The National Scholarship Portal is an online portal of the Government of India. It allows the students to apply for various scholarship schemes of Central and State Governments.
In this blog post, we shall explain what this portal is, its features and benefits in detail. We shall also explain the NSP registration process in a detailed, step-by-step manner.
The NSP Portal, otherwise known as the National Scholarship Portal, is the Indian government’s flagship digital scholarship platform. It was developed by the National Informatics Centre, which is an Indian government department under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The NSP portal was launched nearly a decade ago in 2016. This portal serves as a one-stop portal for handling entire lifecycle from scholarship applications to direct fund disbursement. It functions as a dedicated Mission Mode Project under the National e-Governance Plan. The National Scholarship Portal helps students apply for different scholarship schemes in one place. It includes scholarship schemes offered by both the Central Government and State Governments.
The portal makes the scholarship process easier and more transparent. It helps maintain student records, reduce duplicate applications and bring different scholarship schemes all under one platform. NSP also uses Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to send scholarship payments directly to eligible students' bank accounts. This does away with the need for middlemen and makes payment process easier.
For the academic year 2026-27, the NSP portal officially became accessible from 1 June 2026. Using the portal, the students can apply for one merit-based scholarship and one or more welfare-based scholarships as long as they meet eligibility rules of the respective schemes.
The key features and benefits of the NSP Portal 2026 are as follows:-
Online application:- With the help of the NSP, the students can apply for scholarships online. They do not need to visit any government offices or stand in long queues.
More transparency:- The National Scholarship Portal shows information about scholarship applications received and processed. This makes the application process more open and clear compared to when the process takes place offline.
Nodal Officer details:- Students can use the portal to find contact details of nodal officers for different scholarship schemes. They can then contact such officers if they face any problem related to their application.
All information in one place:- NSP serves as a single, common portal where the students can find details of Central Government as well as State Government scholarships. There’s no need to visit multiple websites for different schemes.
Find suitable schemes to apply for:- The portal can show scholarship schemes that a student may be eligible for based on information they had provided during NSP portal registration.
Easy tracking:- With the help of National Scholarships Portal, the officials can track applications at different stages from application and verification to payment of funds to eligible students.
Financial help:- Scholarships provide financial help to eligible students for their education and other study-related expenses.
Application verification:- Scholarship applications are checked by concerned authorities. This helps make sure that eligible students receive the scholarship benefits.
Support for different students:- The portal has scholarship schemes for different groups, including SC, ST, OBC, minority communities and students with disabilities depending on the rules each scheme has.
By following the simple steps explained below, you can complete the NSP registration process as a student pretty easily:-
Step 1:- As the first step, you need to visit the official NSP website @ https://scholarships.gov.in/.
Step 2:- Once you are on the homepage, click on ‘Apply Now’ option to initiate the NSP portal registration process.
Step 3:- Carefully read the guidelines for OTR registration and then agree to the terms and conditions by ticking the checkboxes. After that, click on the ‘Next’ button.
Step 4:- Enter your registered mobile number. After that, you will receive an OTP. You need to enter this OTP carefully on the portal and then enter captcha code. Afterwards, click on the ‘Verify’ button.
Step 5:- After verification is complete, you need to complete the eKYC process. First, you need to choose your identification method (Aadhaar or EID). Then, you need to provide all the required details such as your name, date of birth and parents' names. These details must match your official identity documents.
Step 6:- Then, download the NSP OTR App and Aadhaar Face RD services on your device. Android users can download it from Play Store.
Step 7:- After that, log into the mobile app using reference number that was generated at the time of web registration. Thereafter, complete the face authentication scan.
Step 8:- After successful authentication, your OTR number and temporary password will be generated. Using them, you must conduct NPS portal login. After you login, you will be required to change your password.
Step 9:- Finally, you can use your new OTR ID and your newly created password to log into NSP portal.
Once you have successfully registered on the NSP platform as a student, you can begin applying for scholarships.
Also Read:- Deadline for NMMSS 2026-27 Scholarship
The National Scholarships Portal is a useful online platform as it helps students from all across India to apply for different scholarship schemes in one place. It covers scholarship schemes offered by both the Central Government and State Governments. The portal makes the scholarship process easier by allowing students to apply online, track their applications and find the contact details of nodal officers. Scholarships can provide financial support to students by helping them meet their education and study-related expenses.
The portal also covers different groups of students, such as SC, ST, OBC, minority communities and students having disabilities, depending on the eligibility rules of each scheme. All in all, the NSP makes the scholarship application process simpler and more transparent without the need to visit government offices or stand in long queues.
Q1. What is NSP full form?
A. NSP full form is National Scholarship Portal.
Q2. When did the Government of India launch the NSP portal?
A. The Government of India launched the NSP portal in 2016.
Q3. Can I apply for state government scholarship schemes via National Scholarships Portal NSP?
A. Yes. You can apply for the state government scholarship schemes through the National Scholarship Portal NSP. Through the same portal, you can also apply for central government scholarship schemes.
Q4. Which government department developed the NSP?
A. The National Informatics Centre, an Indian government department under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, developed the NSP.
Q5. Can I use the NSP to track the scholarship application status?
A. Yes. With the help of NSP, you can track the scholarship application status.
Q5. Is One Time Registration (OTR) number required to apply for a scholarship through NSP?
A. Yes. The students need a unique 14-digit OTR number to fill out a scholarship application on the NSP. This number is linked to Aadhaar or Aadhaar Enrolment ID and remains valid for the student’s entire academic career.
Q6. Can I apply for scholarships on NSP if I do not have an Aadhaar number?
A. Yes. You can apply for scholarships on NSP even if you do not have an Aadhaar number. You can use your Aadhaar Enrolment ID to generate your OTR number. In certain cases, students without Aadhaar details can also use their parent’s or legal guardian’s Aadhaar along with other required details.
Q7. What is the deadline to apply for National Means cum Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for the year 2026-27 through the NSP?
A. The NMMSS registration deadline for the year 2026-27 via NSP is 30 September 2026.
Sunny Goel is a Chartered Accountant (CA) and the Senior Finance & Regulatory Consultant at Registrationwala. He has expertise in accounting, taxation, finance, regulatory compliance, and insurance compliance. He writes simple and easy-to-understand content to help businesses understand financial rules, tax laws, insurance regulations, compliance requirements, and other regulatory matters.
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