Swami Vivekananda Scholarship For Academic Excellence Rajasthan 2025 – Apply Online, Eligibility, Benefits

In a major step toward promoting higher education and nurturing intellectual excellence, the Government of Rajasthan has launched the Swami Vivekananda Scholarship for Academic Excellence Scheme. This visionary initiative is designed to empower the state’s brightest and most meritorious students by providing financial assistance for pursuing higher education at top institutions in India and abroad.

The scheme reflects Rajasthan’s commitment to building a knowledge-driven society by removing financial barriers and enabling equal access to world-class education. By offering scholarships to students from diverse social and economic backgrounds—especially those from economically weaker sections—the program aims to transform individual lives while contributing to the long-term development of the state.

Important Dates (Academic Year 2025–26)

The final phase will only be conducted if the target number of scholarships remains unfulfilled after the first two phases.

Objectives of the Scheme

The Swami Vivekananda Scholarship for Academic Excellence Scheme is guided by the twin goals of empowering individuals and fostering state development through education.

1. Financial Assistance to Meritorious Students

The primary goal is to identify academically talented students from Rajasthan and provide them with financial support to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate, Ph.D., and post-doctoral studies in reputed Indian or international institutions.

2. Encouraging Global and National Excellence

The scheme promotes excellence by encouraging students to study at globally recognized universities. For international studies, it includes the top 1–60 institutions listed in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. For Indian studies, it supports the top 1–50 institutions listed in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

3. State Development Through Education

By enabling Rajasthan’s youth to access the world’s best learning environments, the scheme aims to develop a generation of highly skilled professionals who can contribute to the state’s economic and social progress.

4. Support for Economically Weaker Sections

Special preference is given to students from low-income families. The scheme ensures that no deserving student is deprived of quality education due to financial hardship.

Key Features of the Scheme

The scheme has been carefully structured to ensure fairness, transparency, and maximum reach.

1. Official Name

The scheme is officially known as the “Swami Vivekananda Scholarship for Academic Excellence Scheme.”

2. Applicability

It applies exclusively to native residents of Rajasthan who fulfill the eligibility criteria.

3. Total Scholarships Available

A total of 500 scholarships are awarded every year:

• 150 scholarships for students studying in foreign universities/institutions.
• 350 scholarships for students studying in Indian universities/institutions.

4. Income Categories

To ensure inclusivity, applicants are divided into three income-based categories:

• E1: Family income less than ₹8.00 lakh per annum.
• E2: Family income between ₹8.00 lakh and ₹25.00 lakh per annum.
• E3: Family income above ₹25.00 lakh per annum.

Priority is always given to E1 and E2 categories.

5. Recognized Institutions

• Foreign Universities: Only universities ranked 1–60 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (general) are considered.
• Indian Institutions: Only universities ranked 1–50 in the NIRF Overall Ranking are eligible. If a college affiliated with a state university ranks within the top 50 in NIRF College Rankings, its students are also eligible.

6. Ranking Validity

The rankings available as of 1st April of each financial year will be valid for the entire academic year.

Scholarship Amount and Duration

The scholarship covers tuition fees and other educational expenses as determined by the selection committee. The support continues for the entire duration of the course, subject to the maximum periods listed below:

No extension will be granted beyond the prescribed course duration under any circumstances.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Swami Vivekananda Scholarship, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Domicile

The applicant must be a permanent resident of Rajasthan and must provide a valid Domicile Certificate.

2. Age Limit

Applicants must be below 35 years of age as of 1st July of the application year.

3. Academic Qualification

• Must have scored at least 60% marks or equivalent grade in the qualifying examination.
• The result of the qualifying examination must be declared before applying for the scholarship.

4. Admission Proof

• For Foreign Universities: The applicant must hold a Conditional or Unconditional Offer Letter at the time of applying.
• For Indian Universities: Must hold an Admission Letter confirming admission to an eligible institution.
• Final selection requires submission of an Unconditional Offer Letter within two months.

5. Current Students

Students already enrolled in eligible institutions (in the 2nd, 3rd, or final year) may also apply.

