Context
The PM-YASASVI Scholarship has helped an OBC student from rural Jharkhand pursue an MBA at IIM Raipur by covering his tuition fee of about ₹18 lakh.
It shows how the scheme helps talented students overcome financial barriers to higher education.
About the PM-YASASVI Scholarship Scheme
- Full name: PM Young Achievers’ Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India (PM-YASASVI); implemented via the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
- Target groups: OBC, EBC, and DNT (De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes) students.
- Components: Pre-Matric Scholarship (Classes IX-X), Post-Matric/Top Class School Education (Classes XI-XII), and Top Class College Education (professional/technical higher education).
- Funds disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicant must belong to the OBC, EBC, or DNT category and hold a valid caste/community certificate with a combined annual family income must not exceed ₹2.5 lakh.
- For Top Class Education, admission must be secured through merit/entrance in an institution notified by the Ministry (e.g., IIMs, IITs, NLUs, and other premier institutes) where an applicant must be an Indian citizen and the benefit is admissible only for the first professional/technical degree.
Financial Assistance & Coverage
- Top Class College Education component covers full tuition fee, along with other compulsory non-refundable charges levied by the institution.
- Financial assistance of approximately ₹18 lakh was extended to cover the complete tuition cost of a two-year MBA/PGP programme.
- School-level components additionally cover maintenance allowance, books, and stationery, subject to prescribed slabs.
Conclusion
The PM-YASASVI Scheme, run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, extends full tuition-fee support to meritorious OBC, EBC, and DNT students admitted to premier institutions, as illustrated by the case of Bishwajit Mondal, who received approximately ₹18 lakh in assistance to pursue his MBA at IIM Raipur (2024-26).