Free Coaching Scheme
Department of Social Justice & Empowerment
Last updated:
Overview
The scheme aims to provide good coaching quality for DNT candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations and succeed in obtaining an appropriate job in the Public/Private Sector.
Details
Launched in 2021-22, the scheme "Free Coaching" by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India aims to provide good coaching quality for De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic DNT candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations and succeed in obtaining an appropriate job in Public/Private Sector. Through this scheme, free coaching for various competitive examinations with specified maximum fee limits and minimum durations, monthly stipends, and special allowances for students with disabilities are provided to the DNT candidates. A minimum physical coaching of 16 hours per week is mandatory for all courses. The scheme is implemented by the Development and Welfare Board for De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities DWBDNC . The DWBDNC selects a total of 1,250 students each year, allowing them the liberty to pursue coaching in any institute of their choice. Objectives: 1. To provide good coaching quality for DNT candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations. 1. To enable DNT candidates to succeed in obtaining an appropriate job in the Public/Private Sector.
Exclusions
• <br>
Benefits
• The actual course fee of the institute in which the student is applying, which the institute charges from general students, or the prescribed course fee by the Ministry as per the Annexure of the Scheme, whichever is less. This is subject to the limits for fees and duration of the course. The maximum total course fee for various courses is as follows:
• *A minimum physical coaching of 16 hours per week is mandatory for all the above courses.*
• If the course fee is more than the admissible amount, the candidate has to arrange for the remaining funds from his/her own sources.
• A monthly stipend is provided for attending coaching classes.
• For local students: ₹1,500/- per month.
• For outstation students: ₹3,000/- per month.
• The stipend will be paid for the duration of the course or for one year, whichever is less.
• Students with disabilities (having a valid disability certificate of 40% or more disability) are eligible for a Special Allowance of ₹2,000 per month. This allowance is towards reader allowance, escort allowance, helper allowance, etc., and is in addition to the regular stipend.
• The coaching will be imparted for the following courses, with specified minimum durations:
• Group A and B examinations are conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the various Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs).
• Group A and B examinations are conducted by the State Public Service Commissions (SPSCs).
• Officers’ Grade examinations conducted by Banks, Insurance Companies and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
• Premier Entrance Examinations for admission in (a) Engineering (e.g., IIT-JEE), (b) Medical (e.g., NEET), (c) Professional courses like Management (e.g., CAT, CMAT) and Law (e.g., CLAT), and (d) Any other such disciplines as the Ministry may decide from time to time.
• Eligibility tests/examinations like SAT, GRE, GMAT and TOEFL.
• Entrance examination tests for Commercial Pilot License (CPL) courses/ National Defence Academy (NDA), and Combined Defence Services (CDS).
• Indian Engineering Services (IES).
• Chartered Accountant - Common Proficiency Test (CA-CPT)/Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE).
• The benefits under the Scheme can be availed by a particular student not more than twice, irrespective of the number of chances he/she may be entitled to take in a particular competitive examination.
• Where the competitive examination is conducted in two stages, namely Preliminary and Mains, the candidates will be entitled to free coaching for both examinations. They will be entitled to free coaching up to two times each for Preliminary and Main examinations as per their convenience. However, there will be no restriction on the number of chances for coaching for the Interview if the candidate is selected for the interview.
• Of the total selected students, 40% shall be earmarked for competitive exams having eligibility condition as Class 12 (e.g., NEET, JEE, CLAT etc.). The remaining 60% students shall be for competitive exams having eligibility condition as Graduation (e.g., CAT, Civil Services Examination, etc.).
• Mode of Disbursement:
• Coaching Fees: The course fee shall be released directly into the Aadhaar-linked bank account of the beneficiary candidate in two installments through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.
• Stipend: The stipend to each student shall be paid directly by the Ministry through DBT.
• Special Allowance: The special allowance will be paid directly by the Ministry through DBT along with the stipend.
Eligibility Criteria
1. The applicant must belong to De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic (DNT) communities.
2. The applicant's total family income from all sources should be ₹2,50,000/- or less per annum.
3. The applicant should not be availing of any such benefits from a similar scheme of the Central Government or the State Government.
