PM Scholarship Police Martyrs' Wards 2026-27 Guide

PM Scholarship for wards of State/UT police martyrs 2026–27: who it is really for

This is one of the most specific scholarships on the National Scholarship Portal, and its name causes real confusion, so let us be precise at the start. The Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) for Wards of States/UTs Police Personnel is only for the dependent wards (and widows, where applicable) of State and Union Territory police personnel who were martyred during terror or Naxal attacks. It is not a general scholarship for children of police personnel, however long their service. If your family fits the description, this scheme offers meaningful support — Rs. 3,000 a month for girls and Rs. 2,500 a month for boys — through your first professional degree. Applications for 2026–27 are open on the NSP, with the student deadline at 31 October 2026.

Who runs it

The scheme is administered by the Welfare and Rehabilitation Board (WARB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, and it is one of several routes under the wider Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme umbrella that has run since 2006–07. The routes are separated by the parent's service, and you cannot choose between them: ex-servicemen's wards apply through the Kendriya Sainik Board, CAPF and Assam Rifles wards have their own MHA route on NSP, railway protection force wards have another — and State/UT police martyrs' wards use this one. Applying under the wrong route is a wasted application, so check the parent's force and the circumstances of death against the scheme title before you begin.

The number of fresh scholarships under this route is small and fixed: 500 per year, split equally — 250 for boys and 250 for girls — in addition to renewals from earlier years. Unused seats in one group do not transfer to the other. Because seats are limited, meeting the eligibility conditions puts you in the merit pool; it does not by itself guarantee an award.

Who is eligible

• The core condition: you are a dependent ward (or widow) of a State/UT police personnel who was martyred in a terror or Naxal attack. The service and the circumstances must be provable through the official documents — typically the certificate issued in this regard by the police authorities.
• Course: you must be enrolled in a first professional degree course at an institution recognised by the relevant regulatory body (AICTE, MCI/NMC, UGC and similar). The recognised course list includes Engineering (BE/B.Tech), Medicine, Dental, Veterinary, BBA, BCA, B.Pharm, B.Sc. Nursing, B.Sc. Agriculture, MBA and MCA, among others. Diploma, certificate and distance-learning programmes are not covered.
• Fresh applicants: you apply in the first year of the professional course (for integrated courses, the rules in the guidelines apply), and you must have scored at least 60% marks in the minimum educational qualification — Class 12, diploma or graduation, as applicable to your course entry.
• No income limit: unlike most NSP schemes, PMSS does not apply a family income ceiling.
• Renewal applicants: to continue the scholarship in later years you must have passed the previous academic year with at least 50% marks and apply for renewal on NSP within the prescribed period (a limited grace window exists for delayed renewals).
• Family cap: scholarship benefits under PMSS are limited to two children per family.

What it pays, and how

The scholarship is Rs. 3,000 per month for girls and Rs. 2,500 per month for boys — Rs. 36,000 and Rs. 30,000 a year respectively. Despite the monthly framing, it is disbursed once a year, directly into the student's bank account through DBT/PFMS, after verification. It runs for the duration of the approved course, up to a maximum of five years. An Aadhaar-linked bank account in the student's own name is required; if the account is a minor account, it must be converted before disbursement. Selected students under PMSS also traditionally receive a personal letter from the Prime Minister along with the award.

How to apply for 2026–27

• Go to scholarships.gov.in and complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) if you are new to NSP — keep your Aadhaar and mobile number ready.
• Log in and, under the Ministry of Home Affairs schemes, select the Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme for wards of State/UT police personnel.
• Read the scheme guidelines PDF attached to the listing — the eligible-course list and the exact document specifications are in it.
• Fill in personal, academic and course details carefully; the course and institution you enter must match your admission documents exactly.
• Upload the documents (below), submit before 31 October 2026, and save the final application copy and ID.
• Then follow the verification chain: your institute verifies first, then the application moves through the district/state and WARB/ministry stages. Keep checking your NSP dashboard — if the institute returns the application for correction, the clock is still running.

Documents you will need

• The official certificate/record of the parent's martyrdom in a terror/Naxal attack, issued by the competent police authority, and proof of your relationship to the personnel (service/PPO documents, family certificate as applicable).
• Marksheet of the qualifying examination (Class 12/diploma/graduation) showing at least 60%.
• Bonafide certificate and admission proof/fee receipt from your institution for the current academic year.
• Aadhaar card, bank account details/passbook, and a passport-size photograph.
• For renewals: the previous year's marksheet showing at least 50% and promotion to the next year.

Uploads on NSP must be clear scans within the portal's file-size limits — illegible documents are the most common reason applications are rejected at verification.

Common mistakes

• Applying under the wrong PMSS route. A CAPF ward belongs to the CAPF/Assam Rifles listing; an ex-serviceman's ward belongs to the KSB portal. This route is only for State/UT police martyrs of terror/Naxal attacks.
• Applying in the second year as a "fresh" case. Fresh PMSS is a first-year benefit. If you missed the first-year window, check the guidelines for any permissible grace rather than submitting and hoping.
• Assuming eligibility means selection. There are 500 fresh seats. Your qualifying-exam marks decide the merit order, so accurate marks entry matters.
• Letting verification lapse. The 31 October date is your submission deadline; your institute's verification happens after — alert your college's NSP nodal officer the day you submit.
• Renewal complacency. Dropping below 50% in a year, or missing the renewal window, ends the scholarship even if you received it before.

If your parent was a State or UT police personnel martyred in a terror or Naxal attack and you have just entered a professional degree course, file this application before 31 October 2026 — and treat the institute verification, not the submission, as the finish line.

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