Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students — Gujarat 2026
The post-matric scholarship for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in Gujarat is implemented through the Umbrella Scheme for Education of ST Students, a comprehensive Central and State Government supported scheme. It provides fee support via the Freeship Card plus maintenance allowance for ST students from Class 11 through Graduation.
Umbrella Scheme for ST Students
The Umbrella Scheme for Education of ST Students Post-Matric Scholarship provides comprehensive support for ST students pursuing post-secondary education. Two registration variants are available on the portal:
- Freeship Card students — for those who registered before admission and have a Freeship Card
- Medical Loan students — for ST medical students with specific loan provisions
Freeship Card for ST Students
Similar to the BCK-6.1 (SC) Freeship Card, ST students can register at the Digital Gujarat Portal before taking admission to generate a Freeship Card. This card allows admission to recognised colleges without upfront payment of tuition fees. Once the scholarship is released via DBT, the student pays the institution.
Register before admission at digitalgujarat.gov.in
Enter Aadhaar, intended field of study, and undertaking to pay fees once scholarship is released.
Download Freeship Card
After caste, income, and merit verification (auto-checked from interlinked databases), download the Freeship Card from the portal.
Present card at college for admission
Take admission without paying fees upfront. Pay fees to the institution once scholarship DBT is credited to your bank account.
ST Girls Scheme — VKY-156
The VKY-156 Post Matric Scholarship for ST Girls Students with annual family income more than ₹2.5 lakh provides scholarship support to ST girls who do not qualify for the main Umbrella Scheme due to slightly higher income. This is a state government scheme with separate income and benefit parameters.
Scholarship Benefits
| Component | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees | Full coverage via Freeship Card |
| Non-refundable fees | Fully covered |
| Maintenance (hosteller) | As per course group (₹600–₹1,500/month indicative) |
| Maintenance (non-hosteller) | Lower rate as per group |
| Instrumental assistance | 1st year Medical/Engineering/Diploma — tools support (VKY-164) |
Eligibility
- Must belong to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category in Gujarat
- Enrolled from Class 11 to Graduation at a recognised institution
- Annual family income ≤ ₹2.5 lakh per year
- Permanent Gujarat resident with valid domicile certificate
- Valid ST caste certificate (from Mamlatdar, up to 3 years validity)
Documents Required
Aadhaar Card
Identity + DBT seeding
Caste Certificate
From Mamlatdar
Income Certificate
Annual family income from Mamlatdar
Domicile Certificate
Gujarat resident proof
Bonafide / Enrolment Certificate
From current institution
Fee Receipt / Fee Structure
Current year fees
Bank Passbook
Account + IFSC — Aadhaar-seeded
Passport-size Photo
Recent, max 200 KB
How to Apply
Register / Log in at digitalgujarat.gov.in
Visit digitalgujarat.gov.in → New Registration or log in. Verify via OTP.
Complete My Profile
Log in → My Profile → fill all sections: personal details, address, category, family income, Aadhaar, bank account, upload photo. Mandatory.
Service tab → Scholarship Services → select scheme
Click Service → Scholarship Services → select your category → choose scheme → select academic year → Apply.
Fill form, upload documents, submit
Complete all fields. Upload clear scans (max 200 KB). Agree to terms. Save as Draft → Submit. Note reference number.
Institute verification & DBT payment
College verifies online. On approval, DBT disbursed to Aadhaar-linked bank. Track under Service Request.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students in Gujarat is implemented as the Umbrella Scheme for Education of ST Students. It covers Class 11 to Graduation with full tuition fees via Freeship Card plus maintenance allowance. Income limit: Rs 2.5 lakh per year. ST girls with income above Rs 2.5 lakh can apply under the VKY-156 scheme. Apply at digitalgujarat.gov.in under ST Scholarship Services.
Similar to the SC Freeship Card (BCK-6.1), the Umbrella Scheme for ST students also provides a Freeship Card in Gujarat. ST students register at digitalgujarat.gov.in BEFORE taking admission, and a Freeship Card is issued allowing admission to recognised institutions without paying tuition or hostel fees upfront. Fees are paid once the scholarship amount is credited to the student's bank account via DBT.
VKY-156 is the Post Matric Scholarship for ST Girl Students having annual family income more than Rs 2.50 lakh. It is a state government scheme providing scholarship support to ST girls from slightly higher-income families who exceed the main Rs 2.5 lakh limit. Apply at digitalgujarat.gov.in under ST scholarship services.
The Umbrella Scheme for Education of ST Students (main post-matric scheme): annual family income must not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh (Rs 2,50,000) per year. For VKY-156 (ST Girls with income above Rs 2.5 lakh): applicable for income between Rs 2.5 lakh and higher limits — check current year notification. All income certificates must be issued by the Mamlatdar office.