4. The applicant must have secured the minimum marks in the qualifying examination of the competitive exam for which coaching is sought, as prescribed in the guidelines of the said competitive exam.
5. If the applicant has not yet appeared for the qualifying examination, or if the result has not been declared, the marks obtained in the Board/Degree exam just prior to the qualifying exam shall be taken into account.
6. For competitive exams where the qualifying exam is Class 12th, the applicant must have passed Class 12th or be studying in Class 12th as on the date of receiving the benefit under the scheme.
7. For competitive exams where the qualifying exam is at the bachelor's level, the applicant must have completed the bachelor's level course or be studying in the final year of the bachelor's degree course at the time of receiving the benefits under the scheme.
8. The applicant will be required to submit an affidavit that he/she has not taken benefit more than twice under the Scheme.
9. The applicant is required to join an institute as empanelled by the Ministry under the “Free Coaching Scheme for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) students.”
10. A minimum physical coaching of 16 hours per week will be mandatory for all the courses.
11. <br>
12. > **Preference/Priority:**
13. - For such examinations, which are conducted in two parts, Preliminary and Mains, priority in the selection will be given to those students who have at least once qualified for the preliminary examination.
14. - If the number of eligible applications received is more than the given slots, the selection will be done in decreasing order of the marks obtained in the qualifying exams.
Application Process
Step 1: Step 1: Navigate to the official Website:
Online
Visit to the Official Website of the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC).
Step 2: Step 2: Access the Registration Page:
Online
You would first need to navigate to the "Registration" option at home page of the portal or click here.
Step 3: Step 3: Fill in Basic Details:
Online
Enter your First Name, Guardian Name, Mobile Number, Email Address, Date of Birth, and your Aadhaar Number.
Select your Gender and your Marital Status from the dropdown.
Step 4: Step 4: Create Password:
Online
Enter your desired Password. The password must meet the criteria: at least one UPPERCASE letter, one lowercase letter, one number (0-9), and one special character (!@#$%^&*()?).
Re-enter the same password in the Confirm Password field to ensure it matches.
Step 5: Step 5: Provide Address Details:
Online
Select your State from the provided dropdown list (e.g., Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, etc., covering all Indian States and Union Territories).
Select your District from the dropdown list (this will likely populate after you select your State).
Enter your Village and Pincode.
Step 6: Step 6: Provide Social Identification:
Online
Select your Social Category from the dropdown: DNT, NT, or SNT.
Select your Community from the dropdown (this will likely populate after you select your Social Category).
Enter your Caste.
Step 7: Step 7: Upload Documents:
Online
Upload your ID Proof (PDF/image file, up to 200KB).
Upload your Caste Certificate/Document (PDF/image file, up to 200KB).
Upload your DNT Certificate (PDF/image file, up to 200KB).
Note: For DNT applicants without a separate DNT certificate, a caste certificate is acceptable.
Upload your Self Photo (PDF/image file, up to 200KB).
Step 8: Step 8: Review and Declare:
Online
Carefully review all the information you have furnished to ensure it is true, complete, and correct.
Read the declaration statement: "I hereby declare that the information furnished above is true, complete and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that in the event of my information being found false or incorrect at any stage, my application shall be liable to cancellation/termination without notice or any compensation in lieu thereof."
Acknowledge the notes:
"Registration does not guarantee scheme benefits; eligibility will be verified."
"For DNT applicants without a separate certificate, a caste certificate is acceptable."
Step 9: Step 9: Submit Registration:
Online
Click the "Register" button to finalise and submit your registration.
Step 10: Step 1: Navigate to the official Website:
Online
Visit to the Official Website of the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC).
Step 11: Step 2: Access the Login Page:
Online
You would first need to navigate to the "Login home page of the portal or click here.
Step 12: Step 3: Enter User ID:
Online
In the field labelled "User ID / Email ID / Mobile," enter your registered User ID, Email ID, or Mobile Number that you used during the registration process.
Step 13: Step 4: Enter Password:
Online
In the field labelled "Password," enter the password you created during registration.
Type these characters exactly as they appear into the "Enter Captcha" field. If the captcha is unclear, click the refresh icon next to it to get a new one.
