Implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the scheme aims to improve educational opportunities for talented students from economically weaker SC families by providing admission to selected private residential schools across India.

Under the scheme, eligible students can receive admission to Class 9 or Class 11 through the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS). The government provides financial assistance towards tuition fees, hostel facilities and other educational support, enabling selected students to continue their schooling up to Class 12.

Approximately 3,000 students are expected to benefit annually through the scheme, subject to available seats and the prescribed selection process.

The SHRESHTA-NETS 2026 examination was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on December 21, 2025. The scorecards were released on January 3, 2026. The 2026 admission process has subsequently progressed through multiple counselling rounds, with the fourth-round seat allotment result announced on the official SHRESHTA admission portal.

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What Is the SHRESHTA Scheme?

SHRESHTA is a centrally implemented educational initiative designed to provide high-quality residential schooling to meritorious students belonging to Scheduled Caste communities.

The scheme was introduced to reduce educational inequalities and help talented students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds access better educational facilities.

Through the programme, selected students receive opportunities to study in identified private residential schools, where they can benefit from academic instruction, hostel accommodation and other educational facilities.

The scheme has two implementation modes:

• Mode I: Admission of meritorious SC students to selected private residential schools through the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS).

• Mode II: Support for eligible residential schools run by voluntary organisations and institutions to provide quality education to SC students.

For the 2026 NETS admission process, the entrance examination and counselling route is particularly relevant to students seeking admission to Classes 9 and 11.

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SHRESHTA Scheme 2026: Important Highlights

SHRESHTA Scheme 2026: Eligibility Criteria

Students must satisfy the eligibility requirements prescribed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the National Testing Agency to participate in the SHRESHTA-NETS admission process.

The major eligibility conditions are explained below.

1. Scheduled Caste Category

The scheme is specifically designed for meritorious students belonging to Scheduled Caste communities. Applicants must provide the prescribed category certificate or supporting documentation.

2. Family Income Limit

The annual parental income of the candidate must not exceed ₹2.50 lakh.

The income condition is applicable to the combined annual income of the parents or guardians, as specified in the examination requirements.

3. Educational Qualification

For admission to Class 9, students must have passed or be appearing in Class 8.

For admission to Class 11, students must have passed or be appearing in Class 10.

The candidate must satisfy the relevant academic requirements for the 2026–27 admission session.

4. Age Limit

The prescribed date-of-birth requirements for SHRESHTA-NETS 2026 were:

Students should carefully check their date of birth against the prescribed eligibility range before applying.

These eligibility conditions are based on the NTA's official SHRESHTA-NETS 2026 FAQ.

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SHRESHTA Scheme 2026: Financial Assistance and Benefits

One of the most important features of the SHRESHTA Scheme is the financial assistance provided to selected students.

Under Mode I, the government provides financial support towards tuition fees, hostel accommodation and other educational support services. The assistance is available for students admitted to Classes 9 and 11 and continues until they complete Class 12.

The class-wise financial assistance announced by the government is as follows:

In addition, financial assistance of up to 10% of the annual fee may be provided separately for bridge courses, wherever required.

These benefits are intended to reduce the financial burden on families and ensure that deserving students can continue their education without interruption.

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SHRESHTA-NETS 2026 Examination Pattern

The National Testing Agency conducts the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA to identify eligible and meritorious students for admission to participating residential schools.

The examination evaluates students in four major subject areas.

The examination pattern for SHRESHTA-NETS 2026 was as follows:

Important examination details:

• Mode of examination: Pen-and-paper mode.

• Total questions: 100.

• Maximum marks: 400.

• Medium: Hindi and English.

• Examination authority: National Testing Agency.

• Examination date: December 21, 2025.

• Application fee: No examination fee.

The examination was conducted at 106 centres across 73 cities in India.

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SHRESHTA Scheme 2026: How to Apply?

Applications for SHRESHTA-NETS 2026 were invited through the National Testing Agency's online examination portal.

