Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC Students

What is the Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC Students?

The Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC Students is a Central Sector scheme of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. According to the scheme guidelines, it provides good-quality coaching to economically disadvantaged Scheduled Caste and Other Backward Class students so that they can compete on equal terms in examinations for government jobs and admission to professional and technical courses.

The Free Coaching Scheme pays the coaching fee to empanelled institutes and gives selected students a monthly stipend of Rs 4,000 for the duration of coaching, up to a maximum of 12 months. The scheme is fully funded by the central government and delivered through central universities, institutions and empanelled coaching centres, with the Dr Ambedkar Foundation involved in implementation.

The scheme responds to a simple problem: private coaching for competitive exams is expensive, and students from SC and OBC families often cannot afford it. By covering the coaching cost and adding a living-expense stipend, the scheme aims to raise the representation of these communities in the civil services, public-sector jobs and professional courses.

Key features

• Coaching fee paid to empanelled institutes on the student's behalf.
• Monthly stipend of Rs 4,000 for up to 12 months.
• Around 3,500 students supported each year.
• At least 70% of slots for SC candidates; 30% earmarked for women.
• One-time incentive for candidates who clear the Civil Services main examination.

Who is eligible for the Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC Students?

You can apply if:

• You belong to a Scheduled Caste or Other Backward Class community.
• Your total family income from all sources is Rs 8 lakh or less per year.
• You meet the minimum educational qualification for the examination you want to prepare for.
• You are applying for a coaching course offered by an empanelled institute under the scheme.

You cannot apply if:

• Your family income exceeds Rs 8 lakh per annum.
• You do not belong to the SC or OBC category (there are separate schemes for other groups, such as minorities).
• You have already availed the benefit of this scheme twice, the scheme is not meant to fund repeated attempts indefinitely.
• You do not meet the eligibility conditions of the target exam itself.

Where the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available seats, selection is on merit within each category. A per-institute cap (of the order of 100 seats) prevents any single centre from cornering the slots.

What documents are required for the Free Coaching Scheme?

How to apply for the Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC Students

1. Identify a coaching institute empanelled under the scheme for the exam you want to prepare for. The list of empanelled institutes is issued by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
2. Approach the institute and fill in the scheme application/admission form, attaching your caste certificate, income certificate and educational marksheets.
3. Provide your Aadhaar number and Aadhaar-seeded bank details so the stipend can be paid by Direct Benefit Transfer.
4. The institute forwards eligible candidates to the Department / Dr Ambedkar Foundation, which finalises the merit-based selection within the SC and OBC quotas.
5. On selection, begin the coaching; the stipend is credited monthly to your bank account for the duration of the course, up to 12 months.

Because the delivery model runs through empanelled institutes rather than a single citizen-facing portal, always confirm the current list of institutes and the exact application steps with the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment before paying any money to a coaching centre.

How much benefit does the Free Coaching Scheme provide?

The scheme's two main components are the coaching fee, paid to the empanelled institute up to a ceiling that varies by exam type, and a monthly stipend of Rs 4,000 paid to the student for up to 12 months. Students who clear the main stage of the Civil Services examination are also eligible for a one-time success incentive.

The stipend is paid by Direct Benefit Transfer into the student's Aadhaar-linked bank account, which is why an Aadhaar-seeded account is a practical requirement even though the coaching fee itself goes to the institute.

Help and where to check details

The Free Coaching Scheme's slot numbers, empanelled-institute list and any revision in the stipend or fee ceilings are notified periodically by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. Confirm the current guidelines on socialjustice.gov.in and the grants portal at grants-msje.gov.in before applying. The scheme itself is free — no empanelled institute should charge you the coaching fee that the government pays on your behalf.