Government scholarship schemes provide critical financial assistance to students pursuing higher education after matriculation. In Bihar, students can apply through the state PMS Online portal (pmsonline.bih.nic.in) or the central National Scholarship Portal (NSP). A large percentage of genuine applications get stuck in pending verification or face payment rejection due to incorrect bank account mapping or incomplete institution KYC. Here is how to complete the process without errors.

State PMS Portal vs Central NSP Portal

Students often get confused about which portal they should register on:

Bihar PMS Online Portal (pmsonline.bih.nic.in): Dedicated state platform for SC, ST, BC, and EBC students studying in recognized institutions within Bihar or outside Bihar.
National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in): Central platform covering CSS schemes, minority scholarships (Ministry of Minority Affairs), and central sector schemes for university/college students.

Rule: You cannot claim multiple post-matric government scholarships for the same academic year from both portals.

Eligibility Criteria and Income Limits

Category Eligibility: Must belong to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Backward Class (BC), or Extremely Backward Class (EBC) as recognized in the state list of Bihar.
Annual Family Income Cap:
- SC & ST Students: Gross family income must not exceed ₹2,50,000 per annum.
- BC & EBC Students: Gross family income must not exceed ₹3,00,000 per annum (revised guidelines).
Academic Requirement: Passed Class 10 (Matriculation) or equivalent examination from a recognized board, currently enrolled in Class 11, 12, ITI, Polytechnic, Diploma, Graduation, or Post-Graduation courses.

Why Aadhaar NPCI Seeding is Mandatory for Scholarship Payouts

All scholarship funds are disbursed using the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system through the Aadhaar Payment Bridge (APB).

Having your mobile number linked to your bank account is not the same as Aadhaar NPCI seeding:

Your bank account must be actively linked to the NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) mapper.
If you have multiple bank accounts, verify which account is set as your default DBT-receiving account by visiting the UIDAI website or checking your bank mobile application.
Inactive or dormant accounts automatically cause payment failures that can take months to rectify.

Document Checklist for PMS Online Registration

Ensure all documents are clearly scanned in PDF format (under 400 KB):

Recent passport size photograph.
Aadhaar Card.
Permanent Residential / Domicile Certificate of Bihar.
Valid Caste Certificate issued by Revenue Officer / SDO.
Current Financial Year Income Certificate.
Bonafide Certificate issued by the current school, college, or university on official letterhead with seal.
Official Fee Receipt showing tuition and non-refundable fees paid for the current academic session.
Marksheet of the last passed qualifying examination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can general category students apply on Bihar PMS Online?

No. The Bihar Post-Matric Scholarship portal currently caters to SC, ST, BC, and EBC categories. Economically weaker general students can look for central sector schemes on NSP or specific state welfare initiatives.

What should I do if my college is not listed in the PMS portal?

If your institution does not appear in the dropdown list, contact your college administration to complete the Institution Registration and KYC verification on the PMS portal before you can submit your student application.