AICTE Pragati & Saksham Scholarship 2026-27: Rs 50,000/Year for Girls and Differently-Abled Technical Students
What is the AICTE Pragati and Saksham Scholarship
The Pragati and Saksham Scholarship Scheme is run by the All India Council for Technical Education under the Ministry of Education. It is one of the most generous central government scholarships available to technical students, yet awareness remains low because colleges do not actively promote it and students assume such schemes only cover partial fees. If you want to see how this scholarship compares with other central and state options, the Scholarlify scholarship list tracks live deadlines for schemes across India in one place.
Pragati supports girl students. Saksham supports students with disabilities. Both schemes cover students admitted to AICTE-approved degree or diploma programmes such as engineering, technology, pharmacy, and architecture.
Who Can Apply
For Pragati (girl students):
Must be a female student
Admitted to the 1st year, or 2nd year through lateral entry, of an AICTE-approved technical degree or diploma programme for the 2026-27 academic year
Admission must be through the centralised admission process of the State or Central Government
Maximum two girl students per family can apply
Annual family income must not exceed Rs 8,00,000
Girl students weighing which technical scholarships to prioritise this admission season can also look at Wings for Her, Scholarlify's dedicated guide built specifically for women-focused scholarships like this one.
For Saksham (differently-abled students):
Must have at least 40 percent disability, supported by a valid disability certificate
Admitted to an AICTE-approved technical degree or diploma programme
Annual family income must not exceed Rs 8,00,000
Roughly 5,000 scholarships are reserved for degree students and 5,000 for diploma students under Pragati each year, with reservation slots for SC, ST, and OBC candidates within that pool. Saksham covers a smaller, separate pool for eligible disabled students.
What the Scholarship Covers
Selected students receive Rs 50,000 per year as a lump sum, transferred directly to their bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer. This is not tied to itemised bills. Students can use it flexibly for:
Tuition and college fees
Books and study material
Laptop, desktop, or software
Competitive exam application fees
Other genuine study-related expenses
The amount can continue for the full course duration, up to 4 years for a degree and 3 years for a diploma, as long as the student is promoted to the next year and meets renewal requirements.
Documents Required
Aadhaar card
Admission proof and fee receipt from the AICTE-approved institution
Family income certificate
Bank passbook, with the account Aadhaar-seeded and DBT-enabled
Disability certificate with percentage and certificate number, for Saksham applicants
Passport-size photograph and signature scan, in the specified file size for NSP uploads
How to Apply on NSP
Complete One-Time Registration on the National Scholarship Portal using your Aadhaar number if you have not registered before.
Log in with your OTR number and password, then select Apply for Scholarship for the 2026-27 session.
Under the AICTE schemes list, choose Pragati Scholarship Scheme for Girls or Saksham Scholarship Scheme for Specially-Abled Students, matching the correct degree or diploma category.
Fill in personal, academic, family income, and institution details exactly as they appear on your official documents.
For Saksham, enter your disability percentage and certificate number carefully.
Upload all required documents in the specified PDF or JPEG format and size.
Enter your own Aadhaar-seeded, DBT-enabled bank account number and IFSC code, since this is where the Rs 50,000 will be credited.
Submit the form and keep your application ID safe for tracking status later.
Selection is based on merit in the qualifying examination for admission, along with category-wise reservation norms.
Timeline for 2026-27
The 2026-27 cycle is currently open on the National Scholarship Portal. Students should apply well before the closing window in October, since institute verification and defect correction stages follow after the student submission deadline closes. Because this cycle lines up with the new admission season and ongoing JoSAA seat acceptance for 2026-27, this is the right window to apply immediately after confirming your admission. Students still comparing engineering options can check Scholarlify's engineering scholarships in India guide for a broader view of funding available right after JoSAA counselling.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Selecting the wrong scheme name from the dropdown, such as choosing the diploma option while enrolled in a degree programme
Entering the institution name differently from how it is listed in the AICTE-approved list, which causes rejection
Using a bank account that is not Aadhaar-seeded, which blocks the DBT transfer
Missing the family income certificate cut-off date required by NSP
Waiting until the last week to apply, since server load increases sharply near the deadline
Assuming a girl student is automatically covered by Pragati without confirming the seat was allotted through a centralised admission process
How to Use Scholarlify for This
Scholarlify simplifies scholarship discovery so students do not have to track scattered notices from AICTE or their college on their own. Beyond the scholarship list, students who want one-on-one guidance on choosing between schemes, preparing documents, or timing their applications can explore Scholarlify's mentorship programme for personalised support through the admission and scholarship cycle.
FAQs
Is there a separate entrance exam for Pragati or Saksham? No. Selection is based on merit in the qualifying examination used for your technical admission. There is no additional scholarship-specific exam.
Can a girl student from a family with two daughters in technical courses claim Pragati for both? Yes. A maximum of two girl children per family are eligible to apply for and receive the Pragati Scholarship.
What is the minimum disability percentage required for Saksham? A minimum of 40 percent disability, supported by a valid disability certificate, is required to apply for Saksham.
Do I need to submit fee receipts to justify how the Rs 50,000 is spent? No. The amount is disbursed as a lump sum and students are not required to submit itemised bills for how it is used.
Will the scholarship continue every year of my course? Yes, provided you are promoted to the next academic year and continue to meet renewal conditions, the Rs 50,000 annual benefit continues for the full course duration.
What happens if my Aadhaar is not linked to my bank account? The Direct Benefit Transfer will fail. Students must ensure their bank account is Aadhaar-seeded and DBT-enabled before submitting the application.