Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students 2026‑27

The Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students, called CSSS for short, gives meritorious students from poor families a yearly amount to help with daily study costs. It is a component of the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) Yojana, and the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education runs it.

You apply only online, on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) at scholarships.gov.in. Applications sent directly to the Ministry of Education are not accepted. For 2026-27, renewal applications were open on NSP, and the student closing date was 31-10-2026. That date has passed. Institute verification closes on 15 November 2026 and the final verification level closes on 30 November 2026. The NSP notice covers renewals only, so fresh applicants should watch NSP for the next opening.

What you get

These rates are set for academic year 2022-23 onwards. The scheme has room for up to 82,000 fresh scholarships a year, and half of them are earmarked for girls. The money goes into your savings bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer, and you can track the payment on the PFMS portal.

The total support runs for no more than five years, and renewal goes year to year up to postgraduate level. For B.Tech and B.Engg., the support stops at graduation level. The Rs. 10,000 figure you may see online applied to the first three years for 2021-22, not to the current rates.

Who can apply

• You must be above the 80th percentile of successful candidates in your relevant Class XII stream from your board.
• Your course must be a regular degree course. Correspondence, distance and diploma students cannot apply.
• Your college must be recognised by AICTE or the other regulatory body for your course.
• Your gross family income must be up to Rs. 4.5 lakh a year.
• You cannot receive another scholarship or fee reimbursement, including from a state scheme.
• Students who took a drop year after Class 12 are not eligible.
• All categories can apply. Reserved seats are 15% for SCs, 7.5% for STs and 27% for OBCs, with 5% horizontal reservation for students with benchmark disabilities (40% or more).

The official guidelines I read set no separate age limit or nationality rule.

How to apply

1. Register for an OTR, a 14-digit number tied to your Aadhaar or Aadhaar Enrolment ID, which NSP requires for scholarship applications.
2. Log in to NSP with your OTR ID and password.
3. Select your domicile state and the “Post-Matric” option from the drop-down menu.
4. Select the PM-USP scheme and fill in your general, category and academic details.
5. Upload the mandatory documents and submit the form.
6. Choose your institute carefully. Check the institute’s AISHE code to pick the right one from similar names.
7. An application that is not verified by the institute or the state is treated as invalid.

Documents you need

• A bank account in your own name, with your Aadhaar seeded to it.
• Your Aadhaar details. If the name on your Aadhaar differs from your Class 12 marksheet, get the Aadhaar name corrected to match.
• A parental income certificate, which is needed only for fresh applicants.
• A caste certificate and a disability certificate, where they apply to you.
• A mobile number and email ID that stay active. Keep them active until the scholarship payment is complete.
• Keep copies of your Class 12 marksheet and income certificate ready, as the institute will ask for them at verification.

How students are selected

Seats are divided among state education boards using each state’s population aged 18 to 25, after CBSE and ICSE shares are set aside. Within each board, the merit list follows set rules. The list is drawn on gender (50 boys to 50 girls), stream (3 Science to 1 Commerce to 3 Humanities), and category (SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC 27%), with 5% horizontal reservation for persons with disabilities. If applications fall short in one group, unused seats can move to other categories, genders and state quotas.

Each application is checked twice. The institute where you study checks it first, and then the State Higher Education Department or a State Nodal Agency checks it. The selection list is published on NSP.

Renewal

Renewal is compulsory on NSP every year. You need at least 50% marks in the annual examination and at least 75% attendance. Complaints of indiscipline, criminal behaviour or ragging can lead to forfeiture.

If you change college, the scholarship continues if the course and the new institution have a valid AISHE code. If you miss the renewal cut-off, renewal for that year is not allowed. The scheme FAQ adds that a student who misses a renewal can apply in a later year if the other renewal conditions are still met.

Important dates

• 2026-27 renewal, student application closing: 31 October 2026.
• Institute verification closing: 15 November 2026.
• Final verification level closing: 30 November 2026.

The official sources I read do not give a 2026-27 fresh application window. NSP sets the opening and closing timelines for the portal. If you see 30 September 2026 in another listing, the NSP student notice shows 31 October 2026.