OBC Hostel Scheme Statistics 2026: Budget and Spending by Year
· 2 min read · 1 official source
The Social Justice Ministry spent Rs 31.82 crore on hostels for OBC boys and girls in 2024-25 and sanctioned Rs 7.85 crore for new hostels in 2025-26. Spending has stayed below the revised budget in most years. Year-wise budget and expenditure from the Ministry's Annual Report 2025-26 are below.
Construction of Hostels for OBC Boys and Girls: key numbers
Infographic
Budget and spending on OBC hostels, 2021-22 to 2025-26
Revised estimate and total expenditure by the Ministry under PM YASASVI, Construction of Hostels for OBC Boys and Girls. The 2025-26 spending is up to 31 December 2025.
| Year | Revised estimate (Rs crore) | Expenditure (Rs crore) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 30.00 | 18.78 |
| 2022-23 | 20.00 | 18.80 |
| 2023-24 | 45.00 | 14.41 |
| 2024-25 | 40.00 | 31.82 |
| 2025-26 (to 31 Dec) | 40.00 | 18.92 |
Source: socialjustice.gov.in, as on 31 December 2025
How an OBC hostel gets funded
What the numbers show
The hostel scheme for OBC students is now part of PM YASASVI. It pays States, Union Territories and top ranked institutions to build hostels so that OBC students from rural areas can study further from home. In 2025-26 the Ministry sanctioned Rs 7.85 crore for new hostels, and its total spending under the scheme was Rs 18.92 crore by 31 December 2025.
The trend over the years
Spending was Rs 18.78 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 18.80 crore in 2022-23, then fell to Rs 14.41 crore in 2023-24 even though the revised budget that year was Rs 45 crore. It rose to Rs 31.82 crore in 2024-25, the highest in the table. In most years the Ministry spent well below the revised estimate. This usually happens in construction schemes when States do not send utilisation certificates or reach the stage needed for the next instalment on time.
How the money is shared
According to the Annual Report 2025-26, the Centre and States share the cost of boys' hostels 60:40, while the Centre pays 90 per cent for girls' hostels. Union Territories get full central funding, and North Eastern States, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand get 90 per cent. Institutions ranked in the latest NIRF rankings get 100 per cent. The cost norm is Rs 3.00 lakh per seat, or Rs 3.50 lakh in North Eastern and Himalayan regions.
Rules on time
Work must be completed within 18 months of the work order or two years of the first release, whichever is earlier, and the time cannot be extended beyond two years. Any cost escalation from delay is borne by the State or institute.
What the figures do not tell you
The Annual Report gives money sanctioned and spent but not the number of hostels or seats completed in each year, so the spending figures cannot be read as seats added. Spending in one year can relate to hostels sanctioned several years earlier.
Where to check the numbers
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment publishes these figures each year in its Annual Report on socialjustice.gov.in.
Frequently asked questions
How much is spent on OBC hostels every year?
The Ministry spent Rs 18.78 crore in 2021-22, Rs 18.80 crore in 2022-23, Rs 14.41 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 31.82 crore in 2024-25, according to its Annual Report 2025-26.
How much was sanctioned for OBC hostels in 2025-26?
Rs 7.85 crore was sanctioned for construction of hostels for OBC boys and girls during 2025-26. Total spending up to 31 December 2025 was Rs 18.92 crore against a revised estimate of Rs 40 crore.
What is the cost allowed per hostel seat?
The Annual Report 2025-26 gives Rs 3.50 lakh per seat in North Eastern and Himalayan regions and Rs 3.00 lakh per seat in the rest of the country.
Who pays for an OBC hostel?
The Centre pays 60 per cent for boys' hostels and 90 per cent for girls' hostels in States. Union Territories get 100 per cent, North Eastern States, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand 90 per cent, and NIRF ranked institutions 100 per cent.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: Construction of Hostels for OBC Boys and Girls full guide
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Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages:
- socialjustice.gov.in (socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/71441776233188.pdf)