Shridev Suman State Merit Scholarship

What is the Shridev Suman State Merit Scholarship?

The Shridev Suman State Merit Scholarship is a merit scholarship of the School Education Department, Government of Uttarakhand, named after the freedom fighter Shridev Suman. It pays Rs 1,000 per month to meritorious Class 8 students who qualify in a state eligibility test, and it continues for four years from Class 9 to Class 12. According to the scheme details, the eligibility test is conducted by SCERT Uttarakhand (the State Council of Educational Research and Training), and the top five qualifying students from each of the 95 development blocks are selected, giving about 475 scholarships every year across the state.

The scholarship is designed to encourage bright students from government and government-aided schools to stay in school through the higher secondary stage. Importantly, it is a pure merit scholarship; there is no family income limit, so selection depends only on residence, school category, Class 7 marks and performance in the SCERT eligibility test.

Main features

• Rs 1,000 per month merit scholarship.
• Continues for four years, Class 9 to Class 12.
• Selection through an SCERT eligibility test; five students per block, about 475 per year.
• No income limit, open to meritorious students regardless of family income.

Who is eligible for the Shridev Suman State Merit Scholarship?

You can apply / sit the test if:

• You are a resident of Uttarakhand.
• You are studying in Class 8 as an institutional learner in a government, local body or government-aided school.
• You passed Class 7 with at least 50% marks, the requirement is relaxed to 40% for reserved categories.
• You appear in and qualify the eligibility test conducted by SCERT Uttarakhand.

You cannot apply / are not eligible if:

• You are not a resident of Uttarakhand.
• You study in a school outside the government / local body / government-aided category.
• You did not pass Class 7 with the required minimum marks (50%, or 40% for reserved categories).
• You do not qualify in the SCERT eligibility test, or you are not among the top five qualifiers in your development block.

There is deliberately no income ceiling, a student from any income background who meets the merit and school conditions can compete for the scholarship.

How much is the scholarship and how long is it paid?

The scholarship is Rs 1,000 per month, generally paid for ten months in an academic year, and it continues for four years covering Class 9 to Class 12. A selected student can therefore receive up to roughly Rs 40,000 over the full period, subject to meeting the continuation conditions each year. The amount is credited to the student's bank account, so keeping an active bank account is important for uninterrupted payment. Continuation across years depends on the student remaining enrolled and progressing through the higher secondary stage in Uttarakhand as required by the scheme.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the Shridev Suman State Merit Scholarship

The scholarship is linked to an eligibility test, so application runs through the school and the Block Education Office when the test is notified.

1. Watch for the eligibility test notification issued by SCERT / the School Education Department, usually publicised through schools each academic year.
2. Register through your school. Your Class 8 school forwards eligible students. Those who are Uttarakhand residents and passed Class 7 with the required marks: to sit the test.
3. Collect or download the application form from your school, the Block Education Officer's office, or the School Education Department website at schooleducation.uk.gov.in.
4. Appear for the SCERT eligibility test on the scheduled date.
5. Submit your documents: residence certificate, Class 7 marksheet, bonafide certificate, caste certificate if applicable, Aadhaar, bank passbook and photograph; if you qualify.
6. Provide correct bank details so the monthly scholarship can be credited, and keep the acknowledgement for future reference.

Because the exact application window and test date change each year, confirm the current dates through your school or the Block Education Office.

How do I check my scholarship status?

The most reliable way to check your status is through your school and the Block Education Office, which coordinate the eligibility test results and the scholarship disbursement. Selected students' lists and notices are published by SCERT / the School Education Department. After selection, verify that the monthly scholarship is credited to your bank account, and raise any missing-payment issue with the school or Block Education Officer, quoting your details and bank account information.

Why an application may fail, and how to fix it

• Wrong school category — the scholarship is for government, local body and government-aided schools; students of private unaided schools outside this category are not eligible.
• Class 7 marks below the cut-off, you must have at least 50% (40% for reserved categories); attach the correct marksheet.
• Residence not proved: provide a valid Uttarakhand residence/domicile certificate.
• Not qualifying in the test or not in the top five of the block, only the top five qualifiers per block are selected; there is no route around the test.
• Bank details incorrect, payments fail if the account details are wrong; give an active account in the student's name.

How the block-wise selection works

The Shridev Suman State Merit Scholarship uses a block-wise quota rather than a single state-wide merit list, and this matters for applicants. Uttarakhand has 95 development blocks, and the scheme selects the top five qualifying students from each block, which gives about 475 scholarships every year. A student therefore competes mainly against other eligible Class 8 students within their own development block, not against the whole state. This design deliberately spreads the scholarships across rural and remote blocks so that meritorious students from every part of Uttarakhand; including the hill districts; have a fair chance, rather than the awards clustering in a few high-population towns.

Because the selection is block-wise, the marks needed to be in the top five can differ from block to block. A student should still aim to score as high as possible in the SCERT eligibility test, but the practical target is to be among the five best qualifiers in their own block. The scholarship is named after Shridev Suman, a freedom fighter associated with the Tehri region, and the merit-based, income-blind design reflects the intent to reward genuine student ability across the state.

What are the conditions to keep the scholarship for four years?

The scholarship is not a one-time award. It runs for four years, from Class 9 to Class 12, but continuation depends on the student staying enrolled and progressing through the higher secondary stage in Uttarakhand. In practice this means the student should continue in an eligible school, move up from one class to the next each year, and keep an active bank account so each year's payments are credited without a break. If a student discontinues studies, moves out of the eligible school category, or leaves the state, the continuation of the scholarship can be affected. Keeping the school informed and responding to any verification request each year is the simplest way to ensure the monthly amount continues through Class 12.

Where to get help and raise a grievance

For this scholarship, the correct contacts are your school, the Block Education Officer, and the District Education Office, supported by SCERT Uttarakhand, which conducts the eligibility test. Scheme notices, forms and results are published by the School Education Department, Government of Uttarakhand at schooleducation.uk.gov.in. Keep your documents ready and your bank account active so that, once selected, the monthly scholarship reaches you without delay.

This is a merit scholarship. Selection is decided by the SCERT eligibility test, no agent can guarantee a place, and there is no fee to compete for the scholarship.