There is good news for bright students studying in Kerala. If you belong to a minority community and scored very good marks in SSLC, Plus Two or graduation, the Government of Kerala’s Prof. Joseph Mundassery Scholarship (PJMS) is for you. Under this scholarship, eligible students get one-time financial help of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 — and there is no separate exam; selection is made only on the basis of your marks and eligibility.
Every year, thousands of students apply for this scholarship, but many miss out simply because they do not get the right date, eligibility or application method in time. In this article, we will explain in simple language what the Joseph Mundassery Scholarship is, who can apply, how much money you get, how to apply, and which mistakes to avoid.
Joseph Mundassery Scholarship 2026 — At a Glance
| Detail | Details |
|---|---|
| Scholarship name | Prof. Joseph Mundassery Scholarship Award (PJMS) |
| Run by | Directorate of Minority Welfare, Government of Kerala |
| Official portal | mwdscholarship.kerala.gov.in |
| For whom | Meritorious students from minority communities in Kerala |
| Amount | Rs 10,000 (A+ in all subjects in SSLC/Plus Two/VHSE) and Rs 15,000 (80%+ in UG or 75%+ in PG) |
| Family income limit | Less than Rs 8 lakh per year |
| Last cycle | 2025-26: applications closed on 20 January 2026 |
| 2026-27 applications | Applications open; last date to apply online is 30 November 2026 |
| Application fee | Free |
What Is the Joseph Mundassery Scholarship?
The Prof. Joseph Mundassery Scholarship Award is a merit-based scholarship of the Department of Minority Welfare, Government of Kerala. It is named after Prof. Joseph Mundassery, a famous educationist and former Education Minister of Kerala. The scheme aims to help bright students from minority communities whose families cannot easily afford higher education.
This is a one-time financial award — the full amount is sent to the selected student’s bank account in a single payment. The idea is that no meritorious student should drop out of studies for lack of money. The scholarship covers all levels — SSLC, Plus Two, VHSE, undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) — only the marks requirement is different at each level.
Note that this scholarship is only for natives of Kerala and only for students from minority communities. Minority communities here include Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi.
How Much Money Do You Get?
The PJMS amount depends on your level of study and your marks:
| Level | Marks required | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SSLC / THSLC | A+ grade in all subjects | Rs 10,000 (one-time) |
| Plus Two / Higher Secondary / VHSE | A+ grade in all subjects (or 80% marks) | Rs 10,000 (one-time) |
| Undergraduate (UG) | 80% or more in the final examination | Rs 15,000 (one-time) |
| Postgraduate (PG) | 75% or more in the qualifying examination | Rs 15,000 (one-time) |
The amount is sent straight to the student’s bank account through DBT. So giving correct bank account details while applying is very important — the account must be Aadhaar-seeded.
Who Can Apply? Eligibility
Check all of these conditions before you apply for PJMS:
- Residence: You must be a native of Kerala.
- Community: You must belong to a minority community — Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain or Parsi.
- Study: You must be studying in a government or aided institution in Kerala — at SSLC, Plus Two, VHSE, UG or PG level.
- Marks: A+ grade in all subjects in SSLC/Plus Two/VHSE, or 80%+ marks in UG, or 75%+ marks in PG.
- Income: Your family’s annual income from all sources must be less than Rs 8,00,000.
- BPL: For the SSLC/Plus Two level award, students from the BPL group are eligible (as per the previous cycle’s notification).
If your income is above Rs 8 lakh, or you do not belong to a minority community, your application will not be accepted — so do check your eligibility before applying.
How to Apply: Step-by-Step
Applications for PJMS are fully online. The process is:
- Open the official portal: In your browser, open mwdscholarship.kerala.gov.in.
- Register / Log in: On the homepage, click the “Register/Login – Prof. Joseph Mundassery (PJMS)” link.
- Complete registration: If you are applying for the first time, register with your details (name, mobile, email). If you are already registered, log in.
- Fill the form: Enter your study details, marks, family income and bank account details correctly.
- Upload documents: Upload your marksheet, income certificate, community certificate, Aadhaar card and bank passbook copy.
- Submit the form: Check all the details, submit the form and take a printout.
- Give the printout to your institution: Submit the application printout and required documents to the head of your institution by 2 December 2026 — that is the last date for this cycle.
- Verification by institution: Your institution checks your application online and approves it. Only then is the amount released.
One thing to keep in mind: in this cycle, the last date to apply online is 30 November 2026 and the document submission date is 2 December 2026. Do not treat any old date as this year’s date — trust only the date given on the official portal.
