Student Scholarships, Financial-Aid In Tamil Nadu, Kerala: A Handbook

In addition to the support extended by the central government, states offer a wide range of government scholarships and financial aid schemes for students in school, college and even beyond. Most of these target historically marginalised communities and most recently, Covid orphans. Most scholarship or financial aid schemes cover students from poor and historically-marginalised backgrounds. Some of the schemes also support students going abroad for higher studies and those who are preparing for high-stakes entrance exams.

In an earlier piece, Careers360 looked at the types of financial aid extended by Telangana and Karnataka to students. Listed below are the scholarships offered by two states — Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Scholarships, Loans, Financial-Aid: Tamil Nadu

Like other states, Tamil Nadu too offers numerous types of financial-aid to students from different backgrounds and in different stages of learning.

Children Affected By COVID-19 Pandemic

Tamil Nadu has launched a financial-aid scheme exclusively for children affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tamil Nadu government will provide free education till graduation and free accommodation in government homes and hostels to children who have lost parents to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government will provide a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 for the care of the child to whichever relative or guardian is raising them. This will continue till the child turns 18. At that point, they will receive Rs 5 lakh with interest to cover their other needs and necessities.

How To Apply: A district level task force headed by the District Collector will identify such children or the government will use the data on deaths due to COVID-19 available with the Health Department and enumerate the children in such families.

Also Read | Student Scholarships, Financial-Aid In Karnataka, Telangana: A Ready Reckoner

Education Of Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes, Denotified Communities

Tamil Nadu has scholarships targeting the historically-backward communities residing in the state. These support students from these communities through professional education.

Name Of Scholarship: Free Education Scholarship For Professional Courses (Engineering, Medical, Agriculture, Veterinary and Law)

Eligibility: Backward Classes (BC), Most Backward Classes (MBC), Denotified Communities. The students’ family income should not be over Rs 1 lakh and there should be no graduate in the family.

What It Covers: The scholarship covers tuition fees, special and exam fees, and other non-refundable fees that are compulsory for students to pay.

How To Apply: Application is through the government, government-aided and private professional colleges where the student is enrolled.

Adi Dravidar, Tribal Welfare Scholarship

The Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department of the Adi Dravidar Welfare Directorate offers scholarships to students from the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).

Name Of Scholarship: Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department Scholarship

Eligibility: Must belong to SC or ST community and their parents’ income should not be more than Rs 2 lakh per annum. All Adi Dravidar or Tribal or Adi Dravidar who have converted to Christianity are also eligible to avail this scheme with no income limit.

What It Covers: Free Education upto Class 12 to all the students belonging to SC and ST community. Their tuition fee will be reimbursed by the government.

How To Apply: Eligible students can contact the headmaster or the principal of their school.

Adi Dravidar, Tribal Students In Private Schools

Ten SC, ST students from each district of Tamil Nadu, totalling 320 Adi Dravidar or Tribal students, who secure highest marks in Class 10 in government, corporation, municipal or Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare schools are admitted in Class 11 in reputed private schools.

Name Of Scheme: Admission of Adi Dravidar or Tribal students in Plus One At Reputed Schools.

Eligibility: Must belong to SC or ST community. Family income should not exceed Rs 1 lakh per annum. All Adi Dravidar or Tribal or Adi Dravidar who have converted to Christianity are also eligible to avail this scheme with no income limit.

What It Covers: Expenses on education up to Rs 28,000 (including boarding charges) per year.

How To Apply: Eligible students can contact the District Collector’s office.

Pre-Matric Scholarship For BC, MBC, Denotified Communities

This scheme covers school children through upper-primary and secondary education. They must belong to some of the most marginalised communities in the state.

Name Of Scheme: Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme

Eligibility: Must be studying from Class 6 to 10 in English-medium in government or government aided schools.

For students belonging to Backward Classes (BC), the income of the parents should not exceed Rs 1 lakh and there should be no graduate in the family. There are no similar conditions or eligibility criteria for students belonging to MBCs or Denotified Communities.

What It Covers: Tuition fees as per the following pattern:

• Class 6 to 8: Rs 200 at the rate of Rs 20 per month for 10 months.
• Class 9 to 10: Rs 250 at the rate of Rs 25 per month for 10 months
• Examination fee is sanctioned in full for students of Class 10.

How To Apply: Eligible students can contact the headmaster or the principal of their school.

Post-Matric Scholarship For BC, MBC, Denotified Communities (Classes 11, 12)

Also for the school education of backward, marginalised communities, this one supports students in senior secondary or higher secondary classes — Classes 11 and 12.

