Connect to Work Scholarship 2026-27: Eligibility, Amount, Documents and Apply Online

Connect to Work Scholarship gives INR 1,000 every month to young people in Kerala. It is for those doing a skill course or preparing for a job exam. Check eligibility, documents and apply online at eemployment.kerala.gov.in.

Connect to Work Scholarship 2026-27: Eligibility, Amount, Documents and Apply Online Connect to Work Scholarship 2026-27: Applications for the Connect to Work Scholarship are open. The portal is eemployment.kerala.gov.in. The scheme is run by the Employment Directorate, Government of Kerala. It pays INR 1,000 a month. The money comes for a maximum of 12 months. Anyone aged 18 to 30 years can apply. 

Family income must not cross INR 5,00,000. The applicant must be a permanent resident of Kerala. He or she should be doing a skill course, or preparing for a competitive exam. The form is filled online. There is no offline form.

Connect to Work Scholarship Latest Updates

Kerala revised the rules of this scheme. The revised order fixed the family income limit at INR 5,00,000. It also said the scholarship will go to the first 5,00,000 eligible applicants. Some older reports mentioned a lower income limit. Those reports are out of date. The revised order applies now.

What is Chief Minister’s Connect to Work Scheme Scholarship

The official name is the Chief Minister’s Connect to Work Scheme. The portal also calls it the Prajwala Scholarship. The idea is simple. Many students finish their studies and then start preparing for a job. This stage takes a year or two. During this time they earn nothing. Travel, exam fees and books still cost money. 

This scheme covers a part of that cost. The money is not a salary. It is short-term help during the preparation stage. Skill training at government departments, public sector units, recognised universities, deemed universities and recognised private institutions is covered. Learners at University of Kerala, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies and Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit can ask their department if their course counts as a skill course.

Connect to Work Scholarship 2026 Overview

Find more details about Prajwala Scholarship below.

Connect to Work Scholarship Important Dates

The portal does not show a closing date yet. Forms are picked in the order they arrive. So applying early helps.

Connect to Work Scholarship Eligibility Criteria

Five conditions decide who can apply. All five must be met on the day you submit the form.

Age Limit

You must have completed 18 years. You must not have crossed 30 years. Age is counted on the date of application.

Annual Family Income Limit

Family income for the year must be INR 5,00,000 or less. The income certificate comes from the Village Officer. It must be in your own name. A certificate older than one year will not be accepted.

Educational Qualification

You must have passed +2, VHSE, ITI, Diploma or Degree. A student still in Class 12 cannot apply. The certificate must come from a recognised institution.

Domicile Requirement

Only permanent residents of Kerala can apply. For address proof you can use a Voter ID, Aadhaar, passport, driving licence or school certificate.

Eligible Skill Courses and Competitive Exams

Two groups qualify. The first group is doing a skill training course. The second group has applied for a competitive exam and is preparing for it. Exams by the UPSC, State PSC, Service Selection Board, Army, Navy, Air Force, banks and railways are included.

Exams by other Central and State recruitment agencies also count. Trainees at Cochin University of Science and Technology, National Institute of Technology Calicut and Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad come under the skill training route, if the programme is a recognised skill course.

Candidates Who Are Not Eligible

Some things block an application. Age and income alone are not enough.

Quick Eligibility Checklist

Check details below

Connect to Work Scholarship Amount and Payment Mode

The amount is INR 1,000 per month. Nothing extra is paid. One person can get it for 12 months at most. It is given only once in a lifetime. After those 12 months, you cannot apply again. The money comes through Direct Benefit Transfer. The bank account must be in your own name. Money is not sent to a parent’s account. Students at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala Agricultural University and Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University should open an account in their own name first.

Duration and Payment Release

The money comes for one year. It stops earlier if you get a job. Say you get a job in the sixth month. Then payment stops from that month. You have to inform the Employment Exchange yourself.

Connect to Work Scholarship Apply Online Process

Everything happens on one portal. Scan all your documents first. The form cannot be opened again later.

Registration on the e-Employment Exchange

Registration on the Kerala e-Employment Exchange comes first. Already registered at an exchange? Then create a login through the jobseeker registration option on the homepage. Candidates from University of Calicut, College of Engineering Trivandrum and TKM College of Engineering who registered long ago should check if their registration is still active.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Follow these steps in order.

