What happened: Monthly agriculture scholarship and fellowship payments via NSP-DBT
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister and Rural Development Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan released scholarship and fellowship funds for agriculture students across India through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) at ICAR-IARI, Pusa. The disbursal used the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism, and the government stated that more than 6,000 students received a total of ₹21.35 crore directly through DBT.
The government also announced a shift to a regular payment cadence: agriculture students will receive scholarships every month directly through DBT, with the stated goals of timely delivery and reduced student inconvenience linked to older systems.
Background and earlier position: scholarship delivery through NSP with DBT intent
The National Scholarship Portal is used in India for scholarship delivery and student onboarding under a digital channel. DBT refers to paying eligible benefits directly into beneficiaries’ accounts to reduce intermediaries and delays. The announcement at ICAR-IARI framed NSP-DBT as a delivery change meant for transparency, speed, and smoother student experience, though the release text does not provide earlier-month frequency details or past delivery timelines.
What changed now: monthly payments and linkage with practical agricultural education
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