Documents Required
Keep these documents ready while applying:
- Marksheet of SSLC / Plus Two / UG / PG (whichever level you are applying for)
- Income certificate (proving family income below Rs 8 lakh per year)
- Minority community certificate
- Aadhaar card
- Bank passbook copy (Aadhaar-seeded account)
- Passport-size photograph
- Bonafide certificate from your institution (if asked for)
Documents must be clear and readable. A blurry scanned copy can get your application rejected.
What to Learn from the Last Cycle: Dates and Timeline
The 2025-26 cycle dates were as follows — do not mistake them for 2026-27 dates, but they show how the process runs:
| Work | 2025-26 date |
|---|---|
| Last date to apply online | 20 January 2026 |
| Last date to submit printout and documents to institution | 20 January 2026 |
| Online verification and approval by institution | 22–25 January 2026 |
| Notification (circular) issued | 16 December 2025 |
In the last cycle, the notification came in December and applications closed in January. This time the notification arrived on 3 November 2026 — applications are open and the last date to apply online is 30 November 2026. The printout submission date is 2 December 2026 and institution verification is by 5 December 2026.
Other Minority Scholarships in Kerala — Do Not Confuse Them
The Minority Welfare Department runs several scholarships, and students often mix them up. Apart from PJMS, these are also available:
- APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship: For minority students, with different eligibility and amount. It also went live in October for 2026-27.
- Mother Teresa Scholarship: For minority students doing a nursing diploma / paramedical course, Rs 15,000 per year.
- C H Muhammedkoya Scholarship: For girl students from minority communities.
- ITC/ITI Fee Reimbursement: For reimbursement of ITI fees.
Every scholarship has different eligibility and amounts. PJMS is only for meritorious students — its marks requirement is the strictest. If your marks are below A+ or 80%+, applying for the APJ Abdul Kalam or Mother Teresa scholarship may be a better option.
Common Mistakes That Can Get Your Application Rejected
- Trusting old dates: Many websites still show the 2025-26 dates (20 January 2026) as “latest”. Take the 2026-27 dates only from the official portal.
- Wrong income certificate: Income must be below Rs 8 lakh — a wrong or old certificate will get the application cancelled.
- Bank account not linked to Aadhaar: The amount comes through DBT, so the account must be Aadhaar-seeded.
- Not submitting the printout: Filling the online form alone is not enough — in the last cycle, the printout and documents had to be submitted to the institution.
- Paying any agent: Applying for this scholarship is free. Anyone asking for money in the name of “guaranteed scholarship” is a fraud.
- Applying on the wrong portal: The only real portal for PJMS is mwdscholarship.kerala.gov.in — do not fill the form on any other site.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: When will applications open for the Joseph Mundassery Scholarship 2026-27?
A: Applications are open — the Directorate of Minority Welfare issued the circular on 3 November 2026. The last date to apply online is 30 November 2026. Submit the printout and documents to your institution by 2 December 2026. Apply only on mwdscholarship.kerala.gov.in.
Q2: How much money do you get under this scholarship?
A: Rs 10,000 for A+ in all subjects in SSLC/Plus Two/VHSE, and Rs 15,000 for 80%+ marks in UG or 75%+ marks in PG — as a one-time payment straight to your bank account.
Q3: Who can apply?
A: Natives of Kerala from minority communities (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi), with family income below Rs 8 lakh per year, who have passed their examination with the required marks.
Q4: Can non-minority students apply?
A: No. PJMS is only for students from minority communities. Other students can look at other Kerala scholarships (such as DCE scholarships).
Q5: Where do I apply?
A: Only on the official portal mwdscholarship.kerala.gov.in — through the “Register/Login – Prof. Joseph Mundassery (PJMS)” link.
Q6: Is there any entrance test for this scholarship?
A: No. This is a merit-based scholarship — selection is based on your board/university examination marks.
Q7: When does the amount reach the bank account?
A: After online verification and approval by your institution, the amount is sent to the student’s bank account through DBT. In the last cycle, verification was completed by the end of January 2026.
Q8: Is PJMS given every year or only once?
A: It is a one-time award — you get the amount once for the level you are selected for. For the next level (for example, from UG to PG), you have to apply separately.
Official Links
- Minority Welfare Scholarship Portal: mwdscholarship.kerala.gov.in
- Government of India scheme directory (myScheme): myscheme.gov.in — search “Prof. Joseph Mundassery Scholarship Award”
- Directorate of Minority Welfare, Kerala: 4th Floor, Vikas Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram – 695033; Phone: 0471-2300524
Disclaimer: This article is written by a private information portal (not a government website) for general information. For final and official information about the scheme, please visit mwdscholarship.kerala.gov.in or the website of the Directorate of Minority Welfare, Kerala.
Applications are open now — apply today and do not wait for the last date, 30 November 2026, because the window is short.
