To register and avail the benefit: Registration
Objective
The objective of this component is to provide good coaching quality for DNT candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations and succeed in obtaining an appropriate job in Public/Private Sector.
Courses for Coaching
The courses for which the coaching will be imparted shall be as follows:
- Group A and B examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the various Railway Recruitment Boards(RRBs);
- Group A and B examinations conducted by the State Public Service Commission’s;
- Officers’ Grade examinations conducted by Banks, Insurance Companies and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs);
- Premier Entrance Examinations for admission in (a) Engineering (eg. IIT-JEE), (b) Medical (eg. NEET), (c) Professional courses like Management (eg. CAT) and Law (eg. CLAT), and (d) Any other such disciplines as Ministry may decide from time to time.
- Eligibility tests/examinations like SAT, GRE, GMAT and TOEFL.
- Entrance examination tests for CPL courses/ National Defense Academy and Combined Defense Services
Distribution of slots amongst types of competitive examinations
60% of total available slots shall be allotted to the courses for which qualifying exam is graduation (Bachelor’s level). 40% of total slots shall be for the courses for which qualifying exam is Class 12.
Eligibility criteria for students
- Only students belonging to DNT communities having total family income from all sources of Rs.2.50 lakh or less per annum and not availing any such benefits from similar Scheme of Centre Government or the State Government will be eligible for benefits under the Scheme. Income declaration of self-employed parents/ guardian should be in the form of a certificate issued by Revenue Officer not below the rank of Tehsildar. Employed parents/guardians are required to obtain income certificate from their employer. Employed parents/ guardians should obtain consolidated certificate from Revenue Officer for any other additional source of income.
- The students must have secured the minimum marks in the qualifying examination of the competitive exam for which coaching is sought, as prescribed in the guidelines of the said competitive exam. However, if the student has still not appeared for the said qualifying examination, or if the student has appeared and the result has not been declared, the marks obtained in the Board/Degree exam just prior to the qualifying exam shall be taken into account. If the number of eligible applications received is more than the given slots, the selection will be done in the decreasing order of the marks obtained in the qualifying exams.
- For the competitive exams for which the qualifying exam is class 12th, benefits under the scheme will be available to a candidate only if the candidate has passed class 12th or is studying in class 12th as on the date of receiving the benefit under the scheme. Further, in case of competitive exams for which the qualifying exam is at bachelor level, only students/candidates having completed the bachelor level course or studying in the final year of the bachelor degree course at the time of receiving the benefits under the scheme shall be eligible.
- For such examinations which are conducted in two parts, Preliminary and Mains, priority in the selection will be given to those students who have at least once qualified the preliminary examination.
- Benefits under the Scheme can be availed by a particular student not more than twice, irrespective of the number of chances he/she may be entitled to take in a particular competitive examination. The student will be required to submit an affidavit that he/she has not taken benefit more than twice under the Scheme.
- The candidate shall be precluded from availing any other Scholarship benefits of similar scheme of the Centre or State Governments. The candidate will be required to upload an affidavit indicating that he/she is not availing scholarship from any other similar scheme of the Centre/State. A list of beneficiaries availing the scheme will also be uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and shall be shared with States/UTs to avoid possibility of simultaneous availing benefits of similar scheme by the candidate.
- Where the competitive examination is conducted in two stages viz. Preliminary and Mains, the candidates will be entitled for free coaching for both the examinations. They will be entitled for free coaching upto two times each for Preliminary and Main examinations as per their convenience. However, there will be no restriction in number of chances for coaching for Interview, if the candidate is selected for interview.
Mode of implementation
The Development and Welfare Board for De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC) will select a total of 1250 studentseach year w.e.f. 2021-22 as laid down in the succeeding paras of the Scheme. These students shall have the liberty to pursue the coaching course in any institute of their choice.
a. Number of candidates to be selected:
Out of total selected students 40% students shall be earmarked for competitive exams having eligibility condition as Class XII (e.g. NEET, JEE, CLAT etc.). Remaining 60% students shall be for competitive exams having eligibility condition as Graduation (CAT, Civil Services Examination etc.).
b. Process of application:
- The scheme will be widely advertised through electronic media etc. giving summarized information about the Scheme. The applicants shall, after assessing their eligibility and suitability as per the eligibility conditions of the Scheme, will be required to apply online on this Ministry’s portal, i.e. coaching.dosje.gov.in, along with details of course he/she intends to join.
