Financial Support to the Students of NER for Higher Professional Courses (NEC Merit Scholarship)
National Scholarship Portal (NSP)
Application deadline
Check the official page
Overview
The NEC Merit Scholarship — officially "Financial Support to the Students of N.E.R for Higher Professional Courses" — is run by the North Eastern Council (NEC) under the Ministry of DoNER. It helps students from the North Eastern Region pay for higher professional and technical studies (diploma, degree, post-graduate, M.Phil and Ph.D).
The award is purely merit-based. A merit list is prepared from the marks you score in your qualifying exam, and seats are shared out level-of-course-wise across the states. For M.Phil and Ph.D, selection also considers whether your research topic relates to problems or issues of the North East Region.
There is no reservation or quota by category, religion, or gender — anyone who meets the rules can apply. Your parent's or guardian's total annual income from all sources must not be more than ₹8 lakh.
The present yearly rates are: Diploma ₹20,000, Degree ₹22,000, Post Graduate ₹25,000, and M.Phil/Ph.D ₹30,000. The scholarship covers the normal length of your course, but you must fill a renewal form on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) every year to keep it. M.Phil support runs for 2 years and Ph.D for 3 years.
You apply online at the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in). At the time of writing, NSP shows this scheme as "not yet opened," so check the portal for the exact opening and closing dates.
At a glance
| Who can apply | ITI/diploma, UG, PG, PhD |
|---|---|
| Streams | — |
| Category | All |
| Age | — |
| Income limit | up to ₹8,00,000 / year |
| Gender | — |
| States | Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura |
| Benefit / amount | Diploma ₹20,000/year; Degree ₹22,000/year; Post Graduate ₹25,000/year; M.Phil/Ph.D ₹30,000/year (rates subject to revision by NEC) |
| Duration | M.Phil: 2 years; Ph.D: 3 years; other courses: the prescribed duration of the course, subject to yearly renewal on NSP |
| Renewable | Yes |
| Last date | See official page |
| Opened | — |
How you're selected
Purely merit-based. The merit list is prepared from the marks obtained in the qualifying exam, complying with the level-of-course-wise slots allotted to each state. For M.Phil/Ph.D, selection is based on a research topic/synopsis relevant to problems or issues of the North East Region.
FAQs
Who can apply? Students from the North Eastern Region studying higher professional courses (diploma, degree, PG, M.Phil or Ph.D) whose parent/guardian's annual income from all sources is not more than ₹8 lakh. There is no reservation by category, religion, or gender.
How much money do I get? Present yearly rates are: Diploma ₹20,000, Degree ₹22,000, Post Graduate ₹25,000, and M.Phil/Ph.D ₹30,000 per year. The rates can be revised by NEC from time to time.
How are students selected? Purely on merit. The merit list is made from the marks you got in your qualifying exam, filling the course-wise slots allotted to each state. For M.Phil/Ph.D, your research topic must relate to issues of the North East Region.
What is the last date to apply? The official FAQ says closure dates are shown on the National Scholarship Portal. At the time of writing NSP lists this scheme as "not yet opened," so no current last date is published yet — please check the official notification on scholarships.gov.in.
Can I renew it every year? Yes. You must fill a renewal form on NSP each year of your course. Renewal needs conditions like passing the year and not changing your institute or subject. M.Phil support is for 2 years and Ph.D for 3 years.
How do I apply? Apply online at the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in). New students register through "Student Login" to get a Permanent Registration ID; existing students use the renewal option.