Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST Students Statistics: Beneficiaries and Funds by Year and State
· 2 min read · 4 official sources
The Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students reached 9,08,138 students in Classes IX and X in 2024-25, with Rs 163.69 crore released by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Beneficiaries were 14,39,930 in 2020-21. Year-wise totals and the leading states, as reported to the Lok Sabha in December 2025, are below.
Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST Students: key numbers
Infographic
Students benefited and funds released by year
National totals of ST students in Classes IX and X who received the scholarship, and central funds released to states, for the five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
| Year | Students benefited | Funds released (Rs crore) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 14,39,930 | 248.90 |
| 2021-22 | 13,77,713 | 394.14 |
| 2022-23 | 10,03,157 | 357.29 |
| 2023-24 | 9,27,364 | 308.60 |
| 2024-25 | 9,08,138 | 163.69 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 31 March 2025
Top 12 states by students benefited (2024-25)
States with the most ST students receiving the pre-matric scholarship in 2024-25. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Nagaland had not reported figures for that year.
| State | Students benefited |
|---|---|
| Madhya Pradesh | 2,12,347 |
| Jharkhand | 1,29,142 |
| Gujarat | 1,24,886 |
| Odisha | 1,22,029 |
| Karnataka | 1,04,211 |
| Rajasthan | 57,037 |
| Chhattisgarh | 27,171 |
| West Bengal | 24,333 |
| Tamil Nadu | 17,273 |
| Bihar | 15,139 |
| Tripura | 12,597 |
| Kerala | 10,980 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 31 March 2025
States receiving the most central funds (2024-25)
Central funds released under the scheme to the seven states with the largest releases in 2024-25. Several states received no release that year.
| State | Funds released (Rs crore) |
|---|---|
| Madhya Pradesh | 53.05 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 30.77 |
| Odisha | 29.50 |
| Rajasthan | 22.36 |
| Gujarat | 9.23 |
| Karnataka | 7.00 |
| Tripura | 6.92 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 31 March 2025
How the scholarship reaches a student
What the numbers show
The Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students pays Scheduled Tribe children in Classes IX and X whose parents earn up to Rs 2.50 lakh a year. According to a reply by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the Lok Sabha on 18 December 2025, 9,08,138 students received it in 2024-25, and the Centre released Rs 163.69 crore to states that year.
The trend over five years
Beneficiaries have fallen steadily, from 14,39,930 in 2020-21 and 13,77,713 in 2021-22 to 10,03,157 in 2022-23 and 9,27,364 in 2023-24. Central releases do not follow the same pattern. They rose from Rs 248.90 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 394.14 crore in 2021-22, then dropped to Rs 163.69 crore in 2024-25. Releases depend on when states send proposals and use earlier funds, so a low release in one year does not always mean fewer students were paid.
State differences
Madhya Pradesh had the largest number of beneficiaries in 2024-25 with 2,12,347 students, and also received the largest central release, Rs 53.05 crore. Jharkhand, Gujarat, Odisha and Karnataka each had more than one lakh beneficiaries. Rajasthan's count dropped sharply after 2021-22, from 2,13,064 to 57,037 in 2024-25.
Some states show no figure for recent years. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had not reported 2024-25 beneficiaries, and Nagaland had not reported since 2021-22. Maharashtra runs its own state-funded pre-matric scheme and is not in the central tables.
What the figures do not tell you
The tables count students paid, not students who applied, so they do not show how many applications were rejected or left pending. Funds released are the central share only. States add their own share and pay the scholarship, so the amount students actually receive in a year is higher than the central release.
Where to check the latest figures
State-wise beneficiaries and releases appear in Ministry of Tribal Affairs replies in Parliament, published on pib.gov.in. Your own application status is on the National Scholarship Portal or your state scholarship portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many ST students get the pre-matric scholarship?
9,08,138 Scheduled Tribe students in Classes IX and X received the scholarship in 2024-25, according to a Ministry of Tribal Affairs reply in the Lok Sabha on 18 December 2025.
How much money does the Centre release under this scholarship?
The Centre released Rs 163.69 crore to states in 2024-25. Releases were Rs 308.60 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 394.14 crore in 2021-22, the highest in the last five years.
Which state has the most beneficiaries?
Madhya Pradesh had the most in 2024-25 with 2,12,347 students, followed by Jharkhand with 1,29,142 and Gujarat with 1,24,886.
Why has the number of beneficiaries fallen since 2020-21?
The national total fell from 14,39,930 in 2020-21 to 9,08,138 in 2024-25. The reply does not give a reason, but some large states, including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, had not reported 2024-25 figures.
Does Maharashtra appear in these figures?
No. Maharashtra runs its pre-matric scholarship for ST students from its own state funds, so it does not appear in the central pre-matric tables.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST Students full guide
Charts, data files and the infographic are free to download, share and embed with a link back to this page.
Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages:
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2205850)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2147824)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2198856)
- tribal.nic.in (tribal.nic.in/downloads/guidelines/pre-matric/EDUGuidelines.pdf)