Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday invited applications from eligible students belonging to the Scheduled Tribe (ST), Scheduled Caste (SC), Other Backward Class (OBC), Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC), and Economically Backward Class (EBC) communities for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for the academic year 2026-27.
Applications, including fresh registrations and renewals, are being accepted through the Odisha State Scholarship Portal. Students have been advised to complete the online application process within the stipulated deadline.
According to a notification issued by the ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department, applicants must belong to one of the specified communities, and their annual family income from all sources should not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh.
Students belonging to the ST, SC, OBC, and SEBC categories are required to submit a caste certificate issued by an Odisha Revenue Officer not below the rank of Tahasildar or Additional Tahasildar.
For EBC applicants, a self-declaration of caste is required to be uploaded on the scholarship portal.
For students from the OBC, SEBC, and EBC categories seeking post-matric scholarships, the department has prescribed an additional academic eligibility criterion. Applicants must have secured more than 50% marks in the qualifying examination. In subsequent years of the course, they must also secure more than 50% marks in the previous year’s examination.
The online application process commenced on July 29, while students can submit their applications until September 29.
Institutions have been given time until October 9 to complete the verification of applications. Final approval at the district, block, and Urban Local Body (ULB) levels is scheduled to be completed by November 9.
The department has urged students and institutions to adhere to the prescribed schedule to ensure the timely processing of applications and disbursement of scholarship benefits.
The notification also stated that requests for an extension of the application schedule may not be entertained.
Students can submit their applications and access further details through the Odisha State Scholarship Portal.
