rest on income and category, not on a test. Our guide to scholarships for children of farmers covers another income-based route.
Who should apply and who should not apply
Apply to a scholarship test only if its benefit matches your plan, and apply to a no-exam scheme only if your Class 12 result clears its cut-off. Match yourself to the profiles below.
Who should apply
Students above the 80th percentile of their board and stream, with family income up to USD 4,663 (INR 4.5 lakh): apply for CSSS.
Top 1 percent science scorers entering a BSc, BS or integrated MSc: apply for INSPIRE-SHE.
Students with at least 60 percent in Class 12 who are entering a first-year full-time degree: take the Reliance Foundation aptitude test in the next round.
JEE and NEET repeaters who need a lower coaching fee: take iACST or PWNSAT.
Girl students entering a technical degree: apply for AICTE Pragati on NSP.
Who should not apply
Students who want cash for living costs from a coaching test: the waiver covers only that institute’s course.
Students in distance, correspondence or diploma courses: CSSS excludes them.
Students who already receive another central or state scholarship or fee reimbursement: CSSS bars a second benefit.
Students who enrol in a science degree after a gap year: INSPIRE-SHE requires enrolment in the year of passing Class 12.
Students asked to pay money to claim a scholarship: treat the request as a warning sign.
Step-by-step application guide
The application steps differ by route, so follow the guide that matches your scholarship. Three paths cover the options above.
Path A: CSSS on the National Scholarship Portal
Check the 80th percentile cut-off for your board and stream on the portal.
Complete the one-time registration (OTR) and link an Aadhaar-seeded bank account.
Select the Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship and enter your Class 12 board details and course details.
Upload your Class 12 marksheet, income certificate and college bonafide certificate.
Submit the form before the deadline. Most schemes close on 31 October 2026.
Wait for verification by your institute’s nodal officer and then by the state or ministry officer.
Receive the payment by direct benefit transfer to your bank account.
Path B: Reliance Foundation aptitude test
Apply online on the foundation’s scholarship portal during the August to October window.
Wait for the test link, which arrives by email only after your form is validated.
Run the system compatibility check before your slot.
Take the 60-minute proctored test with your camera, microphone and screen sharing on.
Wait for the merit list, which is expected between December 2026 and January 2027.
Path C: Coaching-institute test (Aakash iACST)
Register on the institute’s website with your mobile number and verify the OTP.
Choose a date and time slot.
Log in at the scheduled time and take the 60-minute test.
Read your score and scholarship percentage.
Enrol in the institute’s course to use the waiver.
Required documents explained
Most scholarships for 12th passed students ask for the same core documents, and each one proves a specific eligibility point. The table lists what each document proves and what usually causes rejection.
Document
What it proves
Typical cause of rejection
Class 12 marksheet
Your percentile, rank or minimum marks
Marks on the form differ from the marksheet
Income certificate
Family income, needed by fresh CSSS applicants
Income on the certificate exceeds the cap or differs from the form
Bonafide certificate or admission proof
Regular full-time enrolment
The course is distance, correspondence or diploma
Aadhaar-linked bank account
Where the direct benefit transfer lands
The account is not Aadhaar-seeded, or the name does not match
One-time registration (OTR)
Your identity on the National Scholarship Portal
Registration left incomplete
Endorsement form (INSPIRE-SHE)
Enrolment, signed by the principal, director or registrar
Missing signature
Board eligibility note (INSPIRE-SHE)
Top 1 percent standing
Not mandatory, so attach it only if your board issued one
Category certificate
Category-based benefits, where applicable
The certificate does not match the category claimed
Common mistakes applicants make
Most rejections come from avoidable errors in eligibility, documents and timing. Seven mistakes recur.
Confusing percentage with percentile. CSSS asks for a place above the 80th percentile in your board and stream, not 80 percent marks. Check the cut-off list on the portal.
Skipping the aptitude test. Reliance Foundation disqualifies applicants who do not take the test, even after a valid form.
Using a bank account without Aadhaar linking. The portal pays scholarships only into Aadhaar-linked accounts.
Forgetting institute verification. Your college must verify the application after you submit it, so confirm that your college is registered on the portal.
Holding two central benefits. CSSS bars any other central or state scholarship and any fee reimbursement.