Step 14: Step 5: Click Login:
Online
Once all fields are filled correctly, click the blue "Login" button.
The scheme will be widely advertised through electronic media etc. giving summarized information about the Scheme. The applicants shall, after assessing their eligibility and suitability as per the eligibility conditions of the Scheme, will be required to apply online on this Ministry’s portal, i.e. coaching.dosje.gov.in, along with details of course he/she intends to join.
The portal will remain open for one month twice a year i.e. during the month of July and January for receiving applications.
No offline applications will be entertained. Only online applications complete in all respects, shall be considered for assistance. All the incomplete applications will be summarily rejected. However, the rejected candidates will have the option to apply in the subsequent phases of selection.
Required Documents
• Family Income Certificate.
• 10th Marksheet Certificate.
• 12th Marksheet Certificate.
• Disability Certificate (if applicable).
• Admission Confirmation/Assurance from Coaching Institute.
• Proof of Joining the Institute.
• Proof of Deposition of First Installment to the Institute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the primary objective of the Free Coaching Scheme for DNT candidates?
A: The main objective of this scheme is to provide quality coaching to De-Notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic (DNT) candidates to help them succeed in competitive examinations and secure jobs in both public and private sectors.
Q: Which government entity is responsible for implementing the Free Coaching Scheme for DNT candidates?
A: The Development and Welfare Board for De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC) is responsible for implementing this scheme.
Q: What specific competitive examinations are covered under this Free Coaching Scheme?
A: The scheme covers Group A and B examinations by UPSC, SSC, RRBs, State Public Service Commissions, Officers’ Grade exams by Banks/Insurance/PSUs, Premier Entrance Exams (Engineering, Medical, Management, Law), eligibility tests like SAT/GRE/GMAT/TOFEL, and entrance exams for CPL courses/NDA/CDS.
Q: What is the maximum total course fee covered for the Civil Services Exam by UPSC/SPSCs under the scheme?
A: The maximum total course fee covered for the Civil Services Exam by UPSC/SPSCs is ₹1,20,000.
Q: What is the minimum duration of coaching provided for SSC/RRB examinations?
A: The minimum duration of coaching provided for SSC/RRB examinations is 6 months.
Q: Are there specific coaching duration limits for JEE/NEET under this scheme?
A: Yes, the minimum duration for JEE/NEET coaching is 9 months, but it should not exceed 12 months.
Q: What is the maximum total course fee covered for JEE/NEET under this scheme?
A: The maximum total course fee covered for JEE/NEET is ₹1,20,000.
Q: What is the maximum total course fee for Banking, Insurance, PSU, and CLAT examinations?
A: The maximum total course fee for Banking, Insurance, PSU, and CLAT examinations is ₹50,000.
Q: Is a minimum physical coaching attendance mandatory for the courses, and if so, how many hours per week?
A: Yes, a minimum physical coaching of 16 hours per week will be mandatory for all the courses covered under the scheme.
Q: What is the annual family income limit for a DNT student to be eligible for benefits under the scheme?
A: Only DNT students having a total family income from all sources of ₹2,50,000 or less per annum are eligible.
Q: What is the eligibility condition for students applying for coaching for Class 12th level competitive exams?
A: For competitive exams where the qualifying exam is Class 12th, benefits are available only if the candidate has passed Class 12th or is studying in Class 12th as on the date of receiving the benefit.
Q: What is the eligibility condition for students seeking coaching for bachelor-level competitive exams?
A: Only students/candidates who have completed their bachelor's level course or are studying in the final year of the bachelor's degree course at the time of receiving benefits are eligible.
Q: How many students will the Development and Welfare Board for De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC) select each year?
A: The DWBDNC will select a total of 1,250 students each year.
Q: What is the distribution of slots for coaching based on the qualifying examination level?
A: 60% of the total available slots are allotted to courses where the qualifying exam is graduation (Bachelor’s level), and 40% are for courses where the qualifying exam is Class 12.
Q: What is the process for submitting applications for the Free Coaching Scheme?
A: Applicants are required to apply online on the [department's portal](https://dwbdnc.dosje.gov.in/), along with details of the course they intend to join.
