Karnataka Post-Matric Scholarship 2026 – SC, ST, OBC & Minority Complete Guide

Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026 provides vital financial support to over 10 lakh students across SC, ST, OBC, and Minority categories studying after Class 10. If you are a Karnataka resident pursuing PUC, ITI, Diploma, UG, PG, or a professional course, you could receive up to Rs.30,000 per year in fees and maintenance — all credited directly to your Aadhaar-linked bank account through DBT.

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This guide is for Karnataka students and parents from Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Minority communities who want to understand each scheme, check eligibility, and apply on the State Scholarship Portal (SSP) before the 2026-27 deadline.

This article covers all four post-matric scholarship schemes — amounts, income limits, eligibility rules, required documents, step-by-step SSP application process, important dates, and FAQs.

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📋 Table of Contents

What Is Karnataka Post-Matric Scholarship 2026?

Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026 is a set of state-funded and centrally-sponsored financial assistance schemes for students who belong to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Minority communities in Karnataka, and who are pursuing education from Class 11 (PUC) onwards — including ITI, Diploma, Under-Graduation, Post-Graduation, and doctoral programmes.

The scholarships are delivered through Karnataka’s State Scholarship Portal (SSP), a unified digital gateway operated by the Centre for e-Governance, Government of Karnataka. Four welfare departments use the same portal: the Social Welfare Department (SC), Tribal Welfare Department (ST), Backward Classes Welfare Department (OBC), and Minority Welfare through KMDCL and NSP. Each department administers a separate scheme with its own income limits, amounts, and application window, but a student registers and applies through a single SSP login.

The scholarship amount covers two components: tuition fee reimbursement (actual fees paid to the institution, calculated against Karnataka Examinations Authority norms) and a maintenance allowance (annual stipend for living expenses). For SC hostellers, the maintenance allowance is Rs.13,500 per year; for OBC students, the annual benefit ranges from Rs.4,000 to Rs.20,000; for Minority students, monthly maintenance ranges from Rs.230 to Rs.1,200, amounting to over Rs.14,400 per year for hostellers in professional courses, in addition to full tuition fee reimbursement. ST students receive equivalent benefits under the Tribal Welfare Department with full hostel fee coverage for government hostel residents.

Who Should Apply for Karnataka Post-Matric Scholarship 2026?

The Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026 is designed for a wide range of students. Here are the profiles who should apply without delay:

• 🎓 SC students in PUC (Class 11 & 12) — Karnataka resident Scheduled Caste students paying tuition and hostel fees, with family income below Rs.2.5 lakh, should apply via Social Welfare Department on SSP before January 31, 2027.
• 🏕️ ST students in engineering or medical courses — Tribal Welfare Department (Category 2) covers ST students with family income between Rs.2.5 lakh and Rs.10 lakh for partial fee support in BE/BTech, MBBS, and Polytechnic Diploma — apply before September 30, 2026.
• 📚 OBC students in ITI, Diploma, and Degree courses — Backward Classes Welfare Department scholarship covers Category 1, 2A, 3A, and 3B students with annual benefit up to Rs.20,000. NSP OTR registration is mandatory first.
• 🕌 Minority students (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi) — Students from notified minority communities with family income under Rs.2 lakh (PMS) or Rs.2.5 lakh (MCM) apply on NSP first, then SSP, for full tuition and monthly maintenance.
• 👩‍🎓 Girl students from SC/ST/OBC/Minority backgrounds — Additional state-level schemes and priority in seat allocation make this scholarship especially critical for female students pursuing higher education in Karnataka.
• 🏨 Hostellers in government-run hostels — Students staying in government hostels get significantly higher maintenance allowances (Rs.13,500/year for SC, Rs.1,200/month for Minority) compared to day scholars.
• 🔬 Students in professional courses (Engineering, Medicine, Law) — Fee reimbursement can exceed Rs.1,00,000 per year for SC/ST students in professional courses under the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) fee structure.
• 🎯 Students renewing an existing scholarship — Renewal applicants who received the Karnataka post matric scholarship in 2025-26 must re-apply on SSP with updated income, marks, and Kutumba Family ID sync (mandatory as of July 2026).

