Maharashtra Scholarships: The Complete Guide (2026)

Maharashtra's scholarship system is bigger and more fragmented than it first looks — MahaDBT alone runs across two websites, and several other schemes sit entirely outside it. This guide sorts out where to look and what to expect.

MahaDBT is actually two websites

MahaDBT (Maharashtra Direct Benefit Transfer) is the main system most Maharashtra state scholarships run through. But it is split across two separate sites:

• mahadbt.maharashtra.gov.in
• mahadbt2.maharashtra.gov.in

Different schemes are hosted on different versions. If you can't find your specific scholarship on one site, check the other before assuming something is broken.

Maharashtra has more category groups than most states

Beyond the usual General, SC, ST, and OBC, Maharashtra also uses:

• VJNT — Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes (also called Denotified and Nomadic Tribes).
• SBC — Special Backward Class.
• EBC — Economically Backward Class.

What this means for you: Check your caste certificate carefully — it states your exact category, and Maharashtra schemes are often written for one of these specific groups rather than a general "SC/ST/OBC" bucket.

You may need two caste-related documents, not one

This trips up a lot of students. Maharashtra usually asks for both:

1. A Caste Certificate, confirming your category.
2. A Caste Validity Certificate, a separate document issued by a Caste Scrutiny Committee, confirming that your caste certificate is genuine.

Having only the caste certificate is often not enough — check the specific scheme's document list before assuming you're ready to apply.

Schemes that sit outside MahaDBT entirely

Not everything runs through MahaDBT:

• TRTI (Tribal Research and Training Institute) runs its own separate fellowship portal, fellowship.trti-maha.in, specifically for ST students.
• NMMS (National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship) is managed through mscenmms.in, run by the state exam council — it's merit-based, decided through an entrance exam.
• Some universities run their own schemes, like the SPPU Earn and Learn Scheme at Savitribai Phule Pune University, only open to that university's own students.

Documents Maharashtra almost always asks for

1. Aadhaar Card, linked to your mobile number and bank account.
2. Maharashtra Domicile Certificate.
3. Income Certificate, issued by your Tahsildar.
4. Caste Certificate, for SC, ST, OBC, VJNT, or SBC applicants.
5. Caste Validity Certificate — remember, this is separate from your caste certificate.
6. Previous year's marksheet and fee receipt.
7. Bank passbook linked with Aadhaar (NPCI seeding).

How to find the right scheme — step by step

1. Check your exact category on your caste certificate — SC, ST, OBC, VJNT, SBC, EBC, EWS, or General.
2. Start with MahaDBT, and check both versions of the site if you can't find your scheme on the first one.
3. If you are ST and interested in research, also check TRTI's separate fellowship portal.
4. If you did well in a merit exam, check NMMS separately from MahaDBT.
5. Prepare both your Caste Certificate and Caste Validity Certificate early — the second one can take time to arrange.