Name Of Scheme: Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme

Eligibility: Must be studying in Class 11 or Class 12 in English medium. For students belonging to Backward Classes (BC), the income of the parents should not exceed Rs 1 lakh per annum and there should be no graduate in the family. There are no such conditions or eligibility criteria for students belonging to MBC and Denotified Communities.

What It Covers: Tuition fee of Rs 500 at the rate of Rs 50 per month for 10 months. Examination fee is sanctioned in full for the students of Class 12.

How To Apply: Eligible students can contact the headmaster or the principal of their school.

Also Read | Telangana: Unacademy to offer scholarships to students, signs deal with government

Post-Matric Scholarship BC, MBC, Denotified Communities (Post Higher Secondary)

Name Of Scheme: Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme

Eligibility: Must be pursuing postgraduate, professional or research degrees or diplomas in government or government-aided colleges. For students belonging to Backward Classes (BC), parents’ annual income should not exceed Rs 1 lakh. There are no such conditions or eligibility criteria for students belonging to MBC and Denotified Communities.

What It Covers: Special fees, tuition fees and expenses on books as prescribed in the scholarship notification and the examination fees in full.

How To Apply: Eligible students can apply online by visiting the official website, escholarship.tn.gov.in.

Scholarship For Children Of Differently-Abled Persons

Name Of Scheme: Scholarship To Son And Daughter Of Differently-Abled Persons

Eligibility: Children of differently-abled persons holding the identity card issued by the Welfare Board for the Differently-Abled. They must possess admission or registration certificates issued by educational institutions where they are studying.

What It Covers: This scheme covers many courses and groups of students as per the pattern below.

How To Apply: Eligible students can apply at the office of the District Differently-Abled Welfare Officer.

Scholarships, Loans, Financial-Aid: Kerala

Kerala, too, has scholarships for children affected by COVID-19, the differently-abled and those from marginalised backgrounds. It even has one for children of incarcerated parents.

Aid To Children Affected By COVID-19

Kerala government has announced a 'one-time' financial help of Rs 3 lakh for children who lost their parents due to the coronavirus pandemic. Rs 2,000 per month will be given to the children till they reach 18 years of age. Besides, the state government will bear the cost of their education till they graduate.

How To Apply: The members involved in running the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) — anganwadis — gather the information about such children and forward a status report to the District Child Protection Committee.

Financial Assistance For OBC Students

The department of ‘Backward Classes Development’ by the Kerala state government is offering financial assistance to the students who are preparing for competitive exams like Engineering, Banking, Civil Services, National Eligibility Test (NET), Management Aptitude Test (MAT) and Medicine.

Name Of The Scheme: Employability Enhancement Programme Financial Assistance to Competitive Exam Coaching

Eligibility: The annual income of the family must not exceed Rs 4.5 lakh per annum. Preference will be given to the students whose family’s annual income is not more than Rs 2 lakh per annum.

The age-limits for various groups is as below;

• Medical or Engineering entrance exam: Minimum age must be 17 years
• Civil Services, Banking Exams: Aged between 18 and 39 years

What It Covers: Grants as detailed below.

Children Of School Teachers

The Kerala Government has announced merit scholarships for children of primary and secondary school teachers to support their education. Selected students will receive Rs 50 per month.

Name Of The Scholarship: Merit Scholarships To The Children of School Teacher’s

Eligibility: They should be children of primary or secondary school teachers. They must be pursuing HSC or VHSC (Classes 11 and 12) and undergraduate courses in government or government-aided Arts and Science colleges.

How To Apply: Eligible candidates can apply through the official website, collegiateedu.kerala.gov.in

Scholarship For Minority Girl Students

The main objective of this scheme is to provide financial assistance to the meritorious girl students belonging to the Muslim community.

Name Of The Scholarship: Muslim Nadar Scholarship

Eligibility: Only girl students belonging to BPL and backward community can apply. Children of primary and secondary school teachers can also apply. They must be permanent residents of Kerala and studying in the first year of HSC or VHSC, and undergraduate courses in a government or government-aided Arts and Science college. The family income of the candidate should not exceed Rs 8 lakh per annum.

Documents Required: Caste certificate, Aadhar card, bank details, marksheet, family income certificate and the domicile certificate of Kerala.

What It Covers: Each eligible candidate will get Rs 150 per month.