The general application procedure for the examination was as follows:

1.    Visit the official NTA SHRESHTA website at https://exams.nta.nic.in/shreshta/.

2.    Open the SHRESHTA-NETS 2026 registration link.

3.    Complete the online registration using the required student details.

4.    Generate the application number and create login credentials.

5.    Fill in personal, educational and parental income information.

6.    Select the examination city preferences.

7.    Upload the required photograph, signature and supporting documents.

8.    Review all the information entered in the application form.

9.    Submit the application form.

10.                   Download and save the confirmation page for future reference.

Important: The SHRESHTA-NETS 2026 application and examination stages have already been completed. Students interested in the next admission cycle should wait for the fresh NTA notification rather than looking for an active 2026 application link.

Documents Required for SHRESHTA Scheme

Candidates applying for the examination and subsequent counselling should keep the following documents ready:

• Recent passport-size photograph.

• Scanned signature.

• Scheduled Caste certificate or prescribed category undertaking.

• Family income certificate.

• Class 8 or Class 10 educational details, as applicable.

• Date-of-birth proof.

• Valid identification document.

• Registered mobile number and email address.

• Other documents specified in the official information bulletin.

The documents may be verified at subsequent stages of the admission process. The NTA has clarified that eligibility and supporting documents are subject to verification under the Ministry's prescribed rules.

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SHRESHTA Scheme 2026: Selection Process

The selection process involves an entrance examination followed by merit-based online counselling and school allotment.

The major stages are:

Stage 1: Online Registration

Eligible candidates register through the NTA examination portal and submit their application forms.

Stage 2: Entrance Examination

Candidates appear for SHRESHTA-NETS, which assesses their academic knowledge in Mathematics, Science, Social Science and General Awareness.

Stage 3: Result Declaration

The NTA publishes the examination scorecards through its official portal.

Stage 4: Merit-Based Counselling

Eligible candidates participate in online counselling and exercise their preferences for participating residential schools.

Stage 5: Seat Allotment

Seats are allotted based on merit, candidate preferences and the availability of vacancies.

Stage 6: Physical Reporting

Selected candidates report to their allotted schools and complete the admission formalities.

Qualifying in the entrance examination does not automatically guarantee admission to a particular school. Final admission depends on merit, eligibility, counselling preferences and available vacancies.

SHRESHTA Scheme 2026: Latest Counselling and Seat Allotment Update

The SHRESHTA-NETS 2026 admission process has progressed beyond the entrance examination and initial counselling stages.

The NTA released the examination scorecards on January 3, 2026. Subsequently, the official SHRESHTA admission portal conducted multiple rounds of online counselling.

Latest official update

The fourth-round seat allotment result for SHRESHTA 2026 has been announced.

The fourth-round counselling schedule was as follows:

Candidates who were eligible for the fourth round had to submit fresh school preferences. Choices submitted in earlier rounds were not considered for the fourth-round allocation.

Candidates who had already reported to an allotted school in an earlier round were not eligible to participate in the fourth round.

As these dates have already passed, students seeking admission through the next SHRESHTA cycle should monitor the official admission portal for further announcements.

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SHRESHTA Scheme: Beneficiary Details in West Bengal

The SHRESHTA Scheme has also supported Scheduled Caste students in West Bengal through its two implementation modes.

According to information published by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment through the Press Information Bureau on April 1, 2026, the number of students admitted under the scheme in West Bengal was as follows:

For 2025–26, five institutions in West Bengal participated under Mode II.

These figures demonstrate the implementation of the scheme through both residential school admission and institutional support mechanisms.

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Official Websites for SHRESHTA Scheme 2026

Students and parents should refer to the following government portals for authentic information regarding eligibility, examination results, counselling and admission.

Conclusion

The SHRESHTA Scheme 2026 is an important educational initiative of the Government of India aimed at providing quality residential schooling to meritorious Scheduled Caste students from economically weaker families.

Through financial assistance covering tuition, hostel facilities and other educational support, the programme helps eligible students pursue education in selected residential schools from Class 9 or Class 11 until Class 12.

The annual family income limit of ₹2.50 lakh, entrance-based selection process and merit-based school allotment are important features of the scheme.

With the SHRESHTA-NETS 2026 examination and fourth-round counselling already completed, students interested in benefiting from the programme should follow the official NTA and SHRESHTA admission websites for announcements concerning the next admission cycle.

Parents and students should carefully review the eligibility requirements, age criteria and financial assistance provisions before applying in the next cycle.