Post Graduate Scholarship Scheme for GATE/GPAT Qualified Students - AICTE

What is the AICTE PG Scholarship for GATE/GPAT students?

Post Graduate Scholarship Scheme for GATE/GPAT Qualified Students is a student-support scheme of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the statutory body for technical education under the Ministry of Education. The scheme gives a monthly stipend to students who clear the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) or the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) and go on to a full-time postgraduate degree, so that talented students are encouraged to pursue higher technical education rather than leave for jobs after their bachelor's.

According to the AICTE PG scholarship page, the scheme pays Rs 12,400 per month for up to 24 months to eligible students enrolled in a full-time ME, M.Tech, M.Arch or M.Pharm programme at an AICTE-approved institution or a university department. The stipend is credited by Direct Benefit Transfer into the student's own bank account.

The scholarship supports the normal two-year duration of a postgraduate degree and is meant to cover the student's living costs during full-time study.

Who is eligible for the AICTE PG scholarship?

You can apply if:

• You have qualified GATE or GPAT with a valid score.
• You have secured admission to a full-time postgraduate programme, ME, M.Tech, M.Arch or M.Pharm.
• Your institution is AICTE-approved, or you are in a university department offering the programme.
• You maintain enrolment and satisfactory attendance, which your institute verifies on the portal.

You cannot apply if:

• You are a part-time, distance-mode or sponsored student.
• You are already drawing another stipend, fellowship or salary for the same period.
• You did not qualify GATE/GPAT, or your programme/institution is not AICTE-approved.
• You do not maintain the required attendance and academic standing.

Because payment is by DBT, the student must have a bank account seeded with Aadhaar in their own name.

What does the scholarship provide?

• Stipend: Rs 12,400 per month.
• Duration: up to 24 months, matching a full-time two-year PG programme.
• Mode of payment: Direct Benefit Transfer to the student's bank account.

The stipend is released periodically after the institution confirms the student's enrolment and attendance for the relevant months.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the AICTE PG scholarship

1. Confirm your GATE or GPAT qualification and your admission to a full-time PG programme in an AICTE-approved institution.
2. Go to the AICTE PG scholarship portal, linked from the AICTE website's Students Development Schemes section.
3. Register on the portal with your GATE/GPAT score and your bank account details.
4. Complete the application form and upload the required documents — scorecard, admission proof and Aadhaar.
5. Have your institution verify your enrolment and attendance on the portal; the stipend is released by DBT after verification.

Watch the AICTE portal for the opening of each cycle, as registration windows and verification timelines are announced there.

How is this different from other scholarships?

Unlike a need-based scholarship, the AICTE PG scholarship is a merit-linked stipend tied specifically to a GATE or GPAT qualification and full-time PG enrolment. It is not the same as a research fellowship such as a JRF, and it is distinct from state government PG scholarships. Students should not expect to combine it with another stipend or salary for the same study period.

The scholarship is administered nationally by AICTE but relies on the enrolling institution to act as the verifying authority. This is why the stipend is released in cycles rather than as a single lump sum: for each period, the institution certifies on the portal that the student is enrolled full-time and has maintained attendance, and only then does the Rs 12,400 per month reach the student's account. Students whose attendance or academic standing falls short for a period can have the corresponding payment withheld, so keeping enrolment active and records updated on the portal is as important as the initial registration. Any change of bank account or institution must be reflected on the portal to avoid a break in payment.

Help and where to check

• Official page: aicte.gov.in: Schemes, Students Development Schemes, PG Scholarship (GATE/GPAT).
• AICTE helpline: 011-29581050

Because the stipend amount, duration and eligibility conditions are periodically revised, always confirm the current figures and the registration deadline on the live AICTE PG scholarship guidelines and portal before applying. Use the grievance link on the portal for payment or verification issues.