How To Apply: Visit the official website, scholarships.gov.in, and select ‘Muslim Nadar Scholarship’.

Post-Matric Scholarship For Minority Communities

Name Of The Scholarship: Post-Matric Scholarship

Eligibility: The applicants must belong to any of the following religious minorities: Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Jains or Zoroastrians (Parsis). The students must be studying PUC or UG or PG or PhD in a government or government-recognised institution. They must have secured 50% marks in their previous board examination. Their family income should not exceed Rs 2 lakh per annum and they should not hold any other scholarship. The scholarship is limited to only two students per family.

What It Covers: This scholarship amount covers admission fee, course fee, tuition fee, and other maintenance allowances.

How To Apply: Interested students can apply for the scholarship through the official website scholarships.gov.in.

Also Read | 6 Competitive Exams Students Can Prepare for After Class 10

Scholarships For Disabled Students

This scholarship aims at providing financial assistance for the education of differently-abled students.

Name Of The Scholarship: Blind Or PH Scholarship

Eligibility: The scholarship is open to blind or physically handicapped or deaf students studying in government or aided Arts and Science colleges, music colleges, and government or aided higher secondary or vocational higher secondary schools.

What It Covers: Blind students with family income less than Rs 2.5 lakh per annum will receive full fee. Physically challenged, or PH, students residing in hostels will get the hostel charges, if their family income is less than Rs 4.5 lakh per annum. PH day-scholar students will receive their boarding charges, only if their family income is less than Rs 4.5 lakh per annum.

How To Apply: Eligible candidates can apply through the official website, collegiateedu.kerala.gov.in

Scholarship For Meritorious Students

This scholarship aims to support needy students and meritorious students to pursue higher education.

Name Of The Scholarship: Suvarna Jubilee Merit Scholarship

Eligibility: Students must be studying in the first year in UG or PG in government or aided colleges, university departments. The applicant must be a permanent resident of Kerala belonging to a BPL family. Students should score at least 50% marks or above in the qualifying examination.

What It Covers: A sum of Rs 10,000 per annum.

How To Apply: Eligible candidates can apply through the official website, collegiateedu.gov.in.

Financial Aid For Students Going Abroad

Like Karnataka and Telangana, Kerala also offers support to poor students from marginalised communities who manage to secure admission in a foreign university.

Name Of The Scholarship: Financial Assistance to OBC students who are studying post graduation in foreign universities.

Eligibility: The candidates must be enrolled in a selected foreign university pursuing Medicine, Engineering, Science, Agriculture, Management, Law or Social Sciences. Students should have passed in first class with not less than 60% marks in graduation. Priority will be given to those students who have scored 60 % marks in their UG studies. The candidate's post graduation subject should be the same one they collected their undergraduate degree in.

What It Covers: A maximum sum of Rs 10 lakh.

How To Apply: Eligible students can apply by visiting the official website, bcdd.kerala.gov.in.

Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC students

The Kerala government provides pre-matric scholarships to the students belonging to the SC community. This scholarship can be availed by SC students studying in any class from nursery to Class 10.

Name Of The Scholarship: Pre-Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Caste (SC) Students

Eligibility: Students must belong to the SC community and studying in any class from nursery to class 10 in a government school or institution.

What It Covers: This scholarship amounts are given as per the following pattern:

How To Apply: Candidates fulfilling the requisites can apply through the official website, scdd.gov.in

Aid To Children Of Jail Inmates

The Kerala government has granted a fund of Rs 20 lakh in total as financial assistance for the education of children of jail inmates. A total of Rs 15 lakh has been sanctioned for the assistance of their basic education and Rs 5 lakh for their professional studies.

Eligibility: Under the scheme of assistance for basic education, the beneficiaries are children of women prisoners and those belonging to families headed by women as the male member is jailed.

What It Covers: Children below five years of age and those studying in Classes 1 to 5 will get Rs 300 each per month, while those studying in Classes 6 to 10 will get Rs 500. Those in higher secondary will get Rs 750 and children pursuing degree and other professional courses will receive Rs 1,000 each per month.

Under the scheme of assistance for pursuing professional courses, children of prisoners, serving life or death sentences, would get the support for their studies. As the fee structure is different for various courses, a maximum amount of Rs 1 lakh is allowed for each student.

Children of Below Poverty Line (BPL) are eligible for the benefits even if relatives who are liable to protect them are living Above Poverty Line (APL) and if both parents are in jail.

How To Apply: Eligible candidates can apply for the scheme through the official website swd.kerala.gov.in.