National Scholarship Portal (NSP): One-Time Registration (OTR) is now mandatory

The Promise: Education funding for merit and means students. The Catch: Fake "Scholarship Selection Letters" asking for a ₹2,000 security deposit.

1. What changed in 2026?

The old "Application ID" is dead. Now, you need an OTR (One Time Registration) number. This is a unique 14-digit number. You get this only after Aadhaar Face Authentication. Why? To stop fake colleges from siphoning off scholarship money using ghost students.

2. How to get OTR?

1. Download NSP OTR App and AadhaarFaceRd app.
2. Open NSP OTR App. Select "Register".
3. Enter Aadhaar. Scan Face.
4. Get OTR Number via SMS.

Note: Once you have the OTR, you don't need to register again next year. Just login and apply.

[!important] Keep your Mobile Active The mobile number linked to your OTR/Aadhaar is crucial. All updates come there. Do not change this number.

3. Money Safety

Scholarships are DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer). The money comes to your Aadhaar Seeded Bank Account. It does NOT go to the College. It does NOT come via Cheque.

[!warning] Scam Radar

• Red Flag: "Congratulations, you won a Tata/Reliance/Govt Scholarship. Pay ₹999 to claim." (Real scholarships never ask for money to give money).
• Red Flag: Emails from gmail.com addresses claiming to be the Ministry of Education.
• Action: Verify any scheme on scholarships.gov.in public corner.