AICTE Saksham Scholarship (Diploma) 2026: ₹50,000 Annual Aid, Eligibility & How to Apply

At a glance

About the scheme

Implemented by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) under the Ministry of Education, the Saksham Scholarship Scheme encourages specially-abled youth to pursue technical diploma education. It awards ₹50,000 every year to cover academic fees, computer purchases, books, stationeries, and required equipment. The scheme supports students admitted to the first year of a diploma programme or the second year via lateral entry at an AICTE-approved institution, disbursing funds directly through Direct Benefit Transfer.

Benefits

• Lump sum financial assistance of ₹50,000 per annum towards payment of college fees, purchase of computer, stationery, books, equipment, and software.
• Scholarship support for up to 3 years for first-year diploma students and up to 2 years for lateral-entry students entering in the second year.
• Direct disbursement of the grant into the student's Aadhaar-seeded bank account via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
• Facility of renewal for subsequent years of study upon uploading passing certificates and institutional verification on the National Scholarship Portal.

Who can apply (eligibility)

• Student must be admitted to the first year of a diploma course or the second year through lateral entry in an AICTE-approved institution for the respective year.
• Candidate must be a specially-abled student with a certified disability of not less than 40%.
• Total family income from all sources must not exceed ₹8 lakh per annum during the current financial year, verified by a valid income certificate.

Who cannot apply

• Students who fail to get promoted to the next class or level forfeit the scholarship.
• Gap period between the year of passing the qualifying examination and the session of diploma admission must not exceed two years.
• Candidates who fail or drop out in any subsequent year are ineligible for further scholarship disbursements.
• Students receiving any other scholarship, salary, stipend, or financial assistance from Central, State, or AICTE sources cannot avail of this scheme.
• Students admitted to non-technical courses, dual degree courses, post-graduate courses, or non-approved institutes are not eligible.

Documents required

• Aadhaar card of the applicant.
• Disability certificate verifying at least 40% disability, issued by a competent medical authority.
• Current financial year annual family income certificate issued by a competent authority (Tehsildar, Magistrate, Revenue Officer, or BDO).
• Mark sheets and certificates of SSC (Class 10) and/or HSC (Class 12).
• Proof of admission in an AICTE-approved diploma course.
• Bank passbook or details of an active general savings bank account in the applicant's name (seeded with Aadhaar).
• Duly signed and stamped promotion certificate or mark sheet from the Head of the Institution (required for renewal).

How to apply

1. 1Visit the official National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in and click on 'New Registration'.
2. 2Review the registration guidelines, accept the undertaking, and fill in the basic student details to register.
3. 3Note down the Application ID and password displayed on the screen and received via SMS.
4. 4Return to the portal login page, log in with your credentials, enter the OTP sent to your registered mobile number, and reset your password.
5. 5Click on 'Application Form' from the applicant dashboard, fill in all mandatory details, upload the required scanned documents, and click 'Final Submit'.

Frequently asked questions