Waiting for an extension. Past cycles saw extensions, but a Ministry memo stated that no further extension would follow.
Mixing up a fee waiver with cash. A coaching waiver reduces fees only at that institute and pays nothing into your account.
Selection process explained
Each scholarship ranks applicants differently: tests rank by score, and board-merit schemes rank by percentile. The table shows how each route selects and pays.
Scheme
How you are ranked
Verification
Result and payment
CSSS
Board and stream merit lists built on the 80th percentile cut-off, within the income limit
Institute nodal officer, then state or ministry officer
Direct benefit transfer to an Aadhaar-linked account
Reliance Foundation
Aptitude test score, Class 12 marks and financial background; households below USD 2,591 (INR 2.5 lakh) get priority
Form validation before the test link is sent
Merit list expected December 2026 to January 2027
PWNSAT
Score and All India Rank set your scholarship percentage
Department of Science and Technology checks eligibility
Scholarship plus mentorship grant, continued with 60 percent marks or a 7.0 CGPA
Previous years’ trends
Scholarship windows for 12th passed students follow a fixed yearly rhythm, and deadlines have often moved later. Four patterns stand out.
Fewer exam routes. NTSE has not been held since 2022, and KVPY ended in 2022. Merit-based schemes and private tests now fill the gap.
Repeated NSP extensions. In 2025-26 the portal deadline moved from 31 October 2025 to 15 November 2025 and then to 15 December 2025. A Ministry memo dated 1 December 2025 pushed some central sector timelines to 15 December 2025, 31 December 2025 and 15 January 2026. A later notice extended some SC and OBC scheme dates into March 2026.
A stable test calendar. The portal window opens in June. Reliance Foundation applications ran from 14 August to 5 October 2026. PWNSAT Level 1 ran from 1 to 15 October 2026, with Level 2 on 1 November 2026.
Steady award counts. CSSS grants about 82,000 fresh awards a year. Reliance Foundation selected 5,100 scholars last year from 1,350 institutions across 27 states and seven Union Territories, and it plans 5,000 undergraduate and 100 postgraduate awards in 2026-27.
The lesson for applicants is simple: apply before the stated date, because the same Ministry memo warned that no further extension would be granted.
Our research notes
These notes come from comparing the 2026-27 sources, and they show where the label ‘scholarship exam’ misleads.
1. The word exam hides the benefit type. Reliance Foundation pays a grant. Aakash and Physics Wallah pay fee waivers that work only inside their own courses. CSSS and INSPIRE-SHE pay cash with no test. Compare the benefit before you compare the exam.
2. CSSS is small money. At USD 124 a year (INR 12,000) in years 1 to 3, CSSS covers part of day-to-day expenses, not the degree fee. Treat it as a supplement.
3. Some third-party pages disagree with the scheme rules. A few pages quote 80 percent marks for CSSS, and a few list 31 December 2026 as the deadline. The scheme rule is the 80th percentile, and most schemes on the portal close on 31 October 2026. Confirm both on the portal.
4. Entrance-score scholarships need no extra test. BITSAT and Amrita AEEE scholarships use the admission test score you already hold.
5. The calendar on 19 October 2026 looks like this.
Opportunity
Status
Next step
CSSS and most NSP schemes
Open until 31 October 2026
Apply on the portal now
Tata Capital Pankh Scholarship
Closes on 26 October 2026
Check eligibility for Class 11, Class 12, undergraduate, diploma and ITI students from economically weaker sections
PWNSAT Level 2 (Prodigy)
Runs on 1 November 2026
Open to students who qualified in Level 1
Aakash iACST
Online, with a slot of your choice
Register on the Aakash website
Reliance Foundation Undergraduate
Applications closed on 5 October 2026
Applicants take the aptitude test; others watch for the next round
INSPIRE-SHE
Status unclear for 2026
Check the portal notice
How to spot a fake or paid scholarship exam
A genuine scholarship names its funder, publishes its terms and charges little or nothing to enter. Reliance Foundation charges no fee at any stage, and PWNSAT registration is free. Check five warning signs before you register.
The page asks for a payment to claim or release a scholarship.
The test promises guaranteed selection or a guaranteed rank.
The organizer has no official website or published terms.
The site asks for your OTP or banking PIN.
The prize is a small cash payout for a short test, with no stated funder.
