The Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship (CSSS) gives college students Rs 12,000 a year if their family income is up to Rs 4.5 lakh per year and they scored above the 80th percentile in their Class 12 board stream. You apply online on the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in. This guide explains who qualifies, how much you get, and the exact steps to apply.
CSSS is a merit-cum-means scholarship run by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. Its full name today is the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students. It helps meritorious students from low-income families pay part of their everyday study costs. Up to 82,000 fresh scholarships are given each year.
To qualify for a fresh CSSS scholarship, you must meet all of these conditions set in the official scheme guidelines (applicable for academic year 2022-23 onwards):
Half of all slots, 50%, are earmarked for girls. The scheme also follows the Central Reservation Policy: 15% of seats for SC, 7.5% for ST, 27% for OBC, and a 5% horizontal reservation for students with benchmark disabilities (40% disability or more).
The amount depends on your level and course. These rates apply from financial year 2022-23.
| Stage of study | Amount per year |
|---|---|
| Graduation, first three years | Rs 12,000 |
| Post-graduation level | Rs 20,000 |
| 5-year integrated or professional course (such as Medicine), 4th and 5th year | Rs 20,000 |
| B.Tech or B.E., 4th year | Rs 20,000 |
So a regular three-year degree pays Rs 12,000 each year. If you continue to post-graduation, the rate rises to Rs 20,000 a year. Students doing B.Tech or B.E. get Rs 12,000 for the first three years and Rs 20,000 in the fourth year, since technical degrees are supported up to graduation level only.
The money is paid straight into your own bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Your Aadhaar must be seeded with that bank account, or the payment can fail.
All applications are online only on the National Scholarship Portal. Applications sent directly to the Ministry are not accepted.
For a full walkthrough of registration, document checks, and status tracking, see our guide on the National Scholarship Portal.
CSSS is not just a one-time payment. Once you are selected in the first year, you can renew it each year up to post-graduation level, for a total of not more than five years. To renew, you apply again on the same portal as a renewal applicant and upload your latest mark sheets. You must:
Indiscipline, criminal behaviour, or ragging complaints can lead to forfeiture of the scholarship. If you miss the online renewal one year, you may still apply for renewal in the next year if you meet the conditions, but renewal for the year you missed the deadline is not allowed.
Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak often reminds students that the most common reason a sanctioned CSSS amount never lands is a simple one: the bank account is not Aadhaar-seeded. Before you celebrate selection, walk into your bank branch, submit the Aadhaar seeding consent form, and confirm the linking. It takes one visit and saves months of chasing a missing payment.
If your CSSS scholarship is sanctioned but not paid, first track it on the PFMS portal using the “Know Your Payment” option with your Aadhaar, bank account, or NSP Application ID. If the status is unclear or stuck for a long time, you can file a Right to Information request to ask for the status of your file. Our guide on using RTI for scholarship delay explains exactly how. For a deeper understanding of your information rights, read The RTI Playbook.
Your gross family income must be up to Rs 4.5 lakh per year. Fresh applicants must submit an income certificate to prove this.
You must be above the 80th percentile of successful candidates in your stream from your own Class 12 board. This is a merit-cum-means scheme, so both your marks and your family income matter.
Rs 12,000 per year for the first three years of graduation and Rs 20,000 per year at post-graduation level. For 5-year integrated or professional courses, the rate is Rs 20,000 in the 4th and 5th year.
No. Students who took a drop year after Class 12 are not eligible for the scheme.
No. Only students pursuing regular degree courses qualify. Correspondence, distance mode, and diploma courses are not covered.
You apply online only on the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in. Applications sent directly to the Ministry of Education are not accepted.
Yes. After first-year selection it can be renewed up to post-graduation level, for a total of up to five years, if you score at least 50% marks and keep at least 75% attendance.