Punjab opens SC Post-Matric Scholarship 2026-27; apply by November 15.
Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur announced on Saturday that Punjab has opened applications for its Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Caste students for the 2026–2027 academic session. He instructed district officials to set up village-level camps to make sure no qualified student is left out. The scheme, run through the National Scholarship Portal, has been accepting applications since July 1.Financial difficulties shouldn't prevent gifted children from pursuing further education, according to Dr. Kaur, who advised all eligible SC students to apply well in advance of the deadline.
The department has laid out a fixed timeline to keep the process transparent and on schedule. The scheme was launched on July 1, 2026. Students may submit their applications up to November 15, 2026, with a window for correcting defective applications running through November 30, 2026. Institute-level verification must also be completed by November 30, 2026, followed by final verification by the DNO/SNO/MNO, which is due by December 15, 2026. Dr. Kaur framed the scholarship rollout as part of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann's 'Rangla Punjab' vision, which aims to give every student equal access to education regardless of financial background. She claimed that education and job development go hand in hand in preventing talent from fleeing the state, and she connected the program to the state's broader initiative on youth empowerment. She pointed to the government's recruitment drives and merit-based hiring as evidence that young Punjabis are finding career opportunities within the state, easing the financial pressure scholarships alone cannot fix. To close gaps in awareness, particularly in rural and remote areas, the minister has instructed all District Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Officers to run outreach and facilitation camps in villages and towns across the state.
Along with affiliated educational institutions, she also instructed the heads of the departments of Higher Education, Medical Education and Research, Technical Education and Industrial Training, School Education, and Animal Husbandry to actively assist students in completing and submitting their applications on time.
Our government is firmly committed to ensuring that every deserving student receives an equal opportunity to pursue higher education," Dr. Kaur said. "Financial hardship should never become a barrier to education, and we will continue to extend every possible support to help our youth realise their full potential.
