
The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) has set 31 October 2026 as the deadline for students to apply or renew scholarships for the academic session 2026-27. The central government schemes covered include PM-USP CSSS and special scholarships for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Applicants must complete a One Time Registration (OTR) before applying, which generates a unique number valid for their entire academic career. Students unable to apply online can visit a Common Service Centre (CSC) for assistance at a fee of Rs 30.
Institutions must complete verification by 15 November 2026, followed by Level-2 verification by 30 November 2026. Students facing Face Authentication error 904 are advised to update the UIDAI Aadhaar Face RD app, and those with locked Aadhaar biometrics can unlock them via the mAadhaar app or My Aadhaar portal.
The 31 October deadline affects lakhs of existing and new applicants, making OTR compliance the single biggest hurdle for students without Aadhaar-linked registration. The portal's two-stage verification, ending on 30 November, shifts the administrative burden onto institutions and L2 authorities in a narrow window. Students who miss the OTR step or face biometric errors, particularly those with locked Aadhaar data, risk losing the year's benefit. The Rs 30 CSC fee is a modest workaround, but access remains uneven in rural areas. The next milestone is the 15 November institutional verification deadline.
Source: tv9hindi.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.