- The portal will remain open for one month twice a year i.e. during the month of July and January for receiving applications.
- The applicants will be required to upload their applications along with prescribed supporting documents.
- No offline applications will be entertained. Only online applications complete in all respects, shall be considered for assistance. All the incomplete applications will be summarily rejected. However, the rejected candidates will have the option to apply in the subsequent phases of selection.
c. Selection of candidates:
- On closure of the application portal, separate merit lists shall be drawn up of eligible candidates for both the levels of competitive exam mentioned in para 4.2.3 of the Scheme, by the IT system itself, based on information submitted by the candidates.
- The applications will be scrutinized in the order of merit for ascertaining eligibility. Those applications not found complete, or if the applicants are found ineligible, will be rejected.
- The order of merit will be as detailed in para 4.2.4 (ii) of the Scheme.
- The merit lists so finalized will be placed before a Screening Committee set up by the DWBDNC, for making recommendation about selection of the candidates. The assigned number of candidates in the merit will be given the benefit of the scheme subject to verification of their credentials. The merit list shall be uploaded on the website of the Ministry.
- Keeping in view the slots available for each year 625 candidates will be provided assistance in each of the two phases in a year. Separate merit lists will be drawn up for each phase.
d. Release of assistance to the students:
- The course fee shall be released directly into the account of the beneficiary candidate in two installments through DBT mode. However, students will have to submit their bank account linked with their Aadhar.
- After the selection and verification of credentials of the candidates an “Open Assurance” letter shall be issued to candidates stating therein the name of candidate selected, rank no, details of fee amount to be given under the scheme. This will be used by Candidates to contact coaching institute in which he/ she wants to attend coaching. On receipt of admission confirmation/assurance from the Institute; the Candidate will upload the same on the online portal. The first installment of 50% of the eligible amount will be released immediately thereafter.
- The candidate will be required to join the selected course within 6 months of the release of the first installment. The remaining fee will be reimbursed after receiving proof of joining of institute by the candidate and deposition of the amount released as first installment by the candidate to the institute. The candidate is required to join an institute as empanelled by the Ministry under “Free Coaching Scheme for SC and OBC students”. If the first installment of the fee amount is not paid to the selected institute within a period of 6 months, this amount will have to be returned to the Government and second installment will not be eligible. The candidate will be required to submit an affidavit in the prescribed pro forma that he/she would take admission in the coaching institute of his/her choice within six months of receiving the first installment of coaching fee failing which he/she would return the money to the Ministry immediately.
- To facilitate the candidate, a letter will also be issued alongwith the 1st installment of funds release indicating that the balance fee shall also be paid to the candidate after joining the course.
Extent of Assistance:
- Fees : The actual course fee of the institute in which the students is applying, which the institute charges course from general students, or the prescribed course fee by the Ministry as per Annexure of the Scheme, whichever is less, subject to the limits for fees and duration of the course laid down in the Annexure. If the course fee is more than the admissible amount, the candidate has to arrange for the remaining funds from his/her own sources.
- Stipend: Monthly stipend of Rs. 1500/- per student will be paid for local students for attending the coaching class. Similarly, Rs.3000/- per student will be paid per month for outstation students. The stipend will be paid till the duration of the course or for one year, whichever is less. The stipend to each student shall be paid directly by the Ministry through DBT.
- Special Allowance: Students with disabilities would also be eligible for Special Allowance of Rs. 2000/- per month towards reader allowance, escort allowance, helper allowance etc. having valid disability certificate (equal to or more than 40% disability). This will be in addition to the stipend mentioned in para 4.2.6(ii).

Performance and Monitoring of the Scheme:
- Technical Support Group (TSG) shall be set up in the Ministry for all schemes will also assist in scrutiny and processing of the applications, as well as for monitoring the progress of the candidates.
- There will be a review of the performance of the selected candidates availing the benefits of the scheme based on the information obtained from the candidates about their success or otherwise in the competitive exams.