Part 5: Financial Aid, Scholarships & Quotas

Instructions: Money and admission requirements should never stop you from pursuing your education. As a CCI youth, you may be eligible for special financial support and reserved seats. Read through the options below with your Facilitator and note down which ones apply to you.

A. Schemes Specifically for Care Leavers & Orphaned Children

Scheme	Who Is It For?	What It Offers
PM CARES for Children Scheme	Children who lost both parents/legal guardian/adoptive parents to COVID-19 or other causes covered under the scheme.	₹10 lakh corpus payable at age 23, ₹20,000/year education scholarship (Class 1–12), monthly stipend from age 18–23, free health insurance (₹5 lakh cover), free education support in select schools.
Mission Vatsalya – Aftercare Support	Youth (18–21 years, extendable) transitioning out of Child Care Institutions (CCIs).	Support for higher education, vocational training, scholarships, hostel/housing assistance, and help finding employment after leaving the CCI.
State Aftercare Schemes(e.g., Karnataka ICPS Aftercare)	Care leavers from CCIs in the respective state.	Accommodation, higher education and vocational training support, scholarships, and monthly financial assistance until independent settlement.

B. Caste-Based & Category Reservation (Quotas)

Instructions: Reservation quotas set aside a percentage of seats in colleges, universities, and government jobs for candidates from specific categories. Know your category. It can significantly improve your admission and job chances.

Category	Typical Reservation in Education & Government Jobs	Documents Usually Needed
Scheduled Caste (SC)	15%	Caste certificate issued by Tahsildar/Revenue Department
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	7.5%	Tribe certificate issued by Tahsildar/Revenue Department
Other Backward Classes (OBC – Non-Creamy Layer)	27%	OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) certificate, renewed periodically
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)	10%	EWS certificate (for General category candidates with family income below ₹8 lakh/year, not covered under SC/ST/OBC)
Persons with Disabilities (PwD)	4–5%	Disability certificate from a government medical board

Note: Reservation percentages can vary slightly by state, institution, and whether it is a central or state-run college. Together, these quotas make up about 49.5–60% of seats in many government institutions. Ask your Facilitator or CCI Staff to help you find out your exact category and the reservation rules in your state.

Special Quotas for Orphans/Care Leavers: Some states and universities now offer additional reservation specifically for orphans, for example, a 1% quota in Maharashtra for education and government jobs, and a special orphan quota introduced by Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU). Many private universities (like LPU) also run their own Orphan Financial Aid Schemes offering full or partial fee waivers. Ask your Facilitator to check if similar quotas exist at colleges you are interested in.

C. Scholarships & Fee Waivers

Scholarship/Aid	Where to Apply	What It Covers
National Scholarship Portal (NSP)	scholarships.gov.in	A single government portal listing central and state scholarships across categories (merit-based, minority, disability, income-based). Apply once and check which schemes you qualify for.
IGNOU Fee Exemption Scheme	IGNOU Regional Centre / Website	Full or partial tuition fee waiver for SC/ST students and low-income families on select undergraduate programs.
State Post-Matric Scholarships	State Social Welfare Department	Financial assistance for SC/ST/OBC/Minority students studying after Class 10, covering tuition, hostel, and maintenance costs.
University/College-Specific Aid(e.g., Orphan Financial Aid Schemes)	Individual college admission/financial aid office	Many colleges and universities offer dedicated fee waivers or scholarships for orphaned or single-parent students ; always ask the admissions office directly.

Many colleges and universities offer dedicated fee waivers or scholarships for orphaned or single-parent students ; always ask the admissions office directly.

D. My Financial Aid Checklist

Instructions: Work with your Facilitator or CCI Staff to identify which of these apply to you, and note down the documents you will need to collect in advance.

☐ I know my caste/category (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/General):

☐ I have (or am applying for) my caste/category certificate.

☐ I have registered on the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in).

☐ I have collected my 10th/12th certificate and marksheet (if applicable).

☐ I have noted down my registration numbers for NIOS/IGNOU.

☐ I have recorded the phone number and email ID used for my applications.

☐ I have checked if I am eligible for PM CARES for Children Scheme.

☐ I have discussed Aftercare Scheme support with my CCI Staff.

☐ I have asked my target college/university about orphan-specific fee waivers or quotas.

My Category (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/General): ________________________________________

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Scholarships/Aid I plan to apply for: ________________________________________

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Reminder: Your Facilitator or CCI Staff can help you gather documents, fill forms, and apply for these schemes. Don't hesitate to ask for support; accessing financial aid is your right, not a favor.

Institution	Unit / Purpose	Phone Number(s)	Email ID	Website
NIOS	Learner Support Centre – all India (toll-free, admission/enrolment & general queries)	1800 180 9393	lsc@nios.ac.in	www.nios.ac.in
NIOS	HQ reception (central contact, can route calls)	0120 4089800	-	www.nios.ac.in
IGNOU	Centralised Student Registration Cell – online admission/registration help	011 29571528;011 29571301	csrc@ignou.ac.in	www.ignou.ac.in
IGNOU	Student Service Centre – general student enquiries (including enrolment issues)	011 29572513;011 29572514	ssc@ignou.ac.in	ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in/
IGNOU	Generic university contact (central)	011 29571000 (telephone exchange)	ignou@ignou.ac.in	ignouiop.samarth.edu.in/