Tamil Nadu Scholarships: The Complete Guide (2026)

Tamil Nadu spreads its scholarships across several different websites, and uses more detailed category names than most states. This guide sorts out where to look and what those category names mean.

Several websites, not one

Tamil Nadu scholarships are spread across at least six different sites:

• tnscholarships.tn.gov.in — hosts several schemes, including Pre-Matric for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare, the Chief Minister's Merit Scholarship, EVR Nagammai Scholarship, the scholarship for differently-abled students, BC/MBC minority Pre-Matric, and the SC/ST hostellers' special scholarship.
• ssp.tn.gov.in — handles SC, ST, SCA, and SCC Post-Matric scholarships specifically, separate from the main tnscholarships site.
• penkalvi.tn.gov.in — runs Pudhumai Penn (see below).
• umis.tn.gov.in — runs the Tamil Pudhalvan scheme.
• A third-party-looking site — hosts the BC/MBC/DNC Post-Matric scholarship. Don't assume it's fake just because the domain doesn't end in .tn.gov.in; it's part of the official arrangement for this scheme.
• tneaonline.org — runs the Anna University First Graduate Concession, tied to engineering admissions (TNEA).

What this means for you: Match the exact scheme you need to its specific site — don't assume one Tamil Nadu scholarship portal covers everything.

Tamil Nadu uses more detailed category names

Instead of a simple SC/ST/OBC/General split, Tamil Nadu tracks more specific groups:

• SCA and SCC — more specific groups within SC. SCC generally refers to SC status carried over for converts to another religion.
• BC (Backward Class), MBC (Most Backward Class), and DNC (Denotified Community) — used instead of one general OBC bucket.

What this means for you: Check your community certificate for your exact group. A scheme written for "BC" specifically may not apply the same way to someone in the "MBC" group, even though both would loosely be called OBC elsewhere.

Pudhumai Penn pays monthly, not yearly

Most scholarships pay once per academic year. Pudhumai Penn is different — it pays girl students a fixed amount every month, to encourage them to continue their education, rather than one lump sum.

Documents Tamil Nadu almost always asks for

1. Aadhaar Card, linked to your mobile number and bank account.
2. Community / Caste Certificate, issued through the e-Sevai portal.
3. Family Income Certificate, issued by your Tahsildar.
4. Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets.
5. Government School Transfer Certificate (Class 6 to 12), specifically needed for Pudhumai Penn.
6. Bank account details with Aadhaar NPCI seeding.

How to find the right scheme — step by step

1. Check your exact community group on your caste certificate — SC, SCA, SCC, ST, BC, MBC, or DNC.
2. Check your class stage, and use ssp.tn.gov.in for Post-Matric SC/ST/SCA/SCC schemes specifically.
3. If you are a girl student, check Pudhumai Penn for its monthly payment.
4. If you are a first-generation engineering student, check the Anna University First Graduate Concession.
5. Get your e-Sevai community certificate ready early, since it's needed across almost every scheme.