Top News

Important News for Students: The UGC has made it mandatory to have an Aadhaar-linked bank account to receive scholarship and fellowship funds. If you fail to update your details before the stipulated deadline, your payments may be withheld. Learn how to complete the update process here.

If you are currently receiving any form of scholarship or fellowship, you need to be extra vigilant now. The UGC has implemented a new payment-related regulation, under which funds will now be disbursed exclusively to bank accounts that are linked to an Aadhaar number. In other words, receiving funds may become difficult if your Aadhaar is not linked.

What is the New Rule?

The UGC has decided that all scholarship and fellowship payments will henceforth be processed through the Aadhaar-Based Payment (ABP) system. This implies that funds will be transferred directly to the bank account that is linked to the beneficiary’s Aadhaar number. This system has been implemented under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) framework to ensure that students receive their funds in a direct and secure manner.

What Do Students Need to Do?

All students are now required to visit the Scholarship and Fellowship Management Portal (SFMP) to update their personal details. The most critical step is to link your Aadhaar number to your bank account and subsequently update this information on the portal. If you have not yet completed this task, do so immediately, as failure to do so may result in the suspension of future scholarship disbursements.

Keep the Deadline in Mind

The UGC has set a deadline of April 15, 2026, for this process. This means you must complete the Aadhaar linking and updating procedure by this date without fail. Following this, Nodal Officers have been instructed to verify and approve the Aadhaar details of all students by April 20, 2026, to ensure that payments for the upcoming financial year (2026–27) are disbursed on time. If you fail to link your Aadhaar within the stipulated timeframe, your scholarship or fellowship funds may get stalled.

Rule Already in Effect at Some Institutions

Some universities—such as Pondicherry University and Allahabad University—have already implemented this new regulation within their respective institutions. This requirement has already been made mandatory, particularly for students receiving the UGC-NET fellowship. It is now being implemented across the entire country.

How to Update?

If you are unsure how to proceed, a comprehensive step-by-step guide is available on the SFMP portal. You can refer to it to easily update your Aadhaar details. If needed, you may also seek assistance via the designated email address.