SHRESHTA Scheme Statistics 2026: Students, Schools and Spending
· 2 min read · 5 official sources
SHRESHTA supported 19,754 Scheduled Caste students across 288 schools and institutions in 2025-26, according to the Social Justice Ministry. Spending rose from Rs 38.04 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 109.98 crore in 2024-25. Year-wise expenditure since 2019-20 and beneficiary counts are below.
SHRESHTA - Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas: key numbers
Infographic
SHRESHTA spending by year, 2019-20 to 2024-25
Revised Estimate and total expenditure by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment under SHRESHTA (and its earlier form) in each financial year, from the Ministry's Annual Report 2025-26.
| Year | Revised Estimate (Rs crore) | Expenditure (Rs crore) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 70.00 | 67.17 |
| 2020-21 | 125.00 | 56.05 |
| 2021-22 | 63.21 | 38.04 |
| 2022-23 | 89.00 | 51.12 |
| 2023-24 | 90.00 | 81.57 |
| 2024-25 | 110.00 | 109.98 |
Source: socialjustice.gov.in, as on 31 December 2025
SHRESHTA beneficiaries, 2020-21 to 2022-23
Budget Estimate, expenditure and number of beneficiaries for three completed years, as tabled with a PIB release in October 2023.
| Year | Budget Estimate (Rs crore) | Expenditure (Rs crore) | Beneficiaries |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 100 | 56.05 | 38,250 |
| 2021-22 | 200 | 38.04 | 20,435 |
| 2022-23 | 89 | 51.12 | 16,479 |
Source: static.pib.gov.in, as on 9 October 2023
How a student gets a SHRESHTA seat
What the numbers show
SHRESHTA pays for Scheduled Caste students from low-income families to study in good residential schools from Class 9 to Class 12. According to a PIB note of June 2026, the scheme supported 19,754 students across 288 schools and institutions in 2025-26. That count covers both routes: Mode-I, where students selected through the NETS exam join private residential schools, and Mode-II, where the Ministry funds schools and hostels run by voluntary organisations.
Spending over the years
The Ministry's Annual Report 2025-26 shows expenditure falling from Rs 67.17 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 38.04 crore in 2021-22, the year the scheme was revised. It then climbed to Rs 81.57 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 109.98 crore in 2024-25, close to that year's Revised Estimate of Rs 110 crore. For 2025-26 the Budget Estimate was Rs 140 crore, and Rs 103.47 crore had been spent by 31 December 2025. That part-year figure is left out of the chart.
Where the money goes
Most of the money now goes to Mode-I fees. Up to 1 December 2025, the Ministry released Rs 79.37 crore for 6,505 Mode-I students and Rs 20.36 crore for 2,288 Mode-II students. The Annual Report says fees for 6,622 Mode-I students were reimbursed to private schools in 2025-26, and that 40% advance grants under Mode-II reached 2,238 students, with the rest due after school inspections.
Fewer students, higher cost per seat
The number of beneficiaries was 38,250 in 2020-21 and 16,479 in 2022-23, according to figures tabled with a PIB release in October 2023. The fall reflects the change in design. Mode-I pays up to Rs 1.35 lakh a year per student in Class 12, far more than the older per-student grants to NGO schools, so the same budget covers fewer students.
What the figures do not tell you
The Ministry reports beneficiaries and spending in different ways in different documents: some counts are for the academic session, others for the financial year, and some are part-year. Even within the Annual Report 2025-26, the scheme table puts 2024-25 spending at Rs 109.98 crore while the fund position table gives Rs 109.78 crore. Mode-II counts can also change after inspections, when the remaining grants are released.
Where to check
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment publishes scheme figures in its annual report and year-end review on PIB. NETS notices and results are issued by the National Testing Agency.
Frequently asked questions
How many students does SHRESHTA support?
SHRESHTA supported 19,754 Scheduled Caste students across 288 schools and institutions in 2025-26, according to a PIB note of June 2026. This counts both Mode-I students in private residential schools and Mode-II students in NGO-run schools and hostels.
How many new students join SHRESHTA each year?
The scheme aims to select about 3,000 students a year through NETS. For the 2025-26 session, 2,915 students were admitted to 151 private residential schools, the Ministry said in its year-end review for 2025.
How much does the government spend on SHRESHTA?
The Ministry spent Rs 109.98 crore on SHRESHTA in 2024-25, against a Revised Estimate of Rs 110 crore. The Budget Estimate for 2025-26 was Rs 140 crore, and Rs 103.47 crore had been spent by 31 December 2025.
How much money did SHRESHTA release in 2025-26?
Up to 1 December 2025, the Ministry released Rs 79.37 crore for 6,505 students under Mode-I and Rs 20.36 crore for 2,288 students under Mode-II, according to its year-end review.
Why did beneficiary numbers fall after 2020-21?
The scheme was revised from 2021-22 to add Mode-I, which places a smaller number of selected students in high-fee private schools. The older NGO school and hostel component continued as Mode-II, subject to performance.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: SHRESHTA - Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas full guide
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Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages:
- socialjustice.gov.in (socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/71441776233188.pdf)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?id=158876&NoteId=158876&ModuleId=3®=5&la)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2209488)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1965868)
- static.pib.gov.in (static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2023/oct/doc2023109258901)