Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government continues to strengthen education access for economically weaker sections by expanding its scholarship schemes for the academic year 2025–26. More than 36 lakh Other Backward Class (OBC) students have received financial assistance under pre-matric and post-matric scholarship programmes.
The initiative aims to ensure that no eligible student is deprived of education due to financial constraints.
Inclusive Education Drive Includes Transgender Students
A key highlight of the scheme is its inclusive approach, as it also covers transgender students along with male and female beneficiaries.
For 2025–26, a total of 36,75,294 students have benefited under the scholarship programmes, reflecting the government’s focus on equitable and inclusive development.
Pre-Matric Scholarship Benefited Over 8.8 Lakh Students
Under the pre-matric scholarship scheme (Classes 9–10), financial assistance worth ₹219.64 crore has been transferred directly into the bank accounts of 8,88,863 students.
Breakup of beneficiaries includes:
- 4,58,585 girls
- 4,30,275 boys
- 3 transgender students
Students receive up to ₹2,250 annually, including monthly and yearly allowances.
Post-Matric Scholarship Supports Higher Education
The post-matric scholarship scheme covers students from intermediate to professional courses, including:
- B.Tech, MBBS, MBA
- BA, BSc, BCom
- ITI and Polytechnic courses
A total of 27,86,431 students received ₹2,882.02 crore under this scheme.
Beneficiaries include:
- Higher education students across universities and colleges
- Technical and professional course students
- Transgender beneficiaries as well
Course-Wise Financial Assistance Structure
Scholarship amounts vary depending on the course group:
- Group 1 (Professional courses like B.Tech, MBBS, MBA): Up to ₹64,400 annually
- Group 2 (PG courses like MSc, MA, BBA): Up to ₹39,840 annually
- Group 3 (BA, BSc, BCom): Up to ₹26,840 annually
- Group 4 (ITI, Polytechnic, Intermediate): Up to ₹14,560 annually
For Classes 11–12, students receive between ₹3,225 and ₹5,090 annually depending on residential status.
Transparent Digital Scholarship System
The Uttar Pradesh government has fully digitised the scholarship process under the management system of the Department of Backward Class Welfare Uttar Pradesh.
Key features include:
- Online applications through scholarship portal
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to bank accounts
- Mandatory eligibility criteria based on academic performance
- Transparent verification system
This ensures that funds reach students without delays or intermediaries.
Government Focus on Education and Social Equity
Officials stated that the scholarship schemes aim to build a strong educational foundation for OBC students and ensure equal opportunities for higher education.
The government reiterated its commitment that no eligible student should be left behind due to financial hardship, and urged students to apply within deadlines to benefit from the scheme.
About the Scholarship Initiative
The Uttar Pradesh scholarship programme is one of the largest state-run education support systems in India, designed to empower students from economically weaker and backward communities. It plays a crucial role in improving school retention rates and promoting higher education across the state.
