Labour Welfare Education Scholarship 2026: Up to ₹25,000 Assistance, Eligibility & Apply

At a glance

About the scheme

Introduced by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Financial Assistance for Education to the Wards of Beedi/Cine/IOMC/LSDM Workers scheme supports the educational aspirations of children whose parents work in Beedi manufacturing, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, limestone, dolomite, mica mines, or the cinema industry. The scheme relieves the financial burden on working-class families by disbursing scholarships directly into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts through the Aadhaar Payment Bridge. Students admitted to recognised institutions across India can receive aid from primary school up to higher professional education.

Benefits

• Class I to IV: ₹1,000 per annum for purchasing books, dress, and stationery.
• Class V to VIII: ₹1,500 per annum.
• Class IX: ₹2,000 per annum.
• Class X: ₹2,000 per annum.
• Class XI to XII: ₹3,000 per annum.
• ITI students: ₹6,000 per annum.
• Polytechnic students: ₹6,000 per annum.
• General degree courses: ₹6,000 per annum.
• Professional courses: ₹25,000 per annum.
• All funds are transferred directly via the Aadhaar Payment Bridge (APB) under Direct Benefit Transfer.

Who can apply (eligibility)

• Either parent must be a worker in Beedi, Iron Ore, Manganese and Chrome Ore Mines, Limestone and Dolomite Mines, or Cine industry with at least 6 months of service, including contract or home-based (Gharkhata) workers.
• For Beedi workers, monthly family income from all sources must not exceed ₹10,000.
• Mine workers in manual, unskilled, highly skilled, and clerical roles are eligible regardless of wage; mine supervisory and managerial staff must have monthly wages within ₹10,000.
• For Cine workers, remuneration must not exceed ₹8,000 per month or ₹1,00,000 if received as a lump sum or in instalments.
• The applicant must have cleared the previous qualifying examination on the first attempt, or must have been promoted to the next class.
• The applicant must have secured regular admission in a government or government-recognised educational institution in India.
• Students receiving financial aid from other scholarships are eligible to apply from academic year 2026–27 subject to scheme norms.
• The applicant's Aadhaar number must be seeded with their bank account via NPCI for Direct Benefit Transfer.

Who cannot apply

• Students pursuing education through correspondence or distance learning modes are not eligible.
• Students pursuing the same stage of education in a different stream after passing one (such as B.Sc. after B.Com., or M.A. in another subject).
• Students pursuing a second professional course after completing one (such as L.L.B. after B.Ed.).
• Scholarship will be terminated if the recipient discontinues studies, obtains the scholarship through false statements, or changes course/institution without prior approval of the Welfare Commissioner.
• Assistance stops if the parent ceases to be an eligible Beedi, Mine, or Cine worker.

Documents required

• Identity card of the worker parent (or Form B Register Number for mine workers).
• Income certificate issued by a competent Revenue Authority.
• Passing certificate or mark sheet of the previous academic year verified by the educational institution.

How to apply

1. 1Visit the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in and click on the New Registration link.
2. 2Read and accept the registration guidelines, provide your mobile number, verify the OTP, and finish the initial e-KYC process to generate a reference number.
3. 3Download the AadhaarFaceRD and NSP OTR mobile apps to complete face authentication and obtain your One-Time Registration (OTR) number.
4. 4Log in to the National Scholarship Portal using your OTR number and set up a new password.
5. 5Fill in the Labour Welfare Scheme scholarship application form, upload the worker identity card and income certificate, and submit the application.
6. 6Track the verification and payment disbursement status on the PFMS portal using your Aadhaar or NSP Application ID.

Frequently asked questions