A registration fee is a signal to verify the organizer, not proof of a scam. Government schemes run through official portals that end in gov.in.
FAQs
Which scholarship exam can I take after Class 12?
A 12th passed student can take coaching-institute tests such as Aakash iACST and PWNSAT, university tests such as CT-SET, and the Reliance Foundation aptitude test. Reliance applications for 2026-27 closed on 5 October 2026. Government schemes like CSSS and INSPIRE-SHE need no exam. They use Class 12 board performance instead.
Do I have to give an exam for the Central Sector Scholarship?
No. The Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship (CSSS) has no exam. Eligibility rests on your Class 12 board result, which must fall above the 80th percentile in your stream and board. You also need family income up to about USD 4,663 (INR 4.5 lakh) and admission to a regular full-time degree.
Is there any free scholarship exam for 12th passed students?
Yes. PWNSAT registration costs nothing, and the Reliance Foundation scholarship charges no fee at any stage. Both are free to enter, but they pay differently. PWNSAT awards coaching fee waivers of up to 100 percent, while Reliance awards a grant of up to about USD 2,073 over the degree.
Can a 12th pass student register for Aakash ANTHE or iACST?
Yes. Aakash states that students who have completed Class 12 can register for ANTHE. The iACST test also accepts Class 12 passed students and is taken online in a 60-minute slot you choose. Scores decide the scholarship percentage, which can reach 90 percent on Aakash coaching fees for repeater courses.
Is the Reliance Foundation aptitude test compulsory?
Yes. Reliance Foundation requires every undergraduate applicant to complete an online aptitude test. The test lasts 60 minutes and contains 60 multiple-choice questions on verbal, analytical, logical and numerical ability. An applicant who skips the test is disqualified, so the form alone does not complete the application.
Is NTSE conducted after Class 12?
No. NTSE is a Class 10 scholarship exam, and it has not been conducted since 2022. Students who still see NTSE offered after Class 12 should treat the claim with caution. Class 12 passed students should look at board-merit schemes such as CSSS or the entrance and aptitude tests listed above.
Are coaching-institute scholarship tests genuine?
Tests run by established institutes such as Aakash and Physics Wallah are genuine, but they award fee waivers, not cash. The waiver applies only if you enrol in that institute’s course. Read the scholarship terms before registering, and confirm you are on the institute’s official website, not a third-party page that asks for payment.
Can I get a scholarship with less than 75% in Class 12?
Yes. Several routes accept below 75 percent. Reliance Foundation asks for at least 60 percent in Class 12. CSSS uses a percentile cut-off, not a fixed percentage, so the required marks differ by board and stream. PWNSAT states no minimum percentage cut-off, because its scholarship depends on your test score.
Can I apply for more than one scholarship at the same time?
Often yes, but central schemes restrict it. CSSS applicants cannot hold another central or state scholarship or fee reimbursement at the same time. Coaching fee waivers and private foundation grants follow their own conditions, so check each award’s terms before accepting a second benefit.
What documents do I need for a scholarship after Class 12?
Most applications need your Class 12 marksheet, an Aadhaar-linked bank account, and proof of admission such as a bonafide certificate. Fresh CSSS applicants add an income certificate. INSPIRE-SHE adds an endorsement form signed by your institution head. Category certificates are needed only if you claim a category-based benefit.
What happens if I miss the NSP deadline?
A missed deadline usually ends your chance for that cycle. Past cycles saw extensions, yet one 2025-26 Ministry memo said no further extension would be granted. Most 2026-27 NSP schemes close on 31 October 2026, so apply before that date and confirm it on the portal.
Which scholarship exam is best for 12th passed science students?
The best choice depends on your goal. Top board scorers in science can apply for INSPIRE-SHE with no exam. Students preparing for JEE or NEET gain most from coaching tests such as iACST or PWNSAT. Students entering any first-year degree can take the Reliance Foundation aptitude test in the next cycle.
Conclusion
The scholarship exam for a 12th passed student is only one of four routes. Reliance Foundation, PWNSAT, Aakash iACST and CT-SET reward test scores, while CSSS and INSPIRE-SHE reward Class 12 results with no exam. Match the benefit to your plan, check the 31 October 2026 portal deadline first, and keep every document ready.
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