Scholarship Amount — SC, ST, OBC & Minority Breakdown (2026-27)

The scholarship amount varies by category, course type, and whether the student is a hosteller or day scholar. Below is the complete breakdown for each category under Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026.

SC Post-Matric Scholarship Amount (Social Welfare Department)

ST Post-Matric Scholarship Amount (Tribal Welfare Department)

OBC Post-Matric Scholarship Amount (BCWD)

Minority Post-Matric Scholarship Amount (NSP + SSP)

Eligibility Criteria & Income Limits — All Categories (2026-27)

Each category of Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026 has specific eligibility rules. The common baseline requirements across all four categories are: Karnataka domicile, enrollment in a recognised post-matric course, minimum 50% marks in the last qualifying examination, no active backlog, and no concurrent receipt of another post-matric scholarship.

SC Category — Social Welfare Department

• Must belong to a notified Scheduled Caste as per Karnataka SC/ST list
• Permanent resident and domicile of Karnataka
• Annual family income: below Rs.2.5 lakh from all sources
• Minimum 50% marks in previous qualifying examination
• Enrolled in Class 11, PUC, ITI, Diploma, UG, PG, or PhD in a recognised Karnataka institution
• Must complete NSP One-Time Registration (OTR) before SSP application
• Must link Kutumba Family ID (mandatory for 2026-27 renewals)
• Not receiving any other post-matric scholarship or government hostel accommodation

ST Category — Tribal Welfare Department

• Must belong to a notified Scheduled Tribe as per Karnataka ST list
• Karnataka resident with valid domicile certificate
• Category 1: Annual family income up to Rs.2.5 lakh for full benefits
• Category 2: Annual family income Rs.2.5 lakh to Rs.10 lakh — only for Engineering/Medical courses (KEA-CET or Comed-K admission mandatory)
• Minimum 50% marks in previous exam; no backlogs
• NSP OTR registration mandatory before SSP application
• Private hostel or PG accommodation is treated as day scholar status

OBC Category — Backward Classes Welfare Department (BCWD)

• Must belong to Karnataka OBC notified list (Category 1, 2A, 3A, 3B, NT, SNT)
• Valid Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) certificate issued in current financial year is mandatory
• Category 1 students: income up to Rs.2.5 lakh
• Category 2A, 3A, 3B students: income up to Rs.1 lakh
• Minimum 50% marks; no repeated year (students repeating a class are ineligible)
• Must complete NSP OTR registration before applying on SSP
• Must NOT be receiving Vidyasiri Food & Accommodation scheme or government hostel simultaneously

Minority Category — NSP (Central) + SSP (State)

• Must belong to a notified minority community: Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, or Parsi
• Karnataka domicile; enrolled from Class 11 to PhD in a recognised institution
• PMS (General Courses): annual family income below Rs.2 lakh
• MCM (Professional/Technical Courses): annual family income below Rs.2.5 lakh
• Minimum 50% marks in previous final examination; no backlogs
• Must apply on National Scholarship Portal (NSP) first, obtain NSP Application ID, then complete state-level application on SSP
• Aadhaar number mandatory; scholarship disbursed to Aadhaar-seeded bank account only
• Maximum 2 students from the same family can apply under this scheme

Required Documents (All Categories)

How to Apply for Karnataka Post-Matric Scholarship 2026 on SSP — Step-by-Step

The application for Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026 is entirely online through the State Scholarship Portal. Here is the exact step-by-step process:

