Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh state government scheme
Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna pays Rs 18,000 a year to girl students of Balmiki families engaged in unclean occupations in Himachal Pradesh, from beyond matriculation up to college and professional courses. Unlike the state's merit scholarships it has no rank cut-off, and claims are filed online on the HP ePASS portal.
What is the Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna?
Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna is a state-sponsored scholarship of the Government of Himachal Pradesh, administered by the Department of Education through the Directorate of Higher Education, Shimla. The scheme, also written as Maharishi Balmiki Chatravriti Yojana, is targeted at girl students from Balmiki families engaged in unclean occupations, and it exists to keep those girls in education past the matriculation stage where the drop-out rate is highest.
According to the Directorate of Higher Education's state-sponsored schemes page, the scholarship is given to girl students of Balmiki families engaged in unclean occupations, is worth Rs 18,000 per year after the 2022-23 revision, and covers study beyond matric to college level, including professional courses at the level of college situated in Himachal Pradesh.
The scheme is different in character from the state's better-known merit awards. Swami Vivekanand Utkrisht Chhatravriti Yojna and Dr. Ambedkar Medhavi Chhatravriti Yojna both work off a ranked list with a fixed number of seats. Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna has no merit cut-off and no announced cap on the number of scholarships. Eligibility is decided by community, occupation and enrolment, which means an average student from a qualifying family is as entitled to the money as a topper.
Main features
- 100 per cent funded by the Government of Himachal Pradesh.
- Rs 18,000 per year, paid by direct benefit transfer.
- Girl students only.
- No merit rank required and no published ceiling on the number of awards.
- Covers post-matric study through college and college-level professional courses.
Who is eligible for the Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna?
You are eligible if:
- You are a girl student and a bonafide resident of Himachal Pradesh.
- Your family belongs to the Balmiki community and is engaged in an unclean occupation, certified by the competent revenue or local body authority.
- You have passed matriculation and are enrolled as a regular student in a post-matric, college or college-level professional or technical course.
- Your institution can issue a bonafide student certificate for the current year.
- You hold a savings bank account in your own name that can receive DBT.
You are not eligible if:
- You are male. Boys cannot apply under this scheme.
- Your family does not belong to the Balmiki community, or is not engaged in an unclean occupation, however low the household income may be.
- You are still in pre-matric classes, since this scheme begins beyond matriculation. Central pre-matric support for children of families in unclean occupations covers that stage.
- You are not a bonafide resident of Himachal Pradesh.
- You are not currently enrolled, because the scholarship is payable only while you are studying.
- You are already drawing another scholarship for the same course and year.
What documents are required?
| Document | Mandatory | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unclean occupation / Balmiki family certificate | Yes | The defining document; from the Tehsildar or competent authority |
| Caste certificate | Yes | From an officer of Tehsildar rank or above |
| Bonafide or residence certificate | Yes | Proof of Himachali residence |
| Previous marksheet | Yes | Qualification on which the present admission was taken |
| Bonafide student certificate | Yes | From the present institution, for the current year |
| Aadhaar card | Yes | For ePASS registration and DBT seeding |
| Bank passbook | Yes | Savings account in the student's own name |
| Passport-size photograph | Yes | Uploaded online and on the hard copy |
How to apply for the Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna
- Get the occupation certificate first. This is the step that delays most claims. Apply to the Tehsildar for a certificate that the family belongs to the Balmiki community and is engaged in an unclean occupation, carrying the employment record of the parent from the municipal body, cantonment board or panchayat.
- Confirm your admission in a post-matric, college or professional course and obtain the bonafide student certificate from the head of the institution.
- Register on the HP ePASS portal at hpepass.cgg.gov.in with your Aadhaar number and an active mobile number for OTP verification.
- Select the state-sponsored scheme "Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna" and fill the application with personal, course, institution and bank details.
- Upload the scanned documents, the occupation and caste certificates, bonafide certificate, previous marksheet, Aadhaar, passbook and photograph, then submit the form online.
- Print the submitted application and hand it, with self-attested copies, to the head of the institution for verification and onward forwarding to the District Higher Education office.
- Follow the case on the portal until sanction, after which Rs 18,000 is credited to the recorded bank account.
- Reapply each year you continue in the course, with a fresh bonafide certificate and the previous year's result.
How to apply if you cannot file online yourself
- Ask the scholarship in-charge at your school or college to file the form on the institutional ePASS login while you are present with the documents.
