The ONGC Foundation Scholarship is a CSR scholarship of ONGC Foundation, linked with the public-sector oil company ONGC. It gives Rs 48,000 a year (about Rs 4,000 a month) to first-year students of selected professional courses, mainly from SC, ST, OBC and EWS-General backgrounds. Applications are made at ongcscholar.org after registering on the National Scholarship Portal. The dates for the current cycle are not clearly confirmed, so read the notes below before you plan.
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | ONGC Foundation (CSR scholarship) |
| Official site (as reported) | ongcscholar.org, with registration on scholarships.gov.in (NSP) for an OTR number |
| Amount | Rs 48,000 a year (Rs 4,000 a month), by direct bank transfer |
| Courses | Engineering, MBBS, MBA, and M.Sc. in Geology or Geophysics (as listed by an aggregator) |
| Seats (reported) | 2,000 nationwide, half of each category reserved for women |
| Basis | Merit |
| Dates for the current cycle | Conflicting reports. Not confirmed. Last checked October 2026 |
What it is
ONGC Foundation offers scholarships so that bright students from lower-income and reserved-category families can study professional courses without dropping out for want of money. Students are chosen on merit. According to a third-party summary, when two students have the same merit, those from Below Poverty Line families get preference. The final decision lies with ONGC Foundation.
The payment is made by direct benefit transfer to a savings bank account, usually after the academic year is over, according to the same summary. This means you should plan for fees first and expect the scholarship later. We could not confirm this payment timing on the official site.
Eligibility
We could not open ongcscholar.org during research. The points below come from aggregator pages and they disagree on some details, so use them as a checklist of things to confirm, not as the rule.
- You must be an Indian citizen belonging to the SC, ST, OBC or EWS-General category, with a valid certificate.
- You must be a first-year, full-time student in an eligible course recognised by the relevant regulator.
- For Engineering and MBBS, at least 60 per cent in Class 12 is mentioned. For MBA and M.Sc., at least 60 per cent or 6.0 CGPA in graduation.
- Family income limits reported: below Rs 4.5 lakh for SC and ST, and below Rs 2 lakh for OBC and EWS-General. One page says ‘no income bar’ in one place and gives these limits in another, so this is unresolved.
- You must not be receiving any other scholarship.
- You need a regular savings bank account in your own name. Minor accounts are reported as not accepted.
- An age limit of under 30 is reported, but the cut-off date it is tied to looks out of date.
Seats by category and course (reported)
One aggregator lists 2,000 seats: 1,000 for SC and ST, 500 for OBC and 500 for EWS-General, with half of each category reserved for women. It also lists the course-wise split (1,094 Engineering, 190 MBBS, 246 MBA and 470 M.Sc. Geology or Geophysics) and 400 seats for each of five zones. We could not verify any of these numbers from an official source and they may change every year.
How to apply
- Register on the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in) and get your One Time Registration (OTR) number.
- Go to ongcscholar.org and fill in the online application using that number.
- Upload scanned documents.
- As reported by one aggregator, after submitting online you may need to print the form, attach self-attested copies and send it by Speed Post to the ONGC address printed on the form. Confirm this on the official site, because procedures change.
Documents
- Class 10 marksheet or birth certificate as proof of age
- Class 12 marksheet (for UG) or consolidated graduation marksheet (for PG)
- Income certificate
- Caste certificate for SC, ST or OBC applicants
- Aadhaar card
- Admission letter or fee receipt and college ID card
- Bank passbook or ECS form
- PAN card, passport-size photograph, self-undertaking and college declaration, where requested
Selection
Selection is described as merit-based with document verification. There is no mention of an interview or entrance test of its own. What counts as merit (for example, Class 12 marks for engineering and MBBS, or graduation marks for MBA and M.Sc.) should be checked in the official notice. Remember that wrong or missing documents are the quickest way to lose a seat.
Renewal
The reported rule is that the scholarship continues for the length of the course (four years for engineering and MBBS, two years for MBA and M.Sc.) if you keep at least 60 per cent or 6.0 CGPA, move on to the next year without backlogs, submit the renewal form online, and keep your bank details updated. Check the renewal window on the portal every year.
Dates: the confusing part
Today is 24 October 2026. One aggregator says the 2026 window ran from 1 April to 15 May and results were expected in June. The same page’s FAQ says applications usually open in October and close in November. Another says the expected last date is around 31 October 2026 but is ‘not yet confirmed’. These cannot all be right. We therefore do not give any date as official. Open ongcscholar.org yourself and look for a notice with the cycle year on it. If you find an open form, apply at once.
Beware of scams
Scholarships from a public-sector foundation should never need a payment from you. Do not pay anyone to ‘guarantee’ selection, and be careful of fake websites with names similar to ongcscholar.org. Check the spelling of the address, and do not enter your Aadhaar or bank details on a site you reached from a WhatsApp forward. ONGC and NSP do not ask for your OTP over the phone or your UPI PIN at any stage.
What we could not verify
- The official ongcscholar.org pages, which we could not open
- Dates for the current cycle
- The income limit, age limit and seat numbers reported by aggregators
- Whether the Speed Post step is still required
- The contact numbers listed on aggregator pages
Final word
The ONGC Foundation scholarship is modest in size, but Rs 48,000 a year helps with books, hostel and travel. Get your OTR number and caste and income certificates ready now, because those are slow to obtain. Then watch the official site for the next notice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much is the ONGC Foundation scholarship?
Rs 48,000 a year, which is about Rs 4,000 a month, paid by direct bank transfer according to the summaries we read.
Who is eligible for the ONGC scholarship?
First-year students of eligible professional courses from SC, ST, OBC and EWS-General categories, with minimum marks and income limits. Confirm the current rules on the official site.
Where do I apply?
Register on the National Scholarship Portal for an OTR number, then apply at ongcscholar.org.
Is there an entrance exam?
None was mentioned in the sources we read. Selection is described as merit-based.
What is the last date?
It is not confirmed. Sources conflict, so check ongcscholar.org for the notice of the current cycle.
