Diploma courses, Lateral Entry and institutions not on the NIRF list

Diploma Courses

Students enrolled in Diploma programmes are not eligible for the SBI Asha Scholarship.

A Diploma is a 3-year foundational programme (such as a Polytechnic programme) or a 2-year programme pursued after completion of Class 10 or Class 12 to develop technical or vocational skills.

The SBI Asha Scholarship is intended for students studying in Classes 9–12, pursuing Undergraduate (UG) or Postgraduate (PG) programmes at eligible premier institutions, MBBS, IIT, IIM, or eligible Overseas Postgraduate programmes, subject to the respective category guidelines.

Lateral Entry

Students admitted through the Lateral Entry route are not eligible for the SBI Asha Scholarship.

Lateral Entry is an admission pathway that allows eligible students, such as diploma holders, to gain direct admission into the second year (third semester) of a degree or advanced programme, thereby bypassing the first year of the course.

Institution Eligibility for Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG)

For the Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) scholarship categories, applicants must be enrolled in a premier institution that meets the programme requirements.

Eligible institutions include those that have:

• NAAC 'A' accreditation or above, or

• Are ranked among the Top 300 institutions in the NIRF Overall Rankings (2025–26).

Applicants studying in institutions that do not satisfy these criteria are not eligible for the UG or PG scholarship categories.

Institution Eligibility for Overseas

For the Overseas scholarship category, applicants must be enrolled in a premier institution that meets the programme requirements.

Students pursuing Postgraduate or higher studies at institutions ranked within the Top 200 in the QS and THE World University Rankings (2025–26) are eligible.

Applicants studying in institutions that do not satisfy these criteria are not eligible for the Overseas scholarship category.