Aikyashree Scholarship 2025-26: Last Date, Eligibility, Amount

What is Aikyashree Scholarship and what is the latest last date?

Aikyashree is the official scholarship system for minority students in West Bengal. It is administered by the West Bengal Minorities' Development and Finance Corporation and covers several schemes for school, college, university and professional-course students.

The latest official update currently available on the portal states that fresh and renewal applications for the 2025-26 Post-Matric, TSP, Merit-cum-Means and SVMCM schemes can be submitted till 31 May 2026. This is the clearest current deadline visible on the official portal. Students should still check the portal before applying because scheme-specific notices and extensions can change.

Who can apply for Aikyashree Scholarship?

Aikyashree is meant for minority students who are domiciled in West Bengal. The scholarship covers students from Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Muslim, Parsi and Sikh communities. Beyond that common rule, the exact eligibility depends on the scheme.

In general, you should expect to satisfy four basic checks before you apply: community, domicile, academic eligibility and annual family income. Some schemes also require a minimum percentage in the last examination, while the Talent Support Program works differently and is meant for students who scored below 50% but continued their studies.

• You must be a domicile of West Bengal.
• You must belong to a notified minority community.
• You must be studying in an eligible class, course or institution under the scheme.
• You must fall within the prescribed annual family income limit.

Scheme-wise eligibility under Aikyashree

The main eligibility rules vary by scholarship type. Choosing the correct scheme is more important than simply applying under the portal.

For SVMCM, the student must also be continuing education in recognized institutions situated in West Bengal. The scheme has separate renewal percentage rules as well.

Aikyashree Scholarship amount by scheme

The official rate sheet shows that the amount changes by scheme, class level and sometimes residence category. In fee-based schemes, admission fee and tuition fee are subject to actuals, so the final sanctioned amount can vary within the official cap.

If you want the highest-value schemes, SVMCM for selected professional and engineering or medical courses can go up to Rs 60,000 per year, while Merit-cum-Means can go up to Rs 33,000 subject to actuals.

Detailed amount for Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means

The official rate sheet gives a more detailed structure for the core fee-reimbursement schemes.

The official rate note also says that admission and tuition fee are subject to actuals and maintenance allowance is normally payable for up to 10 months in an academic year.

Detailed amount for SVMCM and Talent Support Program

SVMCM for minorities and TSP follow separate rate structures. SVMCM depends on the course category, while TSP is a smaller stipend intended for students who continued studies despite scoring below 50% in the last exam.

How to apply online for Aikyashree Scholarship

The application is made online through the Aikyashree portal. Fresh candidates must register first, while students who already have an application ID from the previous eligible year should usually use the renewal option.

1. Go to the official Aikyashree portal.
2. Select the fresh application or renewal option as applicable.
3. Choose the district where your institution is located.
4. Enter your personal, academic and bank details carefully.
5. Select the correct scheme based on class, marks, course type and income.
6. Upload the required documents.
7. Review the form carefully and submit or lock the application.
8. Keep a copy of the submitted form and application ID for tracking.

The official guidance also makes it clear that one registration is allowed with one active bank account number, and one mobile number can be used for one registration.

Documents usually needed for Aikyashree application

The exact document set can vary by scheme, but the official guidelines repeatedly point to a few core documents. Students should keep scanned copies ready before starting the online form.

• Recent mark sheet or previous examination mark sheet
• Bank passbook or bank account details in the student's name, with Aadhaar-linked account preferred
• Annual income certificate
• Institute verification certificate where required
• Bonafide certificate for Merit-cum-Means, where applicable
• Proof of admission or current course details
• Any additional identity or supporting document asked on the portal

For SVMCM, the official guideline specifically lists previous mark sheet, institute verification certificate, annual income certificate and bank account passbook among the required documents.

Renewal rules, tracking status and who to contact

If you already received the scholarship in the previous eligible year and have an application ID, you should normally apply under the renewal category. The official guidance says applicants who received the scholarship benefit last year must apply under renewal, and first-time applicants must apply as fresh candidates.

You can track the application through the portal using your application details. If the application is stuck or rejected, the official issue-contact chart separates responsibility by stage. Institute-level issues go to the institute, district-level pending or bank-validation issues go to the District Office Minority Affairs or SDO, and state-level pending or payment problems go to WBMDFC head office.

• Pending at institute: contact your institution
• Pending at district or bank-verification stage: contact DOMA or SDO
• Pending at state level or payment issue: contact WBMDFC head office
• Official toll-free number shown on the portal: 1800-120-2130

Common mistakes that lead to rejection or delay

A large number of Aikyashree problems happen because students select the wrong scheme, use the wrong bank details, apply under fresh instead of renewal, or upload incomplete information. The official do's and don'ts also stress that one student can apply for only one government scholarship source.

• Applying under the wrong scheme for your marks or course
• Using an inactive or mismatched bank account
• Submitting a fresh form when renewal is required
• Ignoring the marks requirement of the selected scheme
• Assuming the same deadline applies to every scheme without checking the latest portal notice
• Not reviewing the application before final submission and lock

If your case involves a supplementary paper, the official SOP makes an important distinction: SVMCM is stricter, while students may still be considered afresh for Post-Matric, Merit-cum-Means or TSP if they satisfy those scheme rules after promotion or clearance, as per the applicable SOP.

Official Links

• Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department, Government of West Bengal