Overview

PM YASASVI (Prime Minister Young Achievers’ Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India) is a comprehensive umbrella scholarship scheme launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) for students belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Backward Classes (EBC), and Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT/SNT). The scheme consolidates five sub-schemes under a single umbrella to provide end-to-end educational support from Class IX through higher education.

The scheme is one of the largest scholarship programmes for backward classes in India. In FY 2023-24 alone, the Pre-Matric Scholarship component disbursed ₹193.83 crore benefiting 19.86 lakh students, while the Post-Matric Scholarship released ₹988.05 crore benefiting 27.97 lakh students. The family income ceiling for eligibility is ₹2.5 lakh per annum.

Parameter Details
Type Centrally Sponsored Scheme
Ministry Social Justice and Empowerment
Target Groups OBC, EBC, DNT/SNT students
Income Limit ₹2,50,000 per annum (family)
Selection (Top Class) YASASVI Entrance Test (YET) by NTA
Application Portal National Scholarship Portal (NSP)

Five Sub-Schemes

1. Pre-Matric Scholarship (Class IX-X)

  • For OBC, EBC and DNT students studying in Class IX and X in government schools only
  • Academic allowance of ₹4,000 per year
  • Family income must be below ₹2.5 lakh per annum
  • Applied through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP)

2. Post-Matric Scholarship

  • For students pursuing post-matriculation courses (Class XI and above)
  • Academic allowance ranges from ₹5,000 to ₹20,000 per year depending on course category
  • Covers tuition fees, maintenance allowance, and other charges
  • Largest component by expenditure — ₹988.05 crore released in FY 2023-24

3. Top Class School Education (Class 9-12)

  • Financial support for OBC, EBC and DNT students in premium/top-performing schools
  • Class 9-10: Up to ₹75,000 per year
  • Class 11-12: Up to ₹1,25,000 per year
  • Covers school fees, hostel charges, and incidental expenses
  • Selection through YASASVI Entrance Test (YET) conducted by NTA

4. Top Class College Education

  • Full financial support for students admitted to notified premier institutions
  • Covers tuition fees, living expenses, books, and computer/laptop allowance
  • Family income ceiling of ₹8 lakh per annum
  • List of eligible institutions notified by MoSJE

5. Construction of Hostels for OBC Boys and Girls

  • Focus on providing hostel facilities, especially in rural and semi-urban areas
  • Grants-in-aid to State Governments, UT Administrations, Central/State universities, and NGOs
  • Priority for areas with concentration of OBC/EBC/DNT populations

Key Features

  • Single umbrella framework merging previously scattered scholarship schemes for backward classes
  • Digital application through National Scholarship Portal (NSP) — reduces delays and ensures transparency
  • Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) — scholarship amounts transferred directly to student bank accounts
  • NTA-based selection for Top Class components ensures merit-based, transparent selection
  • No entrance test for Pre-Matric and Post-Matric — merit-based selection through academic performance

Latest Developments

  • 2025-26: The YASASVI Entrance Test (YET) for Top Class School Education was cancelled — students are now selected on the basis of academic merit rather than a separate entrance exam
  • 2024-25: Online registration for PM-YASASVI OBC Pre-Matric, Post-Matric, and SC Pre-Matric, Post-Matric scholarships opened on NSP
  • FY 2023-24: ₹193.83 crore released under Pre-Matric (19.86 lakh beneficiaries); ₹988.05 crore released under Post-Matric (27.97 lakh beneficiaries)
  • State-level implementation expanded — Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Manipur among states actively processing PM-YASASVI applications for 2025-26
  • Shift to NSP: All applications now routed exclusively through the National Scholarship Portal for end-to-end digital processing

Prelims Importance

  • PM YASASVI is an umbrella scheme with 5 sub-schemes — frequently tested in match-the-following format
  • Implemented by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE)
  • Income ceiling: ₹2.5 lakh per annum for Pre-Matric and Post-Matric; ₹8 lakh for Top Class College Education
  • Selection for Top Class components was through NTA’s YASASVI Entrance Test (YET) — now shifted to merit-based
  • Target groups: OBC, EBC, and DNT/SNT — not SC/ST (those are covered under SHREYAS)
  • Application through National Scholarship Portal (NSP)
  • Scholarship range: ₹4,000 to ₹1,25,000 per year depending on component

Mains and Interview Importance

GS Paper 2 — Social Justice, Welfare Schemes:

  • How does PM YASASVI address the educational backwardness of OBC/EBC/DNT communities? Discuss with reference to the Mandal Commission recommendations and constitutional provisions under Articles 15(4) and 46.
  • Critically examine the shift from entrance-test-based selection to merit-based selection under PM YASASVI. Does this improve access or dilute quality?
  • Compare PM YASASVI (for OBC/EBC/DNT) with SHREYAS (for SC). How do these schemes complement each other in building an inclusive education ecosystem?

Interview Angle:

“The PM YASASVI scheme covers OBC, EBC and DNT students but not SC/ST students — why this separate categorisation, and does it lead to better targeting or administrative fragmentation?”

Sources: MoSJE Official, PIB, National Scholarship Portal