The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has reported significant progress under the PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India (PM-YASASVI), which supports students from Other Backward Classes, Economically Backward Classes and Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes. Since 2014-15, the scheme has distributed over Rs 15,555 crore across multiple educational support programmes. The initiative covers scholarships at school and college levels, hostel construction and special assistance for talented students in top institutions.
What the scheme includes and the numbers
PM-YASASVI has four main components:
- Pre-Matric Scholarships: From 2014-15 to 2025-26, Rs 2,163.15 crore was released, benefiting 642.58 lakh students. In 2025-26 alone, Rs 252.21 crore covered approximately 25.22 lakh students.
- Post-Matric Scholarships: Between 2014-15 and 2025-26, Rs 12,118.75 crore was distributed to 425.66 lakh students. During 2025-26, Rs 1,138.88 crore was released for 31.29 lakh beneficiaries.
- Hostel Construction: Rs 346.79 crore created 28,865 hostel seats for boys and girls from 2014-15 to 2025-26. In 2025-26, Rs 21.06 crore added 3,700 new seats.
- Top Class Education in Schools: Since 2022-23, Rs 116.69 crore has supported 45,228 meritorious students, with coverage rising from 1,275 students in 2022-23 to 27,007 in 2025-26.
- Top Class Education in Colleges: From 2023-24 to 2025-26, Rs 810.15 crore supported 37,937 students. In 2025-26, Rs 368.86 crore covered 17,295 students in premier institutions.
What this means for you
If you belong to an OBC, EBC or DNT community and are struggling with school or college expenses, this scheme provides direct financial help to continue your education without dropping out. Students showing academic merit also get opportunities to study in leading schools and colleges with financial support for living expenses. The hostel assistance particularly helps students from distant areas access quality education in major cities and educational hubs.