<p>The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ugc">University Grants Commission (UGC)</a> has announced that all fellowships and scholarships under its schemes will now be disbursed only through the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/aadhaar">Aadhaar</a>-Based Payment (ABP) system, making Aadhaar seeding mandatory for beneficiaries.</p><p>In a public notice dated April 1, the UGC stated that the move aims to universalise Aadhaar-linked Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for scholarship payments. </p><p>Going forward, disbursements through the Scholarship and Fellowship Management Portal (SFMP) will be made exclusively to Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts.</p><p>“All beneficiaries are required to seed their Aadhaar in their bank account to receive scholarship/fellowship,” the notice said, adding that Aadhaar details must also be updated on the SFMP portal.</p><p><strong>Deadlines for students and institutions</strong></p><p>The UGC has set clear timelines for compliance:</p><ul><li><p>Students/beneficiaries must complete Aadhaar seeding on the SFMP portal by April 15, 2026</p></li><li><p>Nodal officers are required to verify and approve the seeding by April 20, 2026</p></li></ul><p>The commission has urged institutions and beneficiaries to take “urgent and proactive steps” to complete the process to avoid delays in disbursal for the 2026-27 financial year.</p><p>By linking payments directly to verified Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts, the UGC aims to eliminate duplication or fraudulent claims, ensure faster and more secure transfers, and improve tracking and accountability of funds.</p>.<p><strong>What this means for students</strong></p><p>For students receiving UGC fellowships or scholarships, the change makes Aadhaar linkage non-negotiable. Those who fail to link Aadhaar with their bank account, or update Aadhaar details on the SFMP portal may face delays or disruption in receiving payments.</p><p>Students are also required to ensure that their bank account is active and Aadhaar-linked and details entered on the portal match official records.</p><p>The UGC has said that an Aadhaar updation manual is available on the SFMP portal to guide users through the process. For further assistance, beneficiaries can reach out via the official email provided in the notice, <em><ins><a href="mailto:netjrf-ugc@nic.in">netjrf-ugc@nic.in</a></ins></em>.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ugc">University Grants Commission (UGC)</a> has announced that all fellowships and scholarships under its schemes will now be disbursed only through the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/aadhaar">Aadhaar</a>-Based Payment (ABP) system, making Aadhaar seeding mandatory for beneficiaries.</p><p>In a public notice dated April 1, the UGC stated that the move aims to universalise Aadhaar-linked Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for scholarship payments. </p><p>Going forward, disbursements through the Scholarship and Fellowship Management Portal (SFMP) will be made exclusively to Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts.</p><p>“All beneficiaries are required to seed their Aadhaar in their bank account to receive scholarship/fellowship,” the notice said, adding that Aadhaar details must also be updated on the SFMP portal.</p><p><strong>Deadlines for students and institutions</strong></p><p>The UGC has set clear timelines for compliance:</p><ul><li><p>Students/beneficiaries must complete Aadhaar seeding on the SFMP portal by April 15, 2026</p></li><li><p>Nodal officers are required to verify and approve the seeding by April 20, 2026</p></li></ul><p>The commission has urged institutions and beneficiaries to take “urgent and proactive steps” to complete the process to avoid delays in disbursal for the 2026-27 financial year.</p><p>By linking payments directly to verified Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts, the UGC aims to eliminate duplication or fraudulent claims, ensure faster and more secure transfers, and improve tracking and accountability of funds.</p>.<p><strong>What this means for students</strong></p><p>For students receiving UGC fellowships or scholarships, the change makes Aadhaar linkage non-negotiable. Those who fail to link Aadhaar with their bank account, or update Aadhaar details on the SFMP portal may face delays or disruption in receiving payments.</p><p>Students are also required to ensure that their bank account is active and Aadhaar-linked and details entered on the portal match official records.</p><p>The UGC has said that an Aadhaar updation manual is available on the SFMP portal to guide users through the process. For further assistance, beneficiaries can reach out via the official email provided in the notice, <em><ins><a href="mailto:netjrf-ugc@nic.in">netjrf-ugc@nic.in</a></ins></em>.</p>
