Shivraj Chouhan Launches NSP-DBT Scholarships for Agriculture Students

Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched a new scholarship and fellowship payment initiative for agriculture students through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). At an event held at ICAR-IARI, Pusa, more than 6,000 agriculture students received ₹21.35 crore directly through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Under the new system, eligible agriculture students will receive scholarship support every month directly into their bank accounts. The initiative aims to make payments faster and more transparent while reducing delays and allowing students to focus more effectively on their education and training.

What Is the NSP-DBT Scholarship Initiative?

The initiative uses the National Scholarship Portal and Direct Benefit Transfer mechanism to distribute scholarship and fellowship funds to agriculture students.

Under the new arrangement, students will receive financial assistance directly through DBT, reducing dependence on traditional payment processes.

The government said the system will make scholarship distribution,

• Faster
• Transparent
• Seamless
• Timely
• Hassle-free

More than 6,000 students have already benefited from the latest release of ₹21.35 crore.

Scholarship Disbursements on Monthly Basis for Agricultural Scholars

One of the key highlights of the scheme is the introduction of scholarship disbursements on a monthly basis.

As per Shivraj Chouhan, timely monetary help is crucial because any delay in providing scholarships may cause problems for the scholars, affecting their focus on studies.

The DBT mode would help reduce such delays and enable direct transfer of the funds into the beneficiary’s account.

It was pointed out by the Agriculture Minister that an efficient scheme must facilitate proper examinations, admissions and disbursement of scholarships.

Importance of Practical Training in Agricultural Education

Practical training in agriculture was considered very important by Shivraj Chouhan.

As he mentioned, practical training is crucial to producing competent farmers, scientists and agricultural entrepreneurs. Agricultural students require practical experience in farms and in research for the development of relevant skill set.

The Minister also encouraged students to come up with innovative suggestions in relation to agricultural education and the scholarship scheme.