Is there any scholarship for BTech students? Yes. The central government, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), corporate foundations and engineering colleges all fund BTech students in India. Each scheme sets its own eligibility rules, amount and deadline. This guide lists what is open on 16 October 2026, what has closed, and how to apply.
Funders: Ministry of Education schemes, AICTE, corporate CSR foundations and colleges.
Typical award: INR 12,000 to INR 50,000 per year from government schemes (about USD 124 to USD 517). Reliance Foundation offers up to INR 2 lakh over the degree (about USD 2,067).
Deadline status: NSP applications for the AICTE schemes close on 31 October 2026, which is 15 days from today. Reliance Foundation UG and IDFC FIRST Bank have already closed.
Currency note: USD figures use 1 USD = 96.78 INR, the mid-market rate on 10 October 2026.
Which BTech scholarships are open today, and which have closed?
Three AICTE schemes are open on NSP until 31 October 2026, and two major corporate schemes have closed. The PM-USP Central Sector Scheme (CSSS) is also live on NSP for renewals. Fresh CSSS applicants should confirm their date on the portal.
Scholarship
Status on 16 Oct 2026
Deadline
Who it targets
AICTE Pragati
Open
31 Oct 2026
Girls in AICTE-approved degree or diploma courses
AICTE Saksham
Open
31 Oct 2026
Students with disabilities (40% or more)
AICTE Swanath
Open
31 Oct 2026
Vulnerable students, such as orphans and wards of martyrs
PM-USP CSSS
Renewals live; confirm fresh-application date on NSP
Check NSP
Students above the 80th percentile in Class 12
Reliance Foundation UG
Closed
5 Oct 2026
First-year undergraduates
IDFC FIRST Bank Engineering Scholarship
Closed
20 Sep 2026 (as listed)
First-year BTech/BE students at selected colleges
NSP also sets two dates after the student deadline. Institutes must verify applications by 15 November 2026. District or state nodal officers must verify them by 30 November 2026.
What types of BTech scholarships exist?
A BTech scholarship is financial aid that reduces or covers the cost of a four-year engineering degree. Funders fall into four groups. The funder decides the eligibility rules, the amount and the application portal.
Funder type
Examples
Basis of award
Where to apply
Central government
PM-USP CSSS
Merit-cum-means
NSP
AICTE
Pragati, Saksham, Swanath
Gender, disability, family circumstances, income
NSP
Corporate and foundation (CSR)
Reliance Foundation, IDFC FIRST Bank
Merit, financial need
Provider portal
Colleges
Fee waivers based on Class 12 and entrance-exam scores
Merit
College admissions office
State governments also run scholarships for their residents. Each state sets its own portal and rules, so students should check their state scholarship department as well.
Which government and AICTE scholarships can BTech students get?
Four government schemes cover most BTech students: AICTE Pragati, AICTE Saksham, AICTE Swanath and PM-USP CSSS. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) runs the first three. The Department of Higher Education runs CSSS. All four accept applications through NSP.
Scheme
Who can apply
Family income limit
Amount per year
Awards
Renewal
AICTE Pragati
Girls in AICTE-approved institutions; maximum two girls per family
INR 8 lakh (about USD 8,267)
INR 50,000 (about USD 517)
Up to 5,000
Every year while eligible
AICTE Saksham
Students with 40% or more disability
INR 8 lakh (about USD 8,267)
INR 50,000 (about USD 517)
Sources differ on slots
Every year while eligible
AICTE Swanath
Orphans, wards of martyrs and similar vulnerable students
INR 8 lakh (about USD 8,267)
INR 50,000 (about USD 517)
2,000
Up to four years for degree students
PM-USP CSSS
Above the 80th percentile in Class 12; regular degree course
INR 4.5 lakh (about USD 4,650)
INR 12,000 (about USD 124)
Slot-based with reservations
Yearly
What is the AICTE Pragati Scholarship?
AICTE Pragati is a scholarship for girl students in AICTE-approved technical degree and diploma courses. The scheme pays INR 50,000 per year (about USD 517) through Direct Benefit Transfer. A family can claim it for at most two girl children. Girls admitted to the first year, or to the second year through lateral entry, can apply. A student who already receives another central, state or AICTE scholarship is not eligible. Read our full AICTE Pragati Scholarship guide for details.
What is the AICTE Saksham Scholarship?
AICTE Saksham supports students with disabilities in technical diploma and degree courses. The scheme pays INR 50,000 per year (about USD 517). The family income limit is INR 8 lakh. Applicants submit a disability certificate along with their admission and income proofs. One source reports no fixed quota, while another reports about 1,000 awards a year, so confirm the number on the official page.
