Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships (CSSS)
About This Scholarship
CSSS is the premier merit-based scholarship offered by the Ministry of Education on NSP, and unlike most NSP schemes it has no caste or community restriction — it is open to all students regardless of religion or social category. The only criteria are merit (scoring in the top 20 percentile of their respective state board in Class 12) and means (family income below ₹8 lakh per year). It provides ₹10,000 per year for undergraduates and ₹20,000 per year for postgraduate students. The scholarship is disbursed through PFMS directly to the student's Aadhaar-linked bank account.
Eligibility Criteria
- Secured marks in the top 20 percentile of their respective State Board in Class 12
- Currently pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate studies at a recognised government college
- Annual family income must not exceed ₹8 lakh from all sources
- Not availing any other scholarship from central or state government
- Open to all categories — no caste or community restriction
How Much You Get
This scheme provides ₹10,000–₹20,000/year to eligible students. Income must not exceed ₹8 lakh/year from all sources, as certified by a competent authority. Scholarship money is disbursed directly to your Aadhaar-linked bank account via PFMS — no institution or intermediary handles the funds.
Amounts may vary between day scholars and hostellers in schemes that have both categories. Always check the official scheme guidelines on scholarships.gov.in for the current year's amount structure, as rates are subject to periodic revision by the government.
Documents Required
- Class 12 marksheet
- Board certificate or rank proof confirming top 20 percentile status
- Income certificate from competent authority
- Current course enrolment / bonafide certificate
- Aadhaar card
- Aadhaar-seeded bank passbook
All documents must be uploaded in the format specified by NSP (usually JPG or PDF, under 200KB per file). Ensure scans are clear and legible — blurry uploads are a common cause of application defects.
The 20 percentile cut-off is board-specific, not a national cut-off. Each state board publishes its own minimum score for the top 20 percentile every year on their website. Check the correct score for your board before assuming you qualify — some boards set the bar lower than you might expect.