Pre-Matric Scholarship for Children of Beedi, Cine, Mine and Mica Workers: Up to ₹2,000 a Year Families who earn their living rolling beedis, working in cinema halls, or digging in iron ore, manganese, chrome, limestone, dolomite and mica mines often have very little left over for school costs. The Government of India’s Pre-Matric scholarship for the wards of Beedi, Cine, IOMC, LSDM and Mica workers offers a small but useful yearly sum to help children stay in school from Class I to Class X. It is run by the Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Directorate General of Labour Welfare (DGLW). Check the dates first Today is 8 November 2026, and these are the 2026-27 dates currently shown on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP): Applications opened: 1 June 2026 Last date for students to apply: 31 October 2026 (already passed) Last date for defective-application verification: 15 November 2026 Last date for institute verification: 15 November 2026 Last date for DNO/SNO/MNO verification: 30 November 2026 The student application deadline has passed. That does not necessarily end the matter for everyone. If you applied and your application was marked defective, you may still be able to correct it until 15 November, which is a week away. If you have not applied at all, check the NSP at once, since dates are sometimes revised or extended, and ask your school or the NSP helpdesk whether a late window exists. Do not assume one will open. How much the scholarship pays The amount depends on the class: Classes I to IV: ₹1,000 per year Classes V to VIII: ₹1,500 per year Classes IX and X: ₹2,000 per year The money is paid once per academic year for the class in which the student is approved, directly into the bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) using the Aadhaar Payment Bridge. If a student repeats a class, the scholarship is not paid again for that year. For context, in 2024-25, assistance worth ₹32.51 crore went to 92,118 wards. Who is eligible At least one parent must be a Beedi, Cine, IOMC, LSDM or Mica worker, with at least six months of service in that sector. Contract workers and eligible home-based (Gharkhata) workers are also covered. Family income must not exceed ₹21,000 a month or ₹2.52 lakh a year under the 2026-27 guidelines. The student must be in Classes I to X in a recognised Government or Government-aided institution in India. Correspondence and distance learners are not eligible. The student must have passed the previous qualifying examination at the first attempt. Students promoted to the next class are also eligible. The student must meet the Aadhaar, OTR and DBT requirements. From 2026-27, an eligible student may receive one merit-based scholarship along with one or more welfare-based scholarships, subject to each scheme’s rules. This scholarship is a welfare-based one. Documents and details to keep ready Identity card of the eligible worker parent For mine workers, Form B Register details or an extract, where applicable For cine workers, the Cine worker identity card, where applicable Income certificate from the competent authority Aadhaar details of the student or, if a minor has no Aadhaar, of the parent or guardian A mobile number linked with Aadhaar Details of an Aadhaar-linked, NPCI-mapped bank account The previous class marksheet or passing certificate School details and any other information the portal asks for The portal shows exactly which documents are needed, so check the application form before you submit. How to apply on the NSP Open the National Scholarship Portal and, in the student section, choose One Time Registration (OTR). Complete OTR using the student’s Aadhaar or Aadhaar Enrolment ID, and follow the authentication steps to get a 14-digit OTR number. Log in with the OTR number and password, and select the 2026-27 application. From the list, choose the Ministry of Labour and Employment scheme: “Financial Assistance For Education To The Wards Of Beedi/Cine/IOMC/LSDM – Pre Matric (Welfare Based Scheme)”. Fill in the student’s personal and school details, and enter the worker parent’s details and family income carefully. Upload the documents requested. Check every detail, especially name, date of birth, class, school and parent information, and correct mistakes before final submission. If you need help, a nearby Common Service Centre (CSC) can assist. The NSP states a total charge of ₹30 per candidate for OTR generation and filing the full application through the specified CSC service. What happens after you submit Submitting does not mean approval. The school or institution checks the application first, and then it goes through the Labour Welfare and departmental verification. If it is marked defective, read the reason on NSP and correct it within the permitted time. After verification and sanction, the amount is paid by DBT. Log in to NSP regularly to follow your status and payment, especially during the verification period. Where to get help NSP helpdesk: 0120-6619540 (8:00 AM to 8:00 PM every day except government holidays), or helpdesk@nsp.gov.in Directorate General of Labour Welfare: 011-23386620, or ddglw-mole@gov.in DGLW address: Jaisalmer House, 26 Man Singh Road, New Delhi, 110001 Regional help: the Welfare Commissioner or Labour Welfare Organisation office for your area, listed in the DGLW contact directory. The Labour Welfare Organisation works through 18 regional Welfare Commissioner offices. The source labels the helpdesk “NPS” in one place, but the contact details given are for the National Scholarship Portal. Other worker-linked schemes Families whose parents are registered construction workers may find state schemes useful, such as Uttarakhand’s Mukhyamantri Shramik Shiksha Samagri Yojana and Odisha’s Nirman Shramik Kalyan Yojana (Educational Assistance). Those are separate schemes with different conditions.