MahaDBT Scholarships 2026-27: Schemes, Eligibility, How to Apply
by Government of Maharashtra (MahaDBT)
Official dates are not announced yet. The dates below are expected, based on last year's schedule.
- Expected: Register by
- Sep 2027
- Where
- Online
- Prizes
- Fee reimbursement and allowances; varies by scheme
- Who can join
- Maharashtra domicile, studying after Class 10; category and income as per scheme
MahaDBT is the Government of Maharashtra's direct benefit transfer portal for post-matric scholarships, fee reimbursement and hostel allowances for college students. For the 2026-27 academic year, fresh and renewal applications are accepted only on the new MahaDBT 2.0 portal, which began taking new applications from 1 June 2026. As of 24 October 2026, the last date for 2026-27 applications has not been announced.
Key dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 fresh applications open on MahaDBT 2.0 | 1 June 2026 | Announced |
| 2025-26 fresh and renewal applications on MahaDBT 1.0 | Up to 30 September 2026 | Closed |
| Re-submission of "Sent Back" applications from 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 (MahaDBT 1.0) | No closing date shown on the portal | Open (check portal) |
| 2026-27 last date to apply | Not announced; around September 2027 if last year's pattern repeats | Expected |
The expected date is only an estimate. It is based on the 2025-26 round, which stayed open until 30 September 2026. The government has not published a 2026-27 closing date, and colleges often set earlier internal deadlines for document checks, so apply as soon as you have your documents.
MahaDBT 1.0 or MahaDBT 2.0?
- MahaDBT 2.0 (mahadbt2.maharashtra.gov.in): the only portal for 2026-27 fresh and renewal applications.
- MahaDBT 1.0 (mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in): used for the 2025-26 year and for re-submitting applications from 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 that were "Sent Back" for correction.
The MahaDBT 2.0 home page lists 104 schemes from 14 departments, including 60 schemes for college students.
Main schemes for college students
| Scheme | Who it is for | Family income limit | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government of India Post-Matric Scholarship (Social Justice Department) | SC and Navbouddha students who have passed SSC, Class 11 onwards | Up to ₹2,50,000 | All compulsory fees (tuition, exam and other fees) plus a monthly maintenance allowance by course group, for up to 10 months |
| Post-Matric Tuition Fee and Exam Fee (Freeship) for SC students | SC and Navbouddha students; professional courses through CAP | Above ₹2,50,000 | Tuition, exam and other compulsory fees |
| Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Shulkh Shishyavrutti (EBC) | Economically backward (EBC/EWS) students; technical and professional courses through CAP (DTE), and courses under the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE) | Up to ₹8 lakh | Girls: 100% tuition and exam fee. Boys: 50% for professional courses (100% tuition in government/aided colleges if income is up to ₹2.5 lakh) |
| Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC, VJNT and SBC students | OBC, VJNT or SBC students in post-matric courses; CAP admission for professional courses | Up to ₹2.50 lakh | Tuition fee, exam fee and maintenance allowance (details below) |
| Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Vasatigruh Nirvah Bhatta (hostel allowance) | Students living in a hostel, PG or rented room; general and SEBC category | Up to ₹8 lakh (professional courses); up to ₹1 lakh (non-professional) | Up to ₹60,000 a year for professional courses, depending on city |
OBC, VJNT and SBC post-matric scholarship: key rules
- Maintenance allowance runs from admission to the end of exams and depends on course group, for example ₹425 a month for hostellers in Group A courses.
- OBC students in government or aided institutions get tuition fee, exam fee and maintenance allowance in full. In unaided institutions, tuition and exam fees are paid at 50%. Under the GR of 8 July 2024, girls get 100%.
- VJNT students get tuition fee, exam fee and maintenance allowance in full in government, aided and unaided institutions.
- 75% attendance is required. Any number of girls in a family can benefit, but only two boys of the same parents.
- Caste validity is required for professional degree and professional PG courses.
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh hostel allowance: amounts (professional courses)
| Where you study | Food | Residence | Subsistence | Total a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai city, Mumbai suburbs, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nagpur | ₹32,000 | ₹20,000 | ₹8,000 | ₹60,000 |
| Other revenue-division cities and C-class municipal areas | ₹28,000 | ₹15,000 | ₹8,000 | ₹51,000 |
| Other district places | ₹25,000 | ₹12,000 | ₹6,000 | ₹43,000 |
| Taluka places | ₹23,000 | ₹10,000 | ₹5,000 | ₹38,000 |
Under the Higher Education version of the scheme, all eligible children of registered labourers or small landholders, and all students with family income up to ₹1 lakh, are covered. Students with income above ₹1 lakh and up to ₹8 lakh compete for 500 places per district, with 33% reserved for girls.