Q: When does the online application portal for the scheme remain open for receiving applications?
A: The portal remains open for one month, twice a year, specifically during the months of July and January, for receiving applications.
Eligibility Criteria
The applicant must belong to De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic (DNT) communities.
The applicant's total family income from all sources should be ₹2,50,000/- or less per annum.
The applicant should not be availing of any such benefits from a similar scheme of the Central Government or the State Government.
The applicant must have secured the minimum marks in the qualifying examination of the competitive exam for which coaching is sought, as prescribed in the guidelines of the said competitive exam.
If the applicant has not yet appeared for the qualifying examination, or if the result has not been declared, the marks obtained in the Board/Degree exam just prior to the qualifying exam shall be taken into account.
For competitive exams where the qualifying exam is Class 12th, the applicant must have passed Class 12th or be studying in Class 12th as on the date of receiving the benefit under the scheme.
For competitive exams where the qualifying exam is at the bachelor's level, the applicant must have completed the bachelor's level course or be studying in the final year of the bachelor's degree course at the time of receiving the benefits under the scheme.
The applicant will be required to submit an affidavit that he/she has not taken benefit more than twice under the Scheme.
The applicant is required to join an institute as empanelled by the Ministry under the “Free Coaching Scheme for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) students.”
A minimum physical coaching of 16 hours per week will be mandatory for all the courses.
<br>
> **Preference/Priority:**
- For such examinations, which are conducted in two parts, Preliminary and Mains, priority in the selection will be given to those students who have at least once qualified for the preliminary examination.
- If the number of eligible applications received is more than the given slots, the selection will be done in decreasing order of the marks obtained in the qualifying exams.
Benefits
The actual course fee of the institute in which the student is applying, which the institute charges from general students, or the prescribed course fee by the Ministry as per the Annexure of the Scheme, whichever is less. This is subject to the limits for fees and duration of the course. The maximum total course fee for various courses is as follows:
*A minimum physical coaching of 16 hours per week is mandatory for all the above courses.*
If the course fee is more than the admissible amount, the candidate has to arrange for the remaining funds from his/her own sources.
A monthly stipend is provided for attending coaching classes.
For local students: ₹1,500/- per month.
For outstation students: ₹3,000/- per month.
The stipend will be paid for the duration of the course or for one year, whichever is less.
Students with disabilities (having a valid disability certificate of 40% or more disability) are eligible for a Special Allowance of ₹2,000 per month. This allowance is towards reader allowance, escort allowance, helper allowance, etc., and is in addition to the regular stipend.
The coaching will be imparted for the following courses, with specified minimum durations:
Group A and B examinations are conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the various Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs).
Group A and B examinations are conducted by the State Public Service Commissions (SPSCs).
Officers’ Grade examinations conducted by Banks, Insurance Companies and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
Premier Entrance Examinations for admission in (a) Engineering (e.g., IIT-JEE), (b) Medical (e.g., NEET), (c) Professional courses like Management (e.g., CAT, CMAT) and Law (e.g., CLAT), and (d) Any other such disciplines as the Ministry may decide from time to time.
Eligibility tests/examinations like SAT, GRE, GMAT and TOEFL.
Entrance examination tests for Commercial Pilot License (CPL) courses/ National Defence Academy (NDA), and Combined Defence Services (CDS).
Indian Engineering Services (IES).
Chartered Accountant - Common Proficiency Test (CA-CPT)/Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE).
The benefits under the Scheme can be availed by a particular student not more than twice, irrespective of the number of chances he/she may be entitled to take in a particular competitive examination.
Where the competitive examination is conducted in two stages, namely Preliminary and Mains, the candidates will be entitled to free coaching for both examinations. They will be entitled to free coaching up to two times each for Preliminary and Main examinations as per their convenience. However, there will be no restriction on the number of chances for coaching for the Interview if the candidate is selected for the interview.
Of the total selected students, 40% shall be earmarked for competitive exams having eligibility condition as Class 12 (e.g., NEET, JEE, CLAT etc.). The remaining 60% students shall be for competitive exams having eligibility condition as Graduation (e.g., CAT, Civil Services Examination, etc.).
