The Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS) provides financial assistance to meritorious students from low-income families to support their higher education. But many students are confused about its eligibility criteria. In this post, we have explained in simple language the eligibility criteria for PM-USP CSSS. Read this article till the end to get answers of all your queries regarding eligibility criteria for the NSP Central Sector Scholarship Scheme without any confusion.
Who is Eligible for CSSS Scholarship 2025?
Eligibility for Fresh Applicants
To apply for the CSSS as a fresh candidate, students must meet the following conditions:
- Academic Performance: Students must be in the top 20% (above 80th percentile) of successful candidates in their relevant stream (Science, Commerce, or Humanities) in the Class XII board examination (CBSE, ICSE, or State Boards). If your Class 12 marks is above the marks given below for your board, then you are above 80th percentile of successful candidates.
- Course Type: Must be enrolled in a regular degree course (not correspondence or distance mode) at colleges or institutions recognized by regulatory bodies like AICTE or UGC. Diploma courses are not eligible.
- Family Income Limit: The gross parental/family income must not exceed Rs. 4.5 lakh per year. A valid income certificate is required at the time of application. The income certificate is typically issued by the tehsildar/SDM of your area.
- No Other Scholarships: Applicants must not be receiving any other scholarship or fee reimbursement from any other source.
- No Academic Break: Students who have taken a gap year after Class XII are not eligible.
- Reservation Criteria: The scheme follows the Central Reservation Policy with 15% for SC, 7.5% for ST, 27% for OBC, and a 5% horizontal reservation for students with benchmark disabilities (40% or more disability). 50% of scholarships are reserved for female candidates to promote gender equity.
Eligibility for Renewal Applicants
Students who received the CSSS in previous years (e.g., 2021-22 to 2024-25) can apply for renewal in 2025-26, provided they meet these conditions:
- Academic Performance: Must secure at least 50% marks in the annual examination for renewal.
- Attendance: Maintain a minimum of 75% attendance during the academic year.
- Course Continuation: Must continue in a regular degree course (up to a maximum of 5 years, including postgraduate level, except for technical courses like B.Tech/BE, which are funded only up to 4 years).
- No Other Scholarships: Must not be availing any other scholarship or fee reimbursement.
- Application Process: Renewal applications must be submitted on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) (www.scholarships.gov.in) before the cut-off date. If a student misses the renewal deadline for 2024-25, they can apply in 2025-26, subject to eligibility.
Even if you miss renewal in one year, you can apply in the following year, provided other conditions are met.
CSSS Income Limit 2025
The maximum annual family income for CSSS eligibility is ₹4.5 lakh. This limit ensures that the student comes from a low-income family.
Income certificate is mandatory only for fresh applicants. Renewal applicants do not require resubmission unless requested by authorities.
Types of Courses Covered in CSSS
Eligible Courses:
- Regular undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs (BA, B.Sc., B.Com, MA, etc.)
- Professional courses (Medical, Engineering, Law, etc.)
Not Eligible:
- Diploma courses
- Distance/correspondence education
- Students studying in unrecognized institutions
Important Points to Note
- Scholarship Rates:
- Graduation Level: Rs. 12,000 per annum for the first three years.
- Post-Graduation Level: Rs. 20,000 per annum.
- Technical Courses: Rs. 20,000 per annum in the 4th and 5th years for 5-year professional courses; for B.Tech/BE, Rs. 12,000 per annum for the first three years and Rs. 20,000 in the 4th year.
- Application Process: Both fresh and renewal applications must be submitted online via the NSP. Aadhaar seeding with a bank account is mandatory for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
- Must See: Application Process for Central Sector Scholarship Scheme 2025-26.
- Can Second-Year Students Apply?: Second-year students cannot apply as fresh applicants but can apply for renewal if they received the scholarship in their first year and meet the renewal criteria as mentioned above.
- Institution Eligibility: The college or university must have a valid AISHE code and be recognized by regulatory bodies. Students in private colleges can apply if the institution meets these criteria. Check AISHE Code of your College/institute here: https://de.aishe.nic.in
Application Timeline
- Start Date: 2 June 2025
- End Date: 31 August 2025
(Institute and state-level verifications continue till September 30)
Required Documents
Make sure you keep these documents ready (document should be in pdf/jpeg/jpg format and file size between 20kb to 200kb):
- Scanned copy of Class 12 marksheet
- Previous year’s marksheet (for renewal applicants only)
- Latest college fee receipt
- Family income certificate (≤ ₹4.5 lakh per annum)
- Category/caste certificate (if applicable)
- Disability certificate (if relevant)
- Bank account details (name, account number, IFSC code)
- Functional mobile number & email ID
- Aadhaar number (optional but highly recommended)
The CSSS scholarship is a golden opportunity for academically bright students from economically weaker sections. Make sure you meet all the eligibility criteria and apply in time.
Contact the Nodal officer of your state for any grievance. Find your State Nodal Officer Here.
If you have any query you can ask in the comment below. You can also mail your query to:
Tele: 011- 20862360
E-mail: ns1-scholarship@gov.in
