ONGC Scholarship 2026-27: Eligibility, Amount, Documents and How to Apply Online

ONGC Foundation gives 2,000 scholarships of INR 48,000 per year to students in the first year of Engineering, MBBS, MBA and Geology courses. Check the eligibility, amount, documents and full application process below.

ONGC Scholarship 2026-27: Eligibility, Amount, Documents and How to Apply OnlineONGC Scholarship is money given to students by ONGC Foundation. It is meant for students who score well but come from low income families. The scheme runs as three separate schemes, one for each category. One is for SC/ST students, one for OBC students and one for General (EWS) students. Every selected student receives INR 48,000 in a year. The amount continues till the course ends, as long as the student keeps scoring well. Only first-year students of four professional courses can apply. Students in the first year of Engineering can check with institutions such as IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi and NIT Tiruchirappalli whether their course is covered. This article explains the eligibility, amount, documents, application steps and renewal rules in detail.

What is ONGC Scholarship

ONGC Scholarship is offered by ONGC Foundation, the social work wing of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation. The aim is simple. Bright students from poor families should not drop out because of money. The scheme is also called the ONGC Merit Scholarship. It covers two undergraduate courses and two postgraduate courses. A total of 2,000 students are selected in a year across the three category schemes. Half of these seats go to girl students. The table below gives the key facts at a glance.

ONGC Scholarship Eligibility Criteria

The ONGC Scholarship eligibility rules are mostly the same for all three schemes. Only the income limit and the caste certificate rule change. The table below shows what differs.

Academic Qualification and Minimum Marks Required

Marks decide who gets selected, so this is the most important condition. For Engineering and MBBS, a student needs at least 60 per cent marks in Class 12. For MBA and Master's in Geology or Geophysics, the same 60 per cent is needed in graduation. If the college follows a grading system, the OGPA or CGPA must be at least 6.0 on a 10-point scale.

Income Limit for SC/ST, OBC and General Category

The income limit is the one rule that changes between the three schemes. SC/ST applicants can have a total family income below INR 4.5 lakh a year. For OBC and General (EWS) applicants, the limit is below INR 2 lakh a year. Income from every source is counted together, not just salary.

Age Limit, Nationality and Course Type

A few basic conditions apply to all applicants. The student must be an Indian citizen. Age should not be more than 30 years on the cut-off date given in the scheme. The course must be a regular full-time programme. Part-time and distance courses are not covered. One more rule matters. A student cannot take any other scholarship or financial help at the same time.

Courses Covered Under ONGC Scholarship

Only four professional courses are covered, and only in the first year. Engineering and MBBS are the undergraduate options. MBA and Master's in Geology or Geophysics are the postgraduate options. The college or university must be recognised by AICTE, MCI, UGC, the Association of Indian Universities, a State Education Board, or the State or Central Government. MBBS students can check with institutions such as AIIMS Delhi, Maulana Azad Medical College and JIPMER whether their programme fits these conditions.

Am I Eligible for ONGC Scholarship

Run through this quick checklist before you start the form. If any answer is no, the application will not go through.

ONGC Scholarship Amount and Benefits

Every selected student gets the same amount. There is no difference between categories or between courses. The ONGC Scholarship amount is INR 48,000 in a year. This works out to INR 4,000 a month. The support does not stop after one year. It runs for the full course length, as long as the student keeps passing. That means four years for Engineering and MBBS students. MBA and Master's students get it for two years. MBA students can check with institutions such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and FMS Delhi whether their programme is covered.

How the ONGC Scholarship Amount is Paid

The money does not come every month. It is paid once a year, after the academic year is over. The amount goes straight into the student's bank account through ECS, the system banks use for direct transfers. So the bank details filled in the form must be correct. The account should also be a normal savings account, not a minor account. Students are advised not to close or change that account after selection.

ONGC Scholarship Stream Wise and Zone Wise Distribution

The 2,000 seats are not given out randomly. They are split by course and then by region. This keeps the competition fair across the country.

Stream Wise Number of ONGC Scholarships

Engineering gets the largest share in all three schemes. The table below shows how the seats are divided.

Students of science and geology programmes can check with universities such as Banaras Hindu University, University of Hyderabad and Jadavpur University whether their Master's course qualifies.