Mode of Disbursement:
Coaching Fees: The course fee shall be released directly into the Aadhaar-linked bank account of the beneficiary candidate in two installments through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.
Stipend: The stipend to each student shall be paid directly by the Ministry through DBT.
Special Allowance: The special allowance will be paid directly by the Ministry through DBT along with the stipend.
Required Documents
| # | Document |
|---|---|
| 1 | Family Income Certificate. |
| 2 | 10th Marksheet Certificate. |
| 3 | 12th Marksheet Certificate. |
| 4 | Disability Certificate (if applicable). |
| 5 | Admission Confirmation/Assurance from Coaching Institute. |
| 6 | Proof of Joining the Institute. |
| 7 | Proof of Deposition of First Installment to the Institute. |
How to Apply
Step 1: Navigate to the official Website:
Online Visit to the Official Website of the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC).
Step 2: Access the Registration Page:
Online You would first need to navigate to the "Registration" option at home page of the portal or click here.
Step 3: Fill in Basic Details:
Online Enter your First Name, Guardian Name, Mobile Number, Email Address, Date of Birth, and your Aadhaar Number. Select your Gender and your Marital Status from the dropdown.
Step 4: Create Password:
Online Enter your desired Password. The password must meet the criteria: at least one UPPERCASE letter, one lowercase letter, one number (0-9), and one special character (!@#$%^&*()?). Re-enter the same password in the Confirm Password field to ensure it matches.
Step 5: Provide Address Details:
Online Select your State from the provided dropdown list (e.g., Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, etc., covering all Indian States and Union Territories). Select your District from the dropdown list (this will likely populate after you select your State). Enter your Village and Pincode.
Step 6: Provide Social Identification:
Online Select your Social Category from the dropdown: DNT, NT, or SNT. Select your Community from the dropdown (this will likely populate after you select your Social Category). Enter your Caste.
Step 7: Upload Documents:
Online Upload your ID Proof (PDF/image file, up to 200KB). Upload your Caste Certificate/Document (PDF/image file, up to 200KB). Upload your DNT Certificate (PDF/image file, up to 200KB). Note: For DNT applicants without a separate DNT certificate, a caste certificate is acceptable. Upload your Self Photo (PDF/image file, up to 200KB).
Step 8: Review and Declare:
Online Carefully review all the information you have furnished to ensure it is true, complete, and correct. Read the declaration statement: "I hereby declare that the information furnished above is true, complete and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that in the event of my information being found false or incorrect at any stage, my application shall be liable to cancellation/termination without notice or any compensation in lieu thereof." Acknowledge the notes: "Registration does not guarantee scheme benefits; eligibility will be verified." "For DNT applicants without a separate certificate, a caste certificate is acceptable."
Step 9: Submit Registration:
Online Click the "Register" button to finalise and submit your registration.
Step 1: Navigate to the official Website:
Online Visit to the Official Website of the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC).
Step 2: Access the Login Page:
Online You would first need to navigate to the "Login home page of the portal or click here.
Step 3: Enter User ID:
Online In the field labelled "User ID / Email ID / Mobile," enter your registered User ID, Email ID, or Mobile Number that you used during the registration process.
Step 4: Enter Password:
Online In the field labelled "Password," enter the password you created during registration. Type these characters exactly as they appear into the "Enter Captcha" field. If the captcha is unclear, click the refresh icon next to it to get a new one.
Step 5: Click Login:
Online Once all fields are filled correctly, click the blue "Login" button. The scheme will be widely advertised through electronic media etc. giving summarized information about the Scheme. The applicants shall, after assessing their eligibility and suitability as per the eligibility conditions of the Scheme, will be required to apply online on this Ministry’s portal, i.e. coaching.dosje.gov.in, along with details of course he/she intends to join. The portal will remain open for one month twice a year i.e. during the month of July and January for receiving applications. No offline applications will be entertained. Only online applications complete in all respects, shall be considered for assistance. All the incomplete applications will be summarily rejected. However, the rejected candidates will have the option to apply in the subsequent phases of selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main objective of this scheme is to provide quality coaching to De-Notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic (DNT) candidates to help them succeed in competitive examinations and secure jobs in both public and private sectors.