1. Open eemployment.kerala.gov.in and click the Connect to Work Scheme link.

2. Read the instructions page and the eligibility box.

3. Tick the box saying you have all the documents. Then click Proceed to Application.

4. Fill in your personal details, address, qualification and bank details.

5. Add your skill course details or exam details, whichever applies to you.

6. Upload each document in the right format and size.

7. Read the filled form once from top to bottom.

8. Confirm and submit. Save the acknowledgement.

The portal allows only single-step submission. After you confirm, the form cannot be edited. One wrong digit in the account number cannot be fixed later.

Documents Required for Connect to Work Scholarship

The portal lists ten documents. All copies must be self-attested.

Documents Every Applicant Needs

Keep these papers ready before you start the form.

• Address proof, such as Voter ID, Aadhaar, passport, driving licence or school certificate

• Date of birth proof, either a birth certificate or a school certificate

• Income certificate from the Village Officer, issued within one year

• Qualification certificate from a recognised institution

• First page of the bank passbook, showing the account number and IFSC code

• Recent passport size colour photograph

• Scanned signature of the applicant

Extra Documents for Skill Training Candidates

You need an authentication letter from the head of your institution. It must say you are enrolled in the skill training course. It must also mention the period of study. The head of the institution has to sign it. No other officer can sign in his or her place. Trainees at APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Government Engineering College Thrissur and Model Engineering College Thrikkakara should ask for this letter early. Most institutions take a few days.

Extra Documents for Competitive Exam Aspirants

You need two papers here. The first is a copy of your application form or acknowledgement slip. It can be from the Kerala PSC, UPSC, SSC or a similar website. The second is a self-declaration certificate. You sign it yourself and state that you are preparing for the exam. Both forms can be downloaded from the instructions page.

File Size and Format Rules

All documents must be PDF files under 100 KB. The photo and signature are different. They go up as JPG or JPEG files, also under 100 KB.

Connect to Work Scholarship Selection Process

Selection is not based on marks. It is based on the date your form reaches the portal. Early applications are taken up first. The benefit goes to the first 5,00,000 eligible applicants. Forms are checked at the Employment Exchange level. The District Employment Officer runs the scheme in each district. Regional Deputy Directors look after their zones. 

The Employment Directorate handles the scheme across the state. Pension records are checked through IKM. Government service records are checked through SPARK. The final list goes to Kerala Social Security Pension Ltd, which releases the money. Applicants from Kannur University, Central University of Kerala and Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode go through the same district-level check.

Connect to Work Scholarship Status Check

Both application status and payment status are seen on the same portal.

Application Status

Open the homepage. Click Know Your Application Status. Enter your application number or registered mobile number. The screen will show whether your form is under check, approved or rejected.

Payment Status

Payment status shows up after the district list is verified. Sometimes the status says approved but no money arrives. In that case, check your account number and IFSC code first. A dormant account is another common reason.

Common Reasons for Application Rejection

Most rejections happen for small reasons. The table below tells you what to do.

Wrong information costs money. If an ineligible person takes the benefit, the amount is taken back with 18 per cent interest. Revenue recovery steps follow if it is not returned.

Points to Check Before Submitting the Application

Go through this list once before you press confirm.

• Your age today is between 18 and 30 years

• The income certificate shows INR 5,00,000 or less

• The income certificate is less than a year old

• It carries your name, not your father’s or mother’s

• Your qualification certificate is from a recognised institution

• The bank account is yours and it is active

• The account number and IFSC code match the passbook

• Every PDF is under 100 KB and opens properly

• The photo and signature are JPG or JPEG files

• Skill trainees have the letter from the head of the institution

• Exam aspirants have the slip and the self-declaration

Candidates at Kerala University of Health Sciences, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology and the National University of Advanced Legal Studies should keep these papers ready. The form cannot be saved midway.

Connect to Work Scholarship Helpline and Contact Details

District helpline numbers work from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can also email deker.emp.lbr@kerala.gov.in.

INR 1,000 is a small amount. But it comes at a stage when most young people earn nothing. The rules are clear and the process is short. Your own preparation decides the result. Keep the income certificate fresh. Keep the bank account in your own name. And apply early, because seats fill in the order forms arrive.