The ICAR National Talent Scholarship (NTS) is the monthly scholarship the Indian Council of Agricultural Research pays to students who leave their home state to study agriculture. For the undergraduate version, NTS-UG, the current rate is Rs 3,000 per month for the entire duration of the degree, and students have to complete the National Scholarship Portal formalities for 2026-27 by 31 October 2026.
The scheme is unusual in one important way: there is no separate scholarship test. Eligibility comes from how you got your seat – you must have been admitted through CUET (ICAR-UG) under the ICAR All India Quota (AIQ) into an agricultural university that is outside your state of domicile. Students admitted through a state agricultural university’s own entrance test are not covered, even if they study outside their home state.
This page sets out the amount, who qualifies, the CGPA needed to keep the money coming, the document to keep ready and the exact portal dates. Every figure below comes from the official NSP scheme FAQ and the ICAR guidelines linked at the end – nothing here is taken from an aggregator.
ICAR NTS-UG scholarship 2026-27 at a glance
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Department of Agricultural Research and Education |
| Last date to apply | 31 October 2026 (student application on the National Scholarship Portal); institute verification 15 November 2026 |
| Official website | National Scholarship Portal, all schemes and 2026-27 closing dates (official) |
How much ICAR NTS-UG pays
The NSP scheme FAQ states the amount plainly: NTS-UG is awarded at Rs 3,000 per month, paid for the whole degree programme, subject to the minimum qualifying CGPA. There is no separate contingency or book grant in this scheme.
That works out to Rs 36,000 a year, and about Rs 1,44,000 across a four-year B.Sc. (Agriculture) degree, if the student keeps the required grades. The money is released to the college or university, which then pays the student through Direct Benefit Transfer, so the bank account has to be Aadhaar-linked.
One honest note on the paperwork: the older 2016 guidelines PDF still prints Rs 2,000 per month for undergraduate students. That is the superseded rate. The current NSP FAQ for NTS-UG gives Rs 3,000 per month, and that is the figure to budget with.
Who is eligible for ICAR NTS-UG
- You are pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture or a related discipline at an agricultural university under the ICAR-AU system.
- You were admitted through CUET (ICAR-UG) under an ICAR All India Quota (AIQ) seat.
- The university is located outside your state of domicile – the non-domicile condition is the whole basis of the award.
- You are a full-time student and do not take up any job, even part time, during the course.
- You do not hold any other scholarship at the same time.
The official FAQ is blunt about the common misunderstanding: students admitted through a state agricultural university’s own entrance test are not eligible for NTS-UG, even when they are studying outside their home state. Only CUET (ICAR-UG) AIQ admissions count.
CGPA you need to keep the scholarship
NTS-UG is not a one-time payment. Continuation depends on good conduct, punctuality and a minimum performance level fixed by ICAR:
- OGPA/CGPA of 7.00 out of 10.00 for general category students.
- 6.50 out of 10.00 for SC/ST students.
- All papers of each semester cleared – as per the guidelines, the scholarship stops if the awardee fails a paper, and there is no relaxation at the end of the first year.
The guidelines also list the ways the award ends: the student leaves the course, changes discipline or university, is dropped by the institution, or stops attending regular examinations. No scholarship is paid for a period of strike.
How to apply for ICAR NTS-UG 2026-27
There is no separate NTS application form. ICAR’s FAQ says candidates admitted through CUET (ICAR-UG) AIQ seats are automatically eligible. What you must do is complete the National Scholarship Portal process inside the 2026-27 window, because that is the channel through which the award is verified and paid.
- Register or log in on the National Scholarship Portal with your One Time Registration (OTR) number.
- Select the ICAR National Talent Scholarship (NTS-UG) scheme – it is listed under the Department of Agriculture Research and Education.
- Fill in your admission details (CUET ICAR-UG roll number, AIQ seat, university, state of domicile) exactly as they appear on your admission letter.
- Upload the award letter issued by ICAR, which the FAQ names as the document required for release of the scholarship, plus your Aadhaar-linked bank details.
- Submit before 31 October 2026 and ask your college to verify the application by 15 November 2026 – an unverified application is not paid.
The portal record matters more than the paper file: the guidelines warn that wrong information in the online application can stop the payment, and that no correspondence is entertained after the institute has verified the form.
Important dates for 2026-27
| Portal opened for 2026-27 | 1 June 2026 |
| Last date for student application | 31 October 2026 |
| Defective application verification | 15 November 2026 |
| Institute verification | 15 November 2026 |
| DNO / SNO / MNO verification | 30 November 2026 |
These dates are the ones the National Scholarship Portal is displaying for the ICAR NTS-UG scheme, and they match the closing date the portal shows for the other ICAR schemes open this cycle. There is no second window later in the year – the scheme is invited once a year.
NTS-UG vs ICAR’s other scholarships
ICAR runs several separate schemes on the same portal, and students often mix them up:
- NTS-UG – Rs 3,000/month for bachelor’s students admitted through CUET (ICAR-UG) AIQ seats outside their domicile state.
- NTS-PG – the postgraduate version of the same non-domicile award, for master’s students.
- ICAR PG Scholarship (PGS) – for master’s students in the ICAR-AU system, with its own merit rules.
- ICAR JRF and SRF – research fellowships for PhD students.
All four are open on the National Scholarship Portal in the same 2026-27 window with the same 31 October 2026 closing date, so a student who is unsure should check the scheme name on the portal before submitting.
Frequently asked questions
Rs 3,000 per month for the entire duration of the undergraduate degree, subject to the minimum CGPA. It is paid through the college or university by Direct Benefit Transfer.
Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture or a related discipline who were admitted through CUET (ICAR-UG) under ICAR All India Quota seats in an agricultural university located outside their state of domicile.
No. The official FAQ says students admitted through a state agricultural university’s own entrance test are not eligible; only CUET (ICAR-UG) AIQ admissions qualify.
No separate scholarship application is needed. Eligible CUET (ICAR-UG) AIQ students are automatically eligible, but they must complete the National Scholarship Portal formalities by 31 October 2026 for the award to be verified and paid.
An OGPA/CGPA of 7.00 out of 10.00, or 6.50 out of 10.00 for SC/ST students, along with good conduct and clearance of all papers in each semester.
31 October 2026 for the student application on the National Scholarship Portal. Institute verification closes on 15 November 2026 and nodal officer verification on 30 November 2026.
Official links
- National Scholarship Portal – application portal
- NSP all scholarships – live 2026-27 windows for every scheme
- ICAR NTS-UG scheme FAQ (PDF, official)
- ICAR National Talent Scholarship guidelines (PDF, official)
Related reading: more awards on the national scholarship hub, the graduation scholarship listings, and the state scholarship pages if you are looking for a domicile-based award instead. Postgraduate students can compare the post graduation scholarships.
Related scholarship posts: National Scholarship for Post Graduate Studies (Rs 15,000 a month), Ishan Uday Special Scholarship for the North East, and National Means cum Merit Scholarship.