What is the AICTE Swanath Scholarship?
AICTE Swanath supports vulnerable students, including orphans and wards of martyrs, in technical courses. The scheme awards 2,000 scholarships a year at INR 50,000 each (about USD 517). Degree students can renew the award for up to four years. Renewal requires a promotion certificate and a bonafide certificate from the head of the institution.
What is the PM-USP Central Sector Scheme (CSSS)?
PM-USP CSSS is a merit-cum-means scholarship for college and university students. Applicants must rank above the 80th percentile of successful candidates in their Class 12 stream. Gross family income must not exceed INR 4.5 lakh. The 2025-26 scholarship list gives INR 12,000 per year (about USD 124) for the first three years of graduation. Confirm the current rate in the PM-USP guidelines on NSP. Diploma students are not eligible.
Which private and corporate scholarships can BTech students get?
Corporate foundations fund first-year BTech students through merit and need-based programmes. Their windows close earlier than government windows, usually between September and early October.
Up to INR 2 lakh over the degree (about USD 2,067)
First-year, regular full-time undergraduates; 5,000 awards; no application fee
Closed on 5 Oct 2026
IDFC FIRST Bank Engineering Scholarship
Up to INR 1 lakh per year or one year’s fee (about USD 1,033 per year); INR 4 lakh in total over the degree (about USD 4,133)
First-year BTech/BE students at selected colleges; family income below INR 6 lakh (about USD 6,200)
Closed on 20 Sep 2026 (as listed)
Reliance Foundation selects scholars on merit and financial need. The foundation selected 5,100 undergraduate and postgraduate scholars from 1,350 institutions last year. IDFC FIRST Bank pays the money to the college and adjusts it against tuition fees. The bank does not transfer it to the student.
Other programmes ran earlier windows in 2026. The Sitaram Jindal Foundation scholarship and the IET India Scholarship were listed with 30 April and 30 June deadlines by third-party aggregators. Confirm dates on each provider’s page and note them for 2027.
Colleges also reduce fees for students with strong Class 12 and entrance-exam results. Ask the admissions office about merit waivers before you pay the first-year fee.
Who should apply, and who should not?
Apply to the scheme that matches your profile, and skip schemes that exclude you. Matching saves time and avoids rejection.
You should apply if you are:
A girl in an AICTE-approved BTech course with family income up to INR 8 lakh. Apply for AICTE Pragati.
A student with a disability of 40% or more. Apply for AICTE Saksham.
An orphan or ward of a martyr. Apply for AICTE Swanath.
A student above the 80th percentile in Class 12 with family income up to INR 4.5 lakh. Apply for PM-USP CSSS.
A first-year student with financial need at an eligible college. Watch for corporate programmes such as IDFC FIRST Bank in the next cycle.
You should not apply (or should not expect an award) if you:
Already receive another central, state or AICTE scholarship, because AICTE Pragati excludes you.
Study BTech and rely on INSPIRE-SHE, because that scheme funds natural and basic sciences, not engineering.
Hold a diploma and plan to use CSSS, because CSSS excludes diploma students.
Are in the second year or later and plan to use Reliance Foundation UG or IDFC FIRST Bank, because both accept first-year students only.
Study at an institution without AICTE approval, because the three AICTE schemes require approval.
Boys with no special category should focus on CSSS, corporate programmes and college fee waivers. The three AICTE student schemes target girls, students with disabilities, and vulnerable students.
How do you apply for a BTech scholarship, step by step?
Government scholarships follow one workflow on NSP. Complete these steps in order.
Check eligibility. Confirm your course level, admission year, family income and your institution’s AICTE approval.
Create your One Time Registration (OTR). NSP issues a 14-digit OTR number linked to your Aadhaar. You reuse it every year.
Verify your bank account. The account must be in your name and seeded with Aadhaar, because payment arrives by Direct Benefit Transfer.
Log in and select the scheme. Choose academic year 2026-27 and the correct variant, such as Pragati for Technical Degree rather than Diploma.
Fill in the form and upload documents. Follow the file format and size instructions on the upload page.
Submit and save the acknowledgment. Some colleges also ask for a printed copy at the scholarship counter, so check with your institute.
Follow up on verification. Your institute must verify the application by 15 November 2026. District or state nodal officers finish by 30 November 2026.
Track your status. Log in to NSP to check verification progress and payment.
Corporate scholarships use the provider’s own portal. Create an account, submit the online form and complete any required test. Reliance Foundation, for example, counts an application as valid only after the candidate completes a 60-minute online aptitude test. For general advice on getting started, see our guide to scholarships after 12th.