Zone Wise Distribution and States Covered

The country is divided into five zones. Your zone depends on where your institution is located, not where you live. Each zone gets 200 SC/ST scholarships, 100 OBC scholarships and 100 General scholarships.

If a zone gets fewer applications than expected, the unused seats are given to other zones. Students in the southern states can check with universities such as Anna University, Osmania University and Panjab University about their course recognition.

OTR Registration on National Scholarship Portal

There is one step before the ONGC form even opens. You need an OTR number from the National Scholarship Portal. An application without it will not be accepted.

• Go to scholarships.gov.in and open the One Time Registration page.

• Fill in your personal details as they appear on your official documents.

• Complete the verification steps asked by the portal.

• Note down the OTR number you receive and keep it safe.

The OTR stays with you through your studies. It is also used for several other central schemes, which you can read about in our National Scholarship Portal guide.

How to Apply for ONGC Scholarship Online

The ONGC Scholarship application has two halves. First you apply online. Then you post a signed hard copy. Skipping the second half means your form is incomplete.

ONGC Scholarship Online Application Process

Keep your documents scanned and ready before you start. Follow these steps.

• Open ongcscholar.org and click the Apply Scholarship button.

• Pick your category scheme from the list shown.

• Read the instructions and accept the declaration.

• Fill in your personal, academic, family income and bank details.

• Upload the scanned copies of all documents asked for.

• Check every entry once and submit the form.

• Download and print the filled application.

Hard Copy Submission at the Designated ONGC Office

The printed form now needs a signature from your college. Get the application and its documents attested by the Head, Principal or Dean of your institution. The complete set must then reach the ONGC office listed in the application format. The office is decided by your institution’s location. Students at private universities can check with institutions such as Vellore Institute of Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology and Amity University about getting the attestation done on time.

Documents Required for ONGC Scholarship

The document list is almost the same for all three schemes. Only the caste certificate changes. Keep clear scanned copies of each one.

Documents Required for SC/ST and OBC Category

Applicants in these two schemes need ten documents in all.

• Certified caste certificate in Hindi or English

• Birth certificate or Class 10 marksheet as age proof

• Class 12 marksheet for Engineering and MBBS students

• Consolidated graduation marksheet for MBA and Geology or Geophysics students

• Certified annual family income certificate in Hindi or English

• Bank details in the ECS form, attested by the bank

• PAN card copy, or the date on which you will submit it

• College or institution identity card

• College or institution admission receipt

• Signed undertaking

Documents Required for General EWS Category

General category applicants need nine documents. The list is the same as above, minus the caste certificate. Everything else, including the income certificate and the attested ECS form, still applies.

ONGC Scholarship Selection Process and Merit List

There is no exam and no interview for this scholarship. Selection depends fully on the marks you scored in your last main exam. That means Class 12 marks for Engineering and MBBS applicants. For MBA and Master's applicants, graduation marks are counted. If two students have the same marks, the one with the lower family income is picked. Students from Below Poverty Line families are given preference. Others are considered only when enough BPL applicants are not available. The merit list of selected students is published on the scholarship portal. The decision of ONGC Foundation is final on all selection matters.

How to Check ONGC Scholarship Application Status

You can track your form on the same portal where you applied. Two options are available on the homepage.

ONGC Scholarship Login on ongcscholar.org

Use the Already Registered option if you have just applied. Enter your acknowledgement number along with your date of birth. Select the form and open it to see the current status. Selected students get login details by email and can use the Login button instead. There is also a Ticket option on the portal if you want to report a problem. Keep your acknowledgement number noted down, as every query needs it.

ONGC Scholarship Renewal Process

The scholarship is not a one-time payment, but it is not automatic either. You have to apply for renewal each year. Two conditions decide whether it continues. You must score at least 60 per cent marks or 6 grade points out of 10 in your yearly or semester exams. You must also be promoted to the next year of your course. A student who is not promoted loses the scholarship for that year. Renewal is done by filing the online renewal application in the format given on the portal. Students at central universities such as Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University and Savitribai Phule Pune University should collect their attested marksheets early for this step.

Why ONGC Scholarship Applications Get Rejected

Most rejections happen for small reasons that are easy to avoid. The table below lists the common ones.

Students should note one more rule. If you accept another scholarship later, the full ONGC amount has to be returned.

ONGC Scholarship Helpline and Contact Details

For any doubt about your form or documents, reach out to the foundation directly.