1. Complete NSP OTR (Mandatory First Step for SC/ST/OBC; NSP Application for Minority) — Visit scholarships.gov.in, register for One-Time Registration, complete Aadhaar-based face authentication, and note your OTR ID. Without this, your SSP application cannot be submitted.
2. Minority students: Apply on NSP first — Minority applicants must complete the full Post-Matric Scholarship or MCM application on NSP, get the NSP Application ID, and then proceed to the SSP portal to complete the state-level portion.
3. Visit the Official SSP Post-Matric Portal — Go to ssp.postmatric.karnataka.gov.in. For first-time users, register with your Aadhaar number to create an SSP Student Account.
4. Log In and Select Your Scheme — Log in using your SSP User ID and password. Click on “Apply for Post-Matric Scholarship” and select the correct welfare department: Social Welfare (SC), Tribal Welfare (ST), Backward Classes Welfare (OBC), or Minorities Welfare.
5. Enter NSP OTR ID — Paste your NSP OTR ID in the mandatory field. The portal will cross-verify your identity against the National Scholarship Portal database.
6. Fill Personal, Academic, and Family Details — Enter your name (as on Aadhaar), date of birth, contact details, institution name, course details, previous year marks, and family income as declared in the income certificate.
7. Select Hosteller or Day Scholar Status Correctly — Mark yourself as “Hosteller” ONLY if you are staying in a government-run hostel. Private PG accommodation or paying guest lodging is treated as day scholar status. Incorrect selection leads to rejection.
8. Upload Documents — Scan and upload: caste certificate, income certificate (with RD Number), Aadhaar copy, previous year marksheet, admission receipt, fee payment receipt, bank passbook (Aadhaar-linked), and SATS ID (for SC/ST/OBC).
9. Submit Application and Note Application ID — Review all details, accept the declaration, and submit. Note your SSP Application ID — you will need it to track status and for institute verification.
10. Institute Verification — Your application goes to your institution’s admin for e-attestation and verification. Follow up with your college or institution to ensure timely approval before the departmental deadline.

Karnataka Post-Matric Scholarship (SSP) vs National Scholarship Portal (NSP) — What’s the Difference?

Students often confuse Karnataka’s SSP post-matric scholarship with the central government’s NSP schemes. Both exist, and in some cases (Minority and OBC) you must use both. The table below clarifies exactly how they differ:

Advantages and Disadvantages of Karnataka Post-Matric Scholarship 2026

Advantages (Pros)

• ✅ Covers all post-matric levels — from Class 11 (PUC) through PhD, including ITI, Diploma, and professional courses.
• ✅ Full tuition fee reimbursement — SC/ST students with income below Rs.2.5 lakh get 100% of their tuition, admission, and examination fees reimbursed — major financial relief for families.
• ✅ DBT payment — no middlemen — Scholarship amount is transferred directly to the student’s Aadhaar-linked bank account, eliminating leakage and delay.
• ✅ Single portal (SSP) for all departments — One SSP login covers SC, ST, OBC, and other categories — students need not navigate multiple government websites.
• ✅ Covers hostellers additionally — Hostellers in government-run hostels get higher maintenance allowances (Rs.13,500 for SC, Rs.1,200/month for Minority PhD hostellers) compared to day scholars.
• ✅ Renewable every year — Once registered, students can renew without re-registering, subject to academic progress and updated documents.

Disadvantages (Cons)

• ❌ Fee reimbursement capped at KEA norms — Reimbursement is limited to government-fixed fee norms, not actual fees. Students in private unaided colleges may have to pay the difference themselves.
• ❌ Multiple-step registration process — NSP OTR + SSP registration + Kutumba Family ID sync + institute e-attestation — the multi-step process is complex and leads to many rejections due to incomplete steps.
• ❌ SATS ID dependency — Without a valid SATS ID (issued by your school), the SSP application cannot proceed. Students who have lost their SATS ID must contact their previous school, which can cause delays.
• ❌ Private hostel students miss hosteller benefit — Students in private PG or paying guest accommodation are treated as day scholars and get only the lower maintenance allowance, even if they live far from home.