Which documents do you need?
Most schemes ask for identity, admission, income and bank proofs. Prepare them before you open the form. Our guide to the income certificate for scholarships explains how to obtain one.
Document
What it proves
Who issues it
What to watch
Aadhaar and OTR
Identity
UIDAI; NSP issues the OTR
Name must match your other records
Aadhaar-seeded bank account
Where the money goes
Your bank
Wrong details cause stuck or returned payments
Admission proof or bonafide certificate
Enrolment in an AICTE-approved course
Your college
Confirm the course level (degree or diploma)
Family income certificate
Income within the limit
Competent state or UT authority
Use the current financial year
Class 12 marksheet
Percentile for CSSS
Your board
Needed to show the 80th-percentile rank
Disability certificate
40% or more disability
Competent medical authority
Needed for Saksham
Category certificate
SC, ST or OBC reservation
Competent authority
Needed to claim reservation in CSSS
Swanath applicants should also check the scheme guidelines for the proof of orphan or martyr status.
How are scholarship winners selected?
Selection combines eligibility screening, verification and merit or need ranking. The method differs by scheme.
NSP schemes: Your institute and the district or state nodal officer verify each application. Eligibility does not guarantee an award.
PM-USP CSSS: Boards fix a cut-off above the 80th percentile, and awards follow the slot quota. Reservations apply at 15% for SC, 7.5% for ST and 27% for OBC, with a 5% horizontal reservation for students with benchmark disabilities.
AICTE Pragati: Awards go to meritorious girls within the income ceiling, up to 5,000 a year.
Reliance Foundation UG: Selection has two stages, the online application and a remote-proctored aptitude test with camera, microphone and screen sharing on. The final merit list is expected between December 2026 and January 2027.
IDFC FIRST Bank: The bank chooses final awardees at its own discretion, based on financial need.
What mistakes should BTech scholarship applicants avoid?
Most rejections come from avoidable errors. Avoid these:
Waiting for the last fortnight. The portal slows down in late October, so finish early.
Mismatched Aadhaar and bank details. Wrong details cause failed or returned payments.
Choosing the wrong scheme variant. Degree and Diploma versions are separate entries.
Ignoring institute verification. If your college misses its deadline, your application fails, so remind the nodal officer.
Uploading an old income certificate. Use one issued for the current financial year.
Applying for overlapping schemes. Pragati excludes students who receive another central, state or AICTE award.
Skipping the aptitude test. A Reliance Foundation application without the test is not valid.
Counting on an extension. Past extensions varied by scheme, so treat the printed date as final.
What do previous years’ trends show?
Government deadlines moved in recent cycles, while corporate deadlines stayed early. The table summarises what we found.
Cycle
What happened
2024-25
NSP accepted applications from 1 July to 31 January 2025, including extended dates
2025-26
NSP opened on 2 June 2025 for most schemes. The date for remaining schemes was extended to 15 December 2025. A university circular listed 15 November 2025 as the last date for AICTE Swanath, Pragati and Saksham, and one college extended its internal date to 30 November 2025.
2026-27
NSP opened on 1 June 2026. The student deadline is 31 October 2026, with verification on 15 and 30 November.
Corporate
Reliance Foundation has supported 5,000 undergraduates a year since 2022-23. Its 2026-27 window ran from 14 August to 5 October. The IDFC FIRST Bank engineering scholarship dates from 2023 and carried a September deadline this year.
Three patterns stand out. Opening dates cluster in early June. Extensions happen but differ by scheme and institution. Corporate windows close in September and early October.
Our research notes
These observations come from comparing 2026-27 sources against official scheme rules.
Check open versus closed first. Many guides list closed corporate schemes without a status. Today, Reliance Foundation UG and IDFC FIRST Bank have closed, while the AICTE schemes have 15 days left.
Two rules need reconciling. NSP’s 2026-27 guidance lets a student hold one merit-based scheme and one or more welfare-based schemes. AICTE Pragati’s own FAQ excludes students receiving another central, state or AICTE scholarship. We found no source that reconciles both, so ask your college nodal officer before applying for a second scheme.
INSPIRE-SHE is not a BTech scheme. Several lists include it, but the scheme funds natural and basic sciences.
Lateral-entry girls are eligible for Pragati. Pragati accepts second-year entrants through lateral entry. Most guides omit this. See our guide to scholarships for diploma students.
Sources disagree on slot counts. Saksham reports either no fixed quota or about 1,000 awards. Verify the number on the official page before quoting it.
