The Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, has invited online applications for the Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS) for the academic year 2025-26. This flagship scheme provides financial support to meritorious students from economically weaker families, enabling them to pursue higher education without financial constraints.
As per the official notification, applications are open for both fresh candidates for 2025-26 and renewals from previous years. Renewal applications include the 1st renewal for 2024, 2nd renewal for 2023, 3rd renewal for 2022, and 4th renewal for 2021. All applications must be submitted exclusively through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
The deadline for submission of both fresh and renewal applications is October 31, 2025. Students are required to ensure that their applications are duly verified by their respective institutions within the given timeframe. In certain cases, applicants may need to present original documents for verification. Any application that remains unverified will be treated as invalid.
The Ministry of Education has also directed all institutional Nodal Officers to complete the verification process on time through their institutional login on the portal. This includes verifying applications, raising defects, or rejecting submissions, wherever necessary.
The Central Sector Scholarship Scheme continues to be one of the key initiatives of the government in promoting higher education by reducing the financial burden on deserving students and ensuring equal opportunities in learning.