Important Terms Related to Karnataka Post-Matric Scholarship 2026

Understanding these key terms will help you navigate the Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026 application without errors:

• SSP (State Scholarship Portal): Karnataka government’s unified online platform at ssp.postmatric.karnataka.gov.in for managing all post-matric scholarship applications from SC, ST, OBC, and Minority departments. All applications are submitted and tracked here.
• NSP OTR (National Scholarship Portal — One-Time Registration): A mandatory biometric registration on scholarships.gov.in using Aadhaar face authentication. SC, ST, and OBC students must complete OTR before their SSP application can be submitted. The OTR ID is a lifetime registration.
• SATS ID: Student Achievement Tracking System ID — a unique government ID assigned to every Karnataka school student. Required for all SSP scholarship applications. Issued by your previous school — contact the school office if you don’t have it.
• Kutumba Family ID: Karnataka government’s family database linked to the Kutumba scheme. As of July 2026, syncing your Kutumba Family ID with your SSP profile is mandatory for scholarship renewals.
• DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer): The payment mechanism that transfers the scholarship amount directly from the government to the student’s Aadhaar-linked bank account, bypassing middlemen. All Karnataka post matric scholarships use DBT.
• KEA (Karnataka Examinations Authority): The body that sets government-approved fee norms for engineering, medical, and other professional courses in Karnataka. Tuition fee reimbursement is calculated against KEA norms, not the actual fee charged by private institutions.
• KMDCL (Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation Limited): State-level implementing body for minority welfare scholarships in Karnataka. Handles the state-level component of the Minority Post-Matric Scholarship alongside the NSP central scheme.
• MCM (Merit-cum-Means Scholarship): A central scholarship scheme by Ministry of Minority Affairs for minority students in professional and technical courses. Higher income limit (Rs.2.5 lakh) and higher benefit than general PMS for minority students. Applies through NSP.
• Vidyasiri Scheme: Karnataka’s separate Food and Accommodation scholarship for post-matric students who do not get government hostel admission. Students cannot receive both Vidyasiri and the BCWD post-matric scholarship simultaneously — must choose one.
• e-Attestation: The digital verification step where your institution’s authorised officer confirms and approves your SSP scholarship application online. Without institute e-attestation, the application is not forwarded to the welfare department.

Important Dates and Deadlines — Karnataka Post-Matric Scholarship 2026-27

⚠️ Note: Deadlines are sometimes extended by the Karnataka government — always verify the current date on ssp.postmatric.karnataka.gov.in before the target date, not after. Missing the deadline means missing the scholarship for the entire academic year — there is no late window.

Important Links — Karnataka Post-Matric Scholarship 2026

Conclusion

Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026 is one of the most comprehensive state-level scholarship ecosystems in India, covering SC, ST, OBC, and Minority students across all post-matric courses — from PUC to PhD — through a single, unified SSP portal. SC students receive up to Rs.13,500/year in hosteller maintenance plus full fee reimbursement, OBC students receive up to Rs.20,000, ST students benefit from equivalent tribal welfare amounts, and Minority students can access Rs.30,000+ in combined tuition and maintenance support annually.

The most critical step for every applicant is completing NSP OTR registration first — skipping this step will block your SSP submission. Apply before your department’s deadline: BCWD and Tribal Welfare students must apply by September 30, 2026; Social Welfare (SC) students have until January 31, 2027; Minority NSP closes September 30, 2026. Bookmark the official SSP portal and verify your deadline regularly — extensions are announced without much advance notice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Karnataka Post-Matric Scholarship 2026

What is the Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026 and who can apply?

Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026 is a financial assistance programme for SC, ST, OBC, and Minority students studying from Class 11 onwards in Karnataka — covering PUC, ITI, Diploma, UG, PG, and PhD. Any Karnataka-domicile student belonging to these categories, with income within the prescribed limit and minimum 50% marks in the previous exam, can apply through the State Scholarship Portal (SSP) at ssp.postmatric.karnataka.gov.in.

How much does the Karnataka post matric scholarship pay SC students?

SC students receive two components: a maintenance allowance of Rs.13,500 per year for hostellers in government hostels (Rs.7,000 for day scholars), plus full reimbursement of tuition fees, admission fees, and examination fees actually paid to the institution. For SC students in professional courses like Engineering or Medicine, total annual reimbursement can exceed Rs.1,00,000 depending on the fee structure approved by KEA.

