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Scholarships for SC/ST students in Tamil Nadu 2026 — government schemes, amounts, eligibility, and how to apply for engineering and college. → Genie.
Last verified: May 2026
Caveat: Education and admission guidance can change by year, category, counselling round and official notification. Verify final decisions with official sources.
Sources: StudAI editorial review, TNEA guide
Quick Answer: SC/ST students in Tamil Nadu have access to comprehensive scholarship coverage: Tamil Nadu SC/ST Post-Matric Scholarship covers full fee + monthly stipend (₹1,200–2,500/month), Central Government Post-Matric Scholarship adds additional support, Ambedkar Fellowship for advanced studies, and Tamil Nadu has 18% SC + 1% ST reservation in government engineering seats. Most government engineering fees are effectively zero for SC/ST students after scholarships.
| Scheme | Amount | Coverage | How to Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| TN SC/ST Post-Matric Scholarship | Full fee + ₹2,000–2,500/month stipend | Degree/diploma students, income below ₹2.5 lakh | Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Portal |
| Central Post-Matric Scholarship (SC) | Full fee + maintenance allowance | SC students, income below ₹2.5 lakh | National Scholarship Portal |
| Central Post-Matric Scholarship (ST) | Full fee + maintenance allowance | ST students, income below ₹2.5 lakh | National Scholarship Portal |
| Dr. Ambedkar National Merit Scholarship | ₹12,000–24,000/year | Top SC students in Class 10 state board | National Scholarship Portal |
| Rajiv Gandhi Fellowship (PhD) | ₹28,000/month (JRF rate) | SC/ST PhD students at universities | UGC portal |
| Tamil Nadu Adi-Dravidar Welfare Scholarship | Various schemes by department | SC students in Tamil Nadu | TN Adi-Dravidar Welfare portal |
| Category | TNEA Reservation | Effective Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 18% of seats | Significantly lower cutoff for same college+branch |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 1% of seats | Lowest cutoff threshold in reservation categories |
| SC Arunthathiyar | 3% within SC 18% | Sub-reservation within SC category |
Tamil Nadu government has effectively made engineering education free for SC/ST students in government and government-aided colleges through the combination of:
SC/ST students at government engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu typically pay ₹0 in tuition and receive ₹2,000–2,500/month living stipend.
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Try Orin FreeGenerally no — you cannot double-claim the same fee coverage from two government sources. However, you may be eligible for one primary scholarship (covering fees) and a separate fellowship or merit scholarship (for merit-based additional support). The scholarships portal prevents double-dipping on fee coverage but allows supplementary merit awards.
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