Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for Wards of States/UTs Police Personnel Martyred During Terror/Naxal Attacks 2023

Scholarships are financial aid provided to students to help them complete their higher education and this can be life-changing if you are not from a privileged background. Sometimes, these scholarships directly aid the students and in other cases, it is paid to the educational institution in which any difference in amount has to be paid by the student. It is used to cover the cost of lab fees, transportation, tuition fees, etc. It is usually provided to the student based on academic merit but it can also be based on other eligibility criteria like gender, needs, race etc.

Highlights

What is the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for Wards of States/UTs Police personnel Martyred during Terror/Naxal Attacks All About?

Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme under the aegis of the National Defense fund was started in the academic year 2006-07 for the widows and dependent wards of the Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles. It was done to encourage higher and technical education and was later extended from the year 2019-20 to the dependent wards of State/UTs Police Personnel who are martyred during Terror/Naxal attacks. A total of 500 scholarships will be given to the wards of the police personnel martyred during terror/Naxal attacks in equal numbers to boys and girls. All the applicants selected under the new category will also get personal letters from the Honorable Prime Minister in their respective languages. The scholarship will be applicable only for five years depending upon the duration of the course.

What Are the Eligibility Criteria for the Scholarship?

Before applying for the scholarship applicants much check the eligibility criteria and read the guidelines:

• Minimum Entry Qualification

To be eligible for the PMSS scholarship, applicants must have secured a minimum of 60% marks in the MEQ exam i.e. in 10+2, diploma, or graduation as the MEQ may be different for different courses. For example, for MBBS it is 10+2, and for B.E./B. Tech is 10+2 or diploma and for MBA or B. Ed, it is graduation. In 10+2 from the CBSE board, marks obtained in the best of five subjects will be considered. Candidates who have taken admission through lateral entry in professional or degree courses like B.ER/B. Tech can also apply for the scholarship.

• Courses Applicable

Only candidates pursuing first professional degree courses like BE, B Tech, BDS, MBBS, B.Ed., BBA, BCA, B Pharma, B.Sc (Nursing, Agriculture, etc.) duly recognized by the respective Government Regulatory Bodies, such as All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Medical Council of India (MCI), University Grant Commission (UGC) are eligible to apply for the scholarship, in case of Integrated courses, the scholarship will be given only for the first three or four years

• Exclusions

Only two children per family can apply for the scholarship and applicants pursue courses through distance learning or correspondence. Applicants availing of other scholarship schemes or stipends are also not eligible for this scholarship.

How to Apply for the Scholarship?

Applicants can apply for the PMSS scholarship for the academic year 2023-24 through the Nation Scholarship Portal(NSP) 2.0 version i.e. www.scholarships.gov.in on or before 31st October 2023. Detailed guidelines and instructions are available on the website and the candidates would need to upload all the required documents.

• Process Flow

After completing the application process, applicants will get a system-generated registration ID which they can use for future references and in order to track the status of the application.

All the documents will be verified by the colleges/institutes and verification will also be done of the service certificate uploaded by the candidates.

The particulars received of the selected candidates and renewal will be consolidated and the list of candidates will then be sent to the PFMS and MHA.

• Bank Account

The candidates should have an Aadhaar NUmber Linked with a Bank Account. The applicant must have an active bank account in a nationalized bank which has an Electronic Clearing System to transfer the money directly to their account. In the case of a minor account, it should be converted to a major account. Candidates need to update their KYC to receive DBT payments and in the case of a minor account, they can also convert it to a PMJDY account. In case of Payment failure. Candidates also have the option to update their bank account details only once.

• Documents Required

For fresh applicants, a Service Certificate to be issued by the H.O.O in case of serving personnel needs to be uploaded along with a scanned copy of all the mark sheets of the MEQ. If applicable, the candidates would also have to upload a PPO/Discharge Certificate/Book (Mandatory for categories A to F), Disability Certificate (Mandatory for categories B & D), Death Certificate (Mandatory for categories A & C), or Certificate of Gallantry award (Mandatory for category E). Along with it, it is mandatory to upload a certificate issued by the State Government that the police personnel was killed in a terror/Naxal attack.

Important Dates

Terms and Conditions

• To guarantee the renewal of the scholarship for upcoming years, the students must successfully complete the professional course with at least a 50% grade.
• Depending on how long the applicant’s chosen course will last, the scholarship may be valid for up to 5 years.
• Lateral entry students accepted into professional/technical bachelor’s degree programs in the second year are also eligible to apply for the scholarship.
• Through the PFMS (Public Finance Management System) and the DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) program, the chosen scholars will receive the scholarship money directly into their bank accounts. 
• The application will be rejected if the form is not complete and the necessary documents are not attached.
• The mobile number and email address of applicants are mandatory so as to inform the candidate of any discrepancies or development through SMS and email.
• In accordance with PMSS, the following applicants are not eligible:
• applicants who are enrolled in distance learning or correspondence courses for professionals.
• applicants receiving stipends and financial aid or taking advantage of other scholarship programs.
• those candidates who have previously received scholarships from PMSS.
• A master’s degree program, with the exception of MBA and MCA, may be pursued by applicants who are pursuing diploma programs that do not result in the awarding of a degree.
• Candidates who are studying abroad.
• If the chosen student changes their major or college and is admitted again the following academic year, their scholarship application will be rejected.

Final Words

Before applying for PMSS, it is important to read and understand the guidelines and instructions given. There are several categories of Police Personnel which is important as it will also be mentioned on the certificate issued by the State Government.