The incidences of students dropping out of formal education are familiar in India. One of the key reasons for these drop-outs is the financial issues faced by the students coming from economically backward sections of the society. Due to weak financial conditions, these students find it difficult to manage their educational expenses.
Thus, to promote the education of underprivileged and needy students, the Government of India has introduced numerous scholarship schemes. The means-based scholarships, in particular, tend to empower the underprivileged and deserving students to pursue their academic dreams.
Here is some of the most popular means-based scholarships in the list below. This list can give you an awareness of what are the scholarships that fulfil your financial needs in pursuit of education.
List of top 15 means-based scholarships in India:-
| S.No. | Scholarship Name | Applicable For | Application Period* |
| 1. | Pre-Matric Scholarships Schemes for Minorities | Students of class 1st to 10th | August to September |
| 2. | Post-Matric Scholarships Schemes for Minorities | Students of Class 11th to PhD | August to September |
| 3. | HDFC Educational Crisis Scholarship | Students of class 6 to 12 / undergraduates/ postgraduates | June to August |
| 4. | Financial Assistance for Education of Wards of Beedi/Sine/IOMC/LSDM Workers-Pre-Matric | Students of class 1st to 10th | August to October |
| 5. | Financial Assistance for Education of Wards of Beedi/Sine/IOMC/LSDM Workers-Post Matric | Class 11th to post-graduation including diploma | August to October |
| 6. | DR. Ambedkar Post Matric Scholarship for Economically Backward Classes, Tripura | Class 11th to post-graduation | November to January |
| 7. | National Overseas Scholarship for SC Students | SC, Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans | April to May |
| 8. | AMP Higher Education Scholarship Fund | Muslim students pursuing graduation | May to July |
| 9. | SHDF Scholarships | Students pursuing diploma, degree or postgraduate degree | June to August |
| 10. | INSEAD Deepak & Sunita Gupta Endowed Scholarships | MBA applicants | June to August |
| 11. | IDFC First MBA Scholarships | 1st year MBA Students (India) | July |
| 12. | The GSB Scholarships | Students from class 5 to graduate level | July to October |
| 13. | Azim Premji University Undergraduate | Bachelor’s degree applicants | March to April |
| 14. | Nurturing Talent Programme | Class 5th passed students | February to April |
| 15. | Joining Hands Higher Education Scholarship Program | Undergraduate and postgraduate applicants | March to April |
Also Read:
(i) Scholarships for College Students in India
(iii) Scholarships for Indian Students to study abroad
