BENGALURU: The Government of Karnataka and Azim Premji Foundation had launched the Deepika Scholarship in September 2025, has now received over one lakh applications from school and college girl students.
The scholarship is meant to support students of class 10 and 12, studying in government schools and colleges, to pursue higher education. Manjushree N, Commissioner for collegiate education said, “The department and APF have opened the second cycle of applications from January 1, 2026 that will be extended up to January 31. We have started receiving the applications for the second cycle also in large numbers. The second cycle opened to provide scholarships to the engineering and medical students.”
While it aims to facilitate financial support to girl students, it can also help increase the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education. As per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), Karnataka’s GER was 36.2% in 2021-22 which was low when compared to other states including Puducherry (61.5%), Delhi (49%), Himachal Pradesh (43.1%), Uttarakhand (41.8%), Kerala (41.3%) and Telangana (40%).
She added, “The scholarship is one of a kind and for the first time, it is being launched in the state. It is meant to support around 37,000 girl students. Our department has extended the date of application for the scholarship to January 31, 2026. The first cycle of application for the scholarship started in September 2025 and ended recently. In the first cycle itself, we have received over one lakh applications for the scholarship. The department officials and APF are scrutinising the applications that we received to shortlist them and provide them with the scholarship.”
Manjushree said that the eligibility to this scholarship is limited to girl students from government schools, colleges and they must be pursuing degree for the first time. As per the details of the scholarship, selected students will receive Rs 30,000 per year for the entire duration of their course. Accordingly, a student in a 4 year degree programme will receive Rs 1,20,000 and a 2-year-diploma student will receive Rs 60,000.
Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar had announced that even if the number of students cross more than 40,000, the state would bear their education expenses.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dr Sudhakar, said, “The reason behind launching Deepika scholarship is to encourage girl students pursue under graduation and earn a job. There is one important condition that students have to take note of it. They cannot have backlogs in degree and diploma during any semester. In case of backlog, the scholarship will be stopped to such students.”