Documents
- Maharashtra domicile certificate
- Caste certificate, and caste validity certificate where the scheme requires it (professional courses)
- Family income certificate from the competent revenue authority (Tahsildar)
- SSC, HSC and last examination marksheets
- CAP allotment letter for professional courses
- Gap certificate if you have a gap in education
- Declaration on the number of children availing the benefit (and ration card for some schemes)
- Hostel certificate or rent agreement for hostel allowance schemes
- Bank account seeded with your Aadhaar
How to apply
- Open mahadbt2.maharashtra.gov.in and register or log in as a citizen (the portal offers Aadhaar-based login).
- Make sure your Aadhaar is seeded with your bank account; the portal has a help file on Aadhaar seeding with NPCI.
- Complete your profile: personal details, income, domicile, caste, current course and past qualifications, and hostel details if relevant.
- Go to the College Students section, choose the schemes you are eligible for and apply. Upload the documents.
- Submit the application. Your college verifies it first, then the department processes it.
- Track the status with your application ID under Track Application. Money is paid by DBT to your Aadhaar-seeded bank account.
Renewal
Renewal for 2026-27 must also be done on MahaDBT 2.0. Most schemes require you to pass the previous year. For OBC and VJNT post-matric scholarships, if you fail, you do not get the benefit until you are promoted to the next class. Some schemes also do not allow a gap of two years or more during the course.
Rules that commonly make students ineligible
- Applying for 2026-27 on MahaDBT 1.0 instead of 2.0.
- Professional-course admission not made through CAP, where the scheme requires it.
- Studying at a deemed or private university, which is excluded from the Rajarshi Shahu (EBC) and Panjabrao Deshmukh schemes.
- Missing caste validity for professional courses.
- Taking another scholarship or stipend at the same time, which most of these schemes do not allow.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MahaDBT last date for 2026-27?
As of 24 October 2026, no last date has been announced for 2026-27. Applications opened on MahaDBT 2.0 on 1 June 2026. The 2025-26 round stayed open until 30 September 2026, but do not rely on a similar extension.
Should I apply on MahaDBT 1.0 or MahaDBT 2.0?
Use MahaDBT 2.0 (mahadbt2.maharashtra.gov.in) for all 2026-27 fresh and renewal applications. MahaDBT 1.0 is only for 2025-26 and for re-submitting older applications that were sent back.
What is the income limit for MahaDBT scholarships?
It depends on the scheme: up to ₹2.5 lakh for the SC post-matric scholarship and the OBC, VJNT and SBC post-matric scholarships, and up to ₹8 lakh for the Rajarshi Shahu (EBC) fee scheme and the Panjabrao Deshmukh hostel allowance for professional courses.
How much is the Panjabrao Deshmukh hostel allowance in Mumbai or Pune?
For professional courses, the scheme page lists ₹60,000 a year in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Nagpur. That is made up of ₹32,000 for food, ₹20,000 for residence and ₹8,000 subsistence.
Do girls get full fee reimbursement?
Yes, for the schemes covered here. The Rajarshi Shahu (EBC) scheme pays 100% tuition and exam fee for girls, and under the GR of 8 July 2024 OBC girls get 100% benefit. MahaDBT 2.0 also lists a free professional education scheme for girls.
My old application was sent back. Where do I re-submit it?
Applications from 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 that were sent back must be re-submitted on MahaDBT 1.0 at mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in.
Official sources
- MahaDBT 2.0 portal (home page notices)
- MahaDBT 2.0: schemes for college students
- MahaDBT 1.0 portal
- MahaDBT: Government of India Post-Matric Scholarship (SC)
- MahaDBT: Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Shulkh Shishyavrutti (DTE)
- MahaDBT: Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Shulkh Shishyavrutti (DHE)
- MahaDBT: Post-Matric Scholarship to OBC Students
- MahaDBT: Post-Matric Scholarship to VJNT Students
- MahaDBT: Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Vasatigruh Nirvah Bhatta (DHE)
Last checked 24 October 2026. Dates can change; always confirm on the official website.