CSS Scholarship Full Form- Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship

What is CSS? The full form of CSS is Central Sector Scheme. A scholarship program run by the Ministry of Education's Department of Higher Education that helps deserving students from low-income households pay for some of their living expenses while they pursue higher education. The Higher Secondary results are used to determine the recipients of the scholarships. A maximum of 82,000 new scholarships are awarded annually to students wishing to pursue professional programs like engineering, medicine, or graduate studies at colleges and universities. Students who are pursuing regular degree programs at colleges and institutions recognized by the AICTE and the relevant Regulatory Bodies, and who score higher than the 80th percentile of successful candidates in the relevant stream from the relevant Board of Examination in Class 12th of the 10+2 pattern or equivalent, are eligible for this scheme.

Rate of Scholarship

For the first three years of college and university education, the scholarship rate is ₹12,000/-per year at the graduation level and ₹ 20,000/-per year at the post-graduation level. Students enrolled in professional programs that last five (5) years or longer will get ₹20,000 annually in their fourth and fifth year of study. Students studying technical degrees, such B.Tech and B.Engg., will only receive scholarships up to the point of graduation, or ₹12,000 a year for the first, second, and third years and ₹20,000 for the fourth year.

For the first three years of new or renewal scholarships with regard to the academic year 2021–2022—even if the actual release occurs in FY 2022–2023—the rate of scholarship is ₹10,000/-per annum.

Payment of Scholarship: In order to receive the benefits of the program, students must have their bank accounts opened, specifically, in their names. By Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) option, the scholarship recipients' savings bank accounts will receive the funds directly. Through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) site, the student can monitor the status of their payments using the "Know Your Payment" template. 

CSS Eligibility

• The candidate must have scored more than the 80th percentile of those who passed in the relevant stream in Class 12 of the 10+2 pattern or above from the relevant Board of Examination.
• The candidate must be enrolled in regular degree programs, not diploma or correspondence programs.
• The candidate must be enrolled in studies at universities or other educational facilities approved by the relevant regulatory bodies as well as the All India Council for Technical Education.
• The applicant cannot be receiving benefits from any other scholarship programs, including those administered by the state, fee waivers, or reimbursement plans.
• The applicant's gross parental/family income cannot be more than ₹4,50,000 annually.
• In addition to receiving at least 50% in the annual examination, maintaining a minimum of 75% attendance will be required for the scholarship to be renewed each year of study. 

CSS Reservation

• Subject to the Central Reservation Policy, which states that 15% of seats are set aside for SCs, 7.5% for STs, 27% for OBCs, and 5% of seats are reserved horizontally for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in all categories, students who belong to reserved categories, weaker sections, minorities, etc., are eligible to receive the benefit of reservation on the basis of merit.
• Slots will be filled in accordance with the Central Reservation Policy, which takes into account the annual target. Subject to the total number of slots, if there are unfilled spots under a certain group after taking into account all States and UTs, the unfilled spots will be distributed among other categories to allow the greatest number of qualified students to get the benefit.