National Fellowship for PwD Statistics: Fellows and Funds by Year
· 1 min read · 2 official sources
The National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities funded 447 research scholars with Rs 24.12 crore in 2024-25, according to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. Since 2015-16 it has released Rs 267.85 crore to 5,839 fellows. Year-wise figures and a comparison with other disability scholarships are below.
National Fellowship for Students with Disabilities: key numbers
Infographic
National Fellowship for PwD: fellows and funds by year
Amount released and number of beneficiaries under the National Fellowships component of the scholarships for students with disabilities, as published by DEPwD in December 2025.
| Year | Fellows funded | Amount released (Rs crore) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 527 | 19.97 |
| 2016-17 | 589 | 19.26 |
| 2017-18 | 666 | 30.24 |
| 2018-19 | 566 | 19.86 |
| 2019-20 | 537 | 20.98 |
| 2020-21 | 551 | 28.69 |
| 2021-22 | 669 | 29.27 |
| 2022-23 | 654 | 40.53 |
| 2023-24 | 633 | 34.93 |
| 2024-25 | 447 | 24.12 |
Source: cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in, as on 31 March 2025
Disability scholarship schemes compared (2024-25)
Amount released and beneficiaries in 2024-25 under each component of the umbrella scholarship scheme for students with disabilities.
| Scheme | Amount released (Rs crore) | Beneficiaries |
|---|---|---|
| Post-Matric | 37.29 | 11,668 |
| National Fellowships | 24.12 | 447 |
| Top Class Education | 13.03 | 833 |
| Pre-Matric | 10.22 | 9,938 |
| National Overseas | 3.89 | 13 |
| Free Coaching | 0.55 | 101 |
Source: cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in, as on 31 March 2025
How a scholar gets the fellowship
What the numbers show
The National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities supports MPhil and PhD scholars with benchmark disabilities. Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) figures published in December 2025 show 447 fellows were funded in 2024-25, with Rs 24.12 crore released. Over the ten years from 2015-16 to 2024-25, the scheme released Rs 267.85 crore to 5,839 fellows in all.
The trend over the years
The number of fellows paid each year was fairly steady, between 527 and 669, from 2015-16 to 2023-24. Spending rose faster than headcount, from about Rs 20 crore a year in the early years to a peak of Rs 40.53 crore in 2022-23. In 2024-25 the number of fellows paid fell to 447, the lowest in the ten-year series, and the money released fell to Rs 24.12 crore.
Compared with other disability scholarships
The fellowship is one of six parts of the umbrella scholarship scheme for students with disabilities. In 2024-25 it took Rs 24.12 crore, second only to Post-Matric scholarships at Rs 37.29 crore. Post-Matric reached 11,668 students and Pre-Matric 9,938, while the fellowship reached 447. Each fellowship is a monthly stipend for several years, so it costs much more per person.
What the figures do not tell you
The beneficiary count includes scholars in their second to fifth year, so it is not the number of new fellowships awarded. The table does not split fellows by disability, gender, subject or state. Amounts are funds released in the year, which can include arrears from earlier years.
Where to check the numbers
DEPwD posts scheme-wise and year-wise data, selected candidate lists and guidelines on the scholarship page of depwd.gov.in. Lists of selected candidates are available for 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Frequently asked questions
How many students get the National Fellowship for PwD each year?
DEPwD data shows 447 fellows were funded in 2024-25 and 633 in 2023-24. The count has ranged between 527 and 669 a year since 2015-16. These figures include continuing scholars, not only new awards.
How much money is released under the fellowship?
Rs 24.12 crore was released in 2024-25. The highest year was 2022-23, with Rs 40.53 crore. In total Rs 267.85 crore was released from 2015-16 to 2024-25.
Why did the number of fellows fall in 2024-25?
The DEPwD table does not give a reason. The figure counts scholars actually paid in the year, so delays in selection or payment can lower it. The Department has also made a UDID card mandatory for scholars.
How does the fellowship compare with other disability scholarships?
In 2024-25 it was the second largest component by money after Post-Matric scholarships (Rs 37.29 crore), but it reached far fewer people because each fellowship is a large monthly payment to a research scholar.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: National Fellowship for Students with Disabilities full guide
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Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages:
- cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in (cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3e58aea67b01fa747687f038dfde066f6/uploads/2025/12/2025121)
- depwd.gov.in (depwd.gov.in/en/document-category/scholarship/)