The State government has decided to extend post-matric scholarships, including Reimbursement of Tuition Fee (RTF) and Maintenance Fee (MTF), directly to eligible students’ bank accounts from the 2026-27 academic year.

The move replaces the existing system under which scholarship amounts were transferred to educational institutions.

According to orders issued by the Social Welfare Department on June 6, the new mechanism aims to ensure a uniform, efficient, and beneficiary-centric implementation of scholarship schemes for students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Backward Classes (BC), Economically Backward Classes (EBC), Minority communities, and persons with disabilities.

As per the consolidated implementation guidelines, students must register on the ePass portal at the time of admission to become eligible for scholarship benefits.

The scholarships will be disbursed through a technology-enabled and fully auditable Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system using the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS). The scholarship amount will be credited to the student’s Aadhaar-linked bank account, after which the student will pay the applicable fees to the institution.

The ePass portal will remain open throughout the year for applications. Scholarships will be released in a single instalment each academic year. The portal will also feature an online grievance redressal mechanism to address students’ concerns and complaints.