Boys with no category have fewer options. The AICTE student schemes target girls, students with disabilities and vulnerable students. Plan around CSSS, corporate programmes and college waivers.
Plan on a calendar. Government windows open in June. Corporate windows run from August to early October. Some foundation programmes open in spring.
Frequently asked questions
Is there any scholarship for BTech students?
Yes. BTech students can apply for central government schemes such as PM-USP CSSS, AICTE schemes (Pragati, Saksham and Swanath), corporate programmes such as Reliance Foundation and IDFC FIRST Bank, and college merit waivers. Eligibility depends on gender, income, disability, Class 12 percentile and year of study. Each scheme has its own deadline.
Which scholarship is best for BTech students?
No single scholarship suits everyone. AICTE Pragati, Saksham and Swanath pay INR 50,000 per year (about USD 517) to eligible students in their categories. Reliance Foundation offers up to INR 2 lakh (about USD 2,067) over the degree. The best option is the one whose eligibility rules match your profile.
Can I get a BTech scholarship with average marks?
Yes, in some cases. AICTE Pragati lists passing marks as its qualifying mark, and need-based programmes such as IDFC FIRST Bank focus on family income. Merit-based schemes such as PM-USP CSSS require a Class 12 result above the 80th percentile. Match your marks and income to each scheme.
What is the income limit for BTech scholarships?
The limit depends on the scheme. PM-USP CSSS allows family income up to INR 4.5 lakh (about USD 4,650). AICTE Pragati, Saksham and Swanath allow up to INR 8 lakh (about USD 8,267). The IDFC FIRST Bank engineering scholarship applies to families earning under INR 6 lakh (about USD 6,200).
Can BTech students apply for more than one scholarship?
Sometimes. From 2026-27, NSP allows one merit-based scheme plus one or more welfare-based schemes, if you are eligible. However, AICTE Pragati excludes students who already receive another central, state or AICTE scholarship. Read each scheme’s FAQ and confirm with your college’s nodal officer before applying for a second award.
Are there scholarships for second-, third- and fourth-year BTech students?
Yes, but options narrow after first year. Recipients can renew AICTE and CSSS awards each year. Reliance Foundation UG and IDFC FIRST Bank accept first-year students only. The IET India Scholarship has been open to first- to fourth-year engineering students, so later-year students should track its 2027 window.
Do BTech scholarships cover private colleges?
Often yes, but the college must meet the scheme’s rules. AICTE Pragati, Saksham and Swanath require admission to an AICTE-approved institution, which includes many private colleges. IDFC FIRST Bank limits its scholarship to a published list of selected colleges. Check your college against the scheme’s eligibility list before applying.
What happens if I miss the NSP deadline?
Your application may not be accepted. In recent cycles, NSP extended some deadlines, for example to 15 December 2025 for remaining schemes in 2025-26, but extensions differ by scheme and are never guaranteed. Contact your college scholarship cell immediately, and prepare for the next cycle, which opened on 1 June this year.
Is there an entrance exam for BTech scholarships?
Most government schemes have no separate exam. PM-USP CSSS uses your Class 12 percentile, and AICTE schemes use eligibility checks. However, Reliance Foundation UG requires a 60-minute remote-proctored aptitude test after the online application. Some private scholarships also run their own tests, so read each provider’s selection process.
Can lateral-entry students apply?
Yes, for some schemes. AICTE Pragati accepts girls admitted to the first year of a degree or diploma course, or to the second year through lateral entry, at AICTE-approved institutions. Other schemes set their own rules, so diploma holders joining BTech in the second year should check each scheme’s entry-year criteria.
How do I check my scholarship status?
Log in to NSP with your OTR and open your application to see verification progress. For corporate scholarships, use the provider’s portal or the contact email on the scheme page. If your status stays stuck, ask your college nodal officer to complete the institute verification step.
How is the scholarship amount paid?
Government scholarships on NSP are paid through Direct Benefit Transfer into the student’s Aadhaar-seeded bank account. IDFC FIRST Bank works differently: it transfers the amount to the college and adjusts it against tuition fees. Wrong bank details are a common reason payments get stuck, so verify them before submitting.
Conclusion
Yes, scholarships for BTech students exist, and the right one depends on your profile. AICTE Pragati, Saksham and Swanath are open until 31 October 2026. PM-USP CSSS serves high scorers with family income up to INR 4.5 lakh. Corporate programmes such as Reliance Foundation and IDFC FIRST Bank have closed for this cycle, so plan for next year’s windows. Prepare your OTR, bank details and income certificate now.
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