- Or use a Lok Mitra Kendra or common service centre to complete the online form, then carry the printout to the institution.
- Keep the acknowledgement carrying the application number, it is the only proof the claim was filed inside the window.
How do I check my application status?
Log in to the student account on hpepass.cgg.gov.in and open the status page, which shows whether the case is pending with the institution, verified at the district, sanctioned or released. Where the case has not moved for weeks, the usual cause is that the printed hard copy has not reached the office or the occupation certificate has been questioned. For sanction or payment problems, contact the Directorate of Higher Education, Shimla on 0177-2656621 or dhe-sml-hp@gov.in, Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm.
Why claims get rejected
- No unclean occupation certificate, or one that names the community but not the occupation. Verifying officers treat these as different facts.
- Certificate issued by a junior official rather than by the Tehsildar or competent authority.
- Hard copy not deposited with the institution after online submission.
- Bonafide student certificate missing or stale, especially in renewal years.
- Bank account in a parent's or guardian's name, which causes the DBT to fail.
- Course not covered, for example a pre-matric class, or a coaching or private certification that is not a recognised college-level course.
Key dates and renewal
Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna is claimed session by session. The Directorate of Higher Education notifies the ePASS window for state-sponsored schemes each academic year and publishes the notice on education.hp.gov.in; no permanent statewide last date is announced in advance. A student who intends to draw the scholarship through a full degree must file afresh each year, so the practical routine is to renew the bonafide certificate in the first weeks of the new session and file as soon as the ePASS window opens.
Where to complain
Grievances go first to the head of the institution, then to the District Higher Education office, then to the Directorate of Higher Education, Shimla on 0177-2656621 or dhe-sml-hp@gov.in. Difficulties in obtaining the unclean occupation certificate itself are a revenue matter and are taken up with the Tehsildar and, on appeal, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. Portal faults go to the ePASS helpdesk contact published on hpepass.cgg.gov.in.
No fee is chargeable at any stage of this scholarship, and no agent can claim payment for arranging a certificate or a sanction.
Documents required
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna pay?
Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna pays Rs 18,000 per year, a rate revised with effect from the 2022-23 session by the Directorate of Higher Education, Himachal Pradesh. The amount is paid by direct benefit transfer into the student's own bank account.
Who exactly qualifies as a Balmiki family engaged in an unclean occupation?
The scheme covers girl students whose families belong to the Balmiki community and are engaged in unclean occupations, in practice sanitation and scavenging work. The proof is a certificate from the Tehsildar or competent authority, usually backed by an employment certificate from the municipal body, cantonment board or panchayat that employs the parent.
Is this a merit scholarship with a rank cut-off?
No. Unlike Swami Vivekanand Utkrisht Chhatravriti Yojna or Dr. Ambedkar Medhavi Chhatravriti Yojna, this scheme has no merit list and no fixed number of awards. Every eligible girl student who applies and is verified can be sanctioned, which is why the Directorate lists no cap against it.
Which courses are covered?
Study beyond matriculation up to college level is covered, including professional courses at college level in institutions situated in Himachal Pradesh. That includes plus-two, degree courses and professional and technical college courses.
Can boys from Balmiki families apply?
No. Maharishi Balmiki Chhatravriti Yojna is restricted to girl students, so boys are not eligible under this particular scheme. Boys from Scheduled Caste families in Himachal Pradesh may instead be eligible for Dr. Ambedkar Medhavi Chhatravriti Yojna if they rank in the top 1,250 SC matriculation positions, or for the central post-matric SC scholarship.
Where do I apply for this scholarship?
Online on the Himachal Pradesh ePASS scholarship portal at hpepass.cgg.gov.in, under the state-sponsored schemes list. The printed form and self-attested documents are then submitted to the head of the institution, who forwards the case to the District Higher Education office.
Is there a family income ceiling?
No income ceiling is stated in the Directorate of Higher Education's description of the scheme. Eligibility turns on the family's community and occupation rather than on a rupee income figure.
Can this be combined with the central pre-matric scholarship for children of families in unclean occupations?
Generally no for the same year and course, because two scholarships cannot be drawn for the same course. The central scheme for children of families engaged in unclean occupations largely covers pre-matric study, while this state scheme starts beyond matriculation, so in practice they follow one another rather than overlap.
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