Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS)

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance

Why in News?

CBSE has released a public notice inviting students to apply for the Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS) for the academic year 2025–26.

• Scholarship sponsored by - The Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education.
• Aim - It is designed to provide financial assistance to deserving students to help meet part of their daily expenses during their graduation and postgraduation studies.
• It is meant to help bright students from economically weaker backgrounds continue their higher education.
• Eligibility - These scholarships are evenly distributed between male and female students.
• They are then dispersed among several State Education Boards and central boards, such as CBSE and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE).
• Dispersal is based on the population of students in the 18-25 age category in each state's jurisdiction.
• The number of scholarships allotted to a State Education Board is distributed amongst pass-outs of the Humanities, Science and Commerce streams in the ratio of 3:3:1.
• Eligibility criteria
  • Be above the 80^th percentile of successful candidates in the relevant stream from their respective board of examination in Class XII.
  • Be pursuing a regular course (and not a distance-learning course) in a recognized institution.
  • Not be availing benefits from any other scholarship schemes.
  • Have a family income of less than Rs 4.5 lakh per annum.
  • Students changing their institution may be allowed to continue or renew the scholarship.
• Amount awarded - For the first three years of undergraduate education, the scholarship offers Rs 12,000 per year, and for the fourth and fifth years, it offers Rs 20,000 annually.
• In the fourth and fifth years of professional studies, such as B.Tech, students receive 20,000 annually.
• Application process - Applications need to be submitted online via the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
• Disbursement of scholarship - It is disbursed directly into the student’s savings bank account through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, utilizing the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) gateway.
• To facilitate this, students are required to link their Aadhaar number with their bank account.
• Institutional Nodal Officers have also been requested to verify, mark defects, or reject applications through their respective login portals promptly to ensure smooth processing.

Reference

Economic Times | CSSS