What is the income limit for Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026?

The income limit varies by category: SC and ST students (Category 1) must have annual family income below Rs.2.5 lakh; ST Category 2 (engineering/medical partial support) allows up to Rs.10 lakh; OBC Category 1 allows Rs.2.5 lakh while 2A, 3A, 3B have a Rs.1 lakh ceiling; Minority PMS allows income up to Rs.2 lakh and MCM up to Rs.2.5 lakh. All income must be declared from all sources using a valid Karnataka income certificate carrying an RD Number.

Is NSP OTR registration mandatory for Karnataka SSP scholarship?

Yes, NSP One-Time Registration (OTR) is mandatory for SC, ST, and OBC students before they can submit their Karnataka SSP post-matric scholarship application. Without an OTR ID from scholarships.gov.in, the SSP application form cannot be submitted. Minority students must go a step further — they must complete the full NSP scholarship application and obtain an NSP Application ID before applying on the SSP portal.

What is the last date for Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026-27?

The last date varies by department: Backward Classes Welfare Department (OBC) and Tribal Welfare Department (ST) have extended the deadline to September 30, 2026; the Minority Welfare NSP deadline is also September 30, 2026; and the Social Welfare Department (SC) has the latest deadline of January 31, 2027. Deadlines are sometimes extended further — always verify on ssp.postmatric.karnataka.gov.in before your target date.

Can OBC students apply for Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026?

Yes, OBC students can apply for the BCWD Post-Matric Scholarship through the Karnataka SSP portal. The benefit ranges from Rs.4,000 to Rs.20,000 per year depending on the OBC sub-category (Category 1 gets the highest benefit) and course type. A valid Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) OBC certificate issued in the current financial year is mandatory, and NSP OTR registration must be completed before the SSP application. Students cannot simultaneously receive this scholarship and the Vidyasiri scheme or government hostel accommodation.

How do Minority students apply for Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026?

Minority students (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi) must follow a two-step process: first apply on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) at scholarships.gov.in to get an NSP Application ID, then complete the state-level application on the Karnataka SSP post-matric portal using that NSP ID. The income limit is Rs.2 lakh for PMS (general courses) and Rs.2.5 lakh for MCM (professional/technical courses). Karnataka-domicile minority students benefit from both central funding and state-level facilitation through KMDCL.

What is the difference between hosteller and day scholar in Karnataka scholarship?

The Karnataka post matric scholarship 2026 defines a “hosteller” as a student residing in a government-run hostel operated by the respective welfare department or institution. Private PG accommodation, paying guest lodging, or self-arranged rented rooms do not qualify as hosteller status — such students must apply as “day scholars.” This distinction matters significantly because hostellers receive higher maintenance allowances (for example, Rs.13,500/year for SC hostellers versus Rs.7,000 for SC day scholars).

What is the Kutumba Family ID and is it mandatory for 2026-27?

Kutumba Family ID is Karnataka government’s digital family database identifier under the Kutumba scheme, linking households to government welfare programmes. As of July 2026, syncing the Kutumba Family ID with the SSP student profile is mandatory for all scholarship renewal applicants. New applicants are also advised to complete this linkage. Students who have not synced their Kutumba ID may face processing delays or rejection during verification. Check the SSP portal for the current sync procedure.

How do I check my Karnataka SSP scholarship status?

Log in to your SSP account at ssp.postmatric.karnataka.gov.in using your Student ID and password, then click on the “Scholarship Status” or “Track Student Scholarship Status” button. You can also use the SATS ID or Student ID along with the academic year to track status on the portal. For technical issues, contact the SSP helpline at 1902 or email postmatrichelp@karnataka.gov.in. Allow sufficient time after institute e-attestation for the status to update to “Approved” or “Payment Processed.”

Last Updated: September 2026 | This guide is reviewed and updated regularly for accuracy. Bookmark this page for the latest Karnataka post matric scholarship information. Always verify final deadlines, income limits, and amounts on the official SSP portal before submitting your application.

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