AICTE Pragati (girls) and Saksham (students with 40% or more disability) each pay ₹50,000 a year to first-year or lateral-entry students at AICTE-approved colleges whose family income is up to ₹8 lakh a year. Apply on the National Scholarship Portal; for 2026-27 the last date is 31 October 2026.
AICTE Pragati scholarship (girl students)
Eligibility. Girl students admitted to the first year of a degree or diploma course, or the second year through lateral entry, at an AICTE-approved institution. Family income must be up to ₹8 lakh a year, and at most two girls per family can get it. AICTE's guidelines have tied eligibility to admission through the state or central government's centralised admission process (counselling), so if your seat is under management quota, check with the college before relying on it.
Amount. ₹50,000 a year as a lump sum, which can go towards fees, a laptop, books and other study costs, for up to 4 years of a degree course (3 years for lateral entrants). Recent guidelines have earmarked about 5,000 scholarships a year for degree students and as many for diploma, with unused slots transferable between the two. Selection is on merit in the qualifying examination.
Renewal. You must reapply each year on the portal. Renewal depends on passing the previous year's examinations; colleges may also look at attendance.
AICTE Saksham scholarship (students with disabilities)
Eligibility. Students with a disability of 40% or more, admitted to the first year of a degree or diploma course (or second year through lateral entry) at an AICTE-approved institution, with family income up to ₹8 lakh a year.
Amount. ₹50,000 a year as a lump sum towards college fees, a computer, books, equipment and software, for the duration of the course. Older versions of the scheme paid tuition plus ₹2,000 a month; that structure has been replaced. The number of awards has changed over the years, so check the current notice.
Extra documents. A disability certificate issued by the competent medical authority.
How to apply
Both schemes are on the National Scholarship Portal. For 2026-27, AICTE's notification of 19 June 2026 opened the portal for fresh and renewal applications, with 31 October 2026 as the last date; your institute then verifies the application in November. For the 2027-28 batch, expect a similar window, typically opening mid-year.
- 10th and 12th marksheets
- College admission letter and fee receipt
- Family income certificate from a competent authority (self-declarations are usually not accepted)
- Aadhaar and an Aadhaar-seeded bank account in the student's name
- Photograph, and a disability certificate for Saksham
The money is paid directly to the student's bank account.
Combining with other scholarships
Check the rules before you count on stacking. The National Scholarship Portal generally allows only one scholarship at a time, and some state schemes do not allow another government scholarship for the same purpose. College merit scholarships and private ones (for example from Aditya Birla, Reliance Foundation, KC Mahindra or Tata Trusts) are more often allowed alongside, but each has its own terms.
Karnataka-specific support
Karnataka domicile students can also look at the state's post-matric scholarships and fee concessions for SC, ST and backward class students, and Vidyasiri (food and accommodation help of ₹1,500 a month for 10 months for eligible backward class students who don't get a government hostel seat). These are on the State Scholarship Portal. Income limits and amounts vary by category. If your seat is through KCET, also ask about the AICTE Tuition Fee Waiver (supernumerary) seats for families earning up to ₹8 lakh. Our scholarships page lists more options.
Check the institution first
Most AICTE-approved engineering colleges are eligible, but confirm that your institute is listed on the portal and has a nodal officer for verification before you apply.
Source: AICTE notification on Pragati, Saksham and Swanath scholarships for 2026-27 (19 June 2026), AICTE scheme guidelines, and the Karnataka State Scholarship Portal. Amounts and numbers can change each year; check the current notice on the portal.