6. Employment Condition

• Government employees (State/Central/University) are not eligible.
• Others must provide a non-employment certificate for the duration of their studies.
• If a student takes up employment during the course, the scholarship will be canceled and the amount recovered.

Reservation Policy and Distribution of Scholarships

The selection process includes a fair and inclusive reservation system designed to promote equality and encourage female participation.

A. Priority Based on Income Category

• Phase 1: Only E1 category applications considered.
• Phase 2: Priority to E1, then E2 applicants from both phases.
• E3 category (for foreign universities only) is considered only if seats remain vacant.
• For Indian universities, only E1 and E2 categories are eligible.

B. Reservation for Female Students

• 30% of total scholarships (150 seats) are reserved for female applicants.
• Priority is given to E1 category females, followed by E2 females.
• If reserved seats remain vacant, they are allocated to candidates based on overall merit.

C. Selection of E3 Category

E3 candidates are selected purely on merit, after all eligible E1 and E2 candidates have been accommodated.

Selection Procedure

The selection process is conducted in a transparent and merit-based manner.

1. Merit Determination

The merit list is prepared based on:

• The ranking of the institution (THE for foreign, NIRF for Indian).
• In case of a tie, preference is given in the following order:
  1. Post-Doctoral Research
  2. Ph.D.
  3. Postgraduate
  4. Undergraduate
     If the tie persists, the older candidate is preferred.

2. Selection Committees

The selection process is managed by two committees:

(a) Scrutiny Committee

• Verifies all uploaded documents online.
• Constituted by the Commissioner, College Education.

(b) Selection Committee

• Chairman: Additional Chief Secretary / Principal Secretary / Secretary, Higher Education Department.
• Members:
  • Commissioner, College Education
  • Additional Commissioner, College Education
  • Subject Expert (Engineering) from RTU Kota or MNIT
  • Financial Advisor / Chief Accounts Officer
• Member Secretary: Joint Director, College Education

This committee finalizes and publishes the Provisional and Final Selection Lists.

Application Process (Step by Step)

The entire application process is conducted online through the official scholarship portal of the Rajasthan Government.

Step 1: Registration

• Visit the Rajasthan SSO portal and log in using your SSO ID linked with Jan Aadhaar.
• If you don’t have one, create a new SSO ID before starting the application.

Step 2: Document Preparation

Keep the following documents ready in digital format:

• Domicile Certificate
• Academic Mark Sheets (minimum 60%)
• Offer Letter/Admission Letter
• Income Proof Documents:
  • Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the last 3 years
  • AIS and TIS for each family member
  • Income Declaration Affidavit (Annexure-C(1)) on ₹100 Stamp Paper, attested by Gazetted Officers and certified by an Executive Magistrate
• Age Proof
• Non-Employment Certificate (if applicable)

Step 3: Online Submission

• Log in to the portal and select the Swami Vivekananda Scholarship for Academic Excellence Scheme option.
• Fill in all details accurately and upload the required documents in the prescribed format.
• Submit your application within the active phase’s deadline.

Step 4: Scrutiny and Correction Window

• After submission, the Scrutiny Committee verifies all documents.
• If any errors or missing documents are found, you will get a 15-day correction window to fix them directly on the portal.

Step 5: Publication of Merit List

• The Provisional Merit List is released on the specified dates for each phase.
• Applicants must then provide any remaining documents (like Unconditional Offer Letter) within two months.

Step 6: Final Selection

• After verification, the Final Selection List is published.
• Selected students receive official confirmation and instructions for disbursement.

Step 7: Scholarship Disbursement

• The scholarship amount is transferred directly to the student’s account for the duration of the course.

Additional Provisions

1. Change Requests

Students may submit one request for:

• Course Deferral (up to one year).
• University Upgrade or Course Change (within two months of provisional selection).
  Note: The new university must be of equal or higher rank; course duration remains unchanged.

2. Family Definition for Income Calculation

The term family includes:

• Both parents and the student (if both are alive).
• Living parent and the student (if one parent is deceased).
• Only the student (if both parents are deceased).
• In divorce cases, the parent with whom the student resides.
• For married applicants, the spouse’s income is also included.

All forms of income, including salary, business, partnership, and directorship earnings, are counted.