The National Scholarship Portal / E-Scholarship Portal is a digital platform initiated by the Government of India to streamline the process of availing scholarships. It serves as a single window for various scholarship schemes offered by central and state governments and various government agencies like UGC, AICTE, and others. The E-Scholarship program in India has shown remarkable growth and evolution from 2016 to 2024. In the 2016-17 academic year, the program received 1.28 crore applications, which has steadily increased to 9.07 crore in 2023-24. This significant rise, representing a CAGR of 27.73% increase over eight years, indicates a growing awareness and demand for educational financial assistance among Indian students. The verification process has also scaled up considerably. The number of verified applications rose from 1 crore in 2016-17 to 6.85 crore in 2023-24. However, it’s worth noting that the verification rate has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 74% and 78% throughout the period, suggesting that while the absolute numbers have increased, there’s still room for improvement in the efficiency of the verification process.
The number of applications pushed to the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) has increased even more dramatically. It grew from 0.53 crore in 2016-17 to 4.33 crore in 2023-24, showing a substantial CAGR of 30.02% rise. This growth outpaces the increased applications received, indicating significant improvements in the processing and approval system over the years. The financial commitment to the E-Scholarship program has also expanded exponentially, with the amount pushed to PFMS surging from 1,543.871 crore in 2016-17 to an impressive 17,555.40 crore in 2023-24, marking a staggering CAGR of 35.5 % increase. This substantial financial growth underscores the government’s increasing prioritization of educational support.
The analysis of the average scholarship amount also reveals a positive trend. By dividing the amount pushed to PFMS by the number of applications pushed, we can estimate that the average scholarship has increased from approximately ₹2,913 per application in 2016-17 to ₹4,054 in 2023-24. This 39% increase over eight years outpaces inflation, suggesting improved financial support for individual students. The efficiency of the overall process has also seen improvements, with the ratio of applications pushed to PFMS versus applications verified rising from 53% in 2016-17 to 63.21% in 2023-24, indicating enhanced efficiency in processing and approving verified applications.
The highest year-on-year growth in applications received was observed between 2016-17 and 2017-18 at 107%. However, this growth rate has slowed in recent years, with only a 2% increase in applications received between 2022-23 and 2023-24. Despite this slowing in application growth, the amount pushed to PFMS continues to show significant year-on-year increases, reflecting a continued commitment to expanding financial support. Notably, the E-Scholarship system demonstrated resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If current trends continue, we expect the number of applications to surpass ten crore in the coming years, with the amount pushed to PFMS potentially reaching or exceeding 20,000 crore. However, to maximize the program’s impact, attention should be given to improving the verification rate and further enhancing the efficiency of pushing verified applications to PFMS. Additionally, efforts to maintain or increase the average scholarship amount will be crucial in ensuring that the financial support keeps pace with rising educational costs. Overall, the E-Scholarship program in India has shown tremendous growth from 2016 to 2024, both in reach and financial commitment. It has become an increasingly vital tool for promoting education accessibility in the country. The program’s evolution reflects a robust governmental commitment to education while highlighting areas for potential improvement in efficiency and processing. As the program continues to expand, it will play an increasingly crucial role in shaping the educational landscape of India, providing vital support to millions of students in their academic pursuits.
References
- DARPAN: (n.d.-b). https://meity.dashboard.nic.in/DashboardF.aspx
- National Scholarship Portal | National Government Services Portal. (n.d.). https://services.india.gov.in/service/detail/national-scholarship-portal#:~:text=The%20National%20Scholarship%20Portal%20is,UGC%2C%20AICTE%2C%20and%20others.
- Education, T. (2024, October 24). National Scholarship for Post-Graduate Studies aids 10,000 students annually: Check benefits, eligibility, and how to apply. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/national-scholarship-for-post-graduate-studies-aids-10000-students-annually-check-benefits-eligibility-and-how-to-apply/articleshow/114426587.cms
About Author
Pankaj Chowdhury is a former Research Assistant at the International Economic Association. He holds a Master’s degree in Demography & Biostatistics from the International Institute for Population Sciences and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Visva-Bharati University. His primary research interests focus on exploring new dimensions of in computational social science and digital demography.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of 360 Analytika.
Acknowledgement: The author extends his gratitude to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for providing data support.
This article is posted by Sahil Shekh, Editor-in-Chief at 360 Analytika.