RMEWF Education Grant Statistics: Beneficiaries by Year and State

What the numbers show

The Education Grant is the largest welfare scheme of the Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund by number of beneficiaries. The Ministry of Defence told the Lok Sabha that 1,53,675 children and widows received it in 2023-24. It made up most of the 1,72,613 people helped under all RMEWF welfare schemes that year.

The trend over the years

The scheme grew sharply after 2020-21. Beneficiaries were 17,550 in 2019-20 and 16,409 in 2020-21, then rose to 1,61,043 in 2021-22. The count dropped to 75,753 in 2022-23 before rising again to 1,53,675 in 2023-24. The reply does not explain the swings. Since claims are made after each academic year, a backlog cleared in one year can make that year look larger than the next.

State differences

In 2023-24 Maharashtra had the most cases sanctioned with 24,151, followed by Uttar Pradesh (18,417), Punjab (12,346) and Tamil Nadu (10,475). Karnataka and Rajasthan each had just over 10,000. Smaller states with many ex-servicemen, such as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, also appear in the top 12.

The 2025 increase

On 15 October 2025 the Raksha Mantri approved doubling the grant from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 a month per head for applications submitted from 1 November 2025. Published year-wise figures do not yet cover the new rate.

What the figures do not tell you

The annual summary and the state-wise annexure in the same reply give slightly different totals for 2022-23 (75,753 in the summary, 78,683 in the state table). This page uses the summary figure for the year-wise series. The data counts sanctioned cases, so a family with two children may appear twice.

How many students get the RMEWF Education Grant?

1,53,675 beneficiaries received the Education Grant in 2023-24, according to a Ministry of Defence reply in the Lok Sabha on 29 November 2024. The count was 1,61,043 in 2021-22.

Why was the 2022-23 figure much lower?

The reply lists 75,753 beneficiaries for 2022-23 but does not give a reason. Because the grant is claimed after the academic year ends, delays in processing can move cases from one financial year to the next.

What is the Education Grant amount now?

Rs 2,000 a month per child for up to two children, or for widows doing a two-year PG course, for applications submitted from 1 November 2025. It was Rs 1,000 a month before.

Which state has the most Education Grant beneficiaries?

Maharashtra had the most cases sanctioned in 2023-24 with 24,151, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 18,417 and Punjab with 12,346.