Main institutional scholarships and who may qualify
IIT Delhi publishes several forms of financial assistance, and the rules are different for each. Its Academic Section describes Merit-cum-Means (MCM) scholarships for undergraduate students in engineering and technology and students in M.A., M.Sc. and M.P.P. programmes. The current published page says these are offered to about 25% of students whose annual family income is up to ₹8 lakh. It lists a ₹4,000 monthly scholarship for eligible General, OBC and EWS students and tuition-fee exemption, subject to annual proof of family income in the ERP system. Renewal requires a minimum SGPA and CGPA of 6.0.
The Institute Free Studentship is a separate tuition waiver. The Academic Section says it can cover 10% of students on means alone when more than 25% of students are eligible for MCM. This is conditional on the number of MCM-eligible students; it is not an automatic entitlement for every student below an income threshold. Applicants should confirm how this rule is being applied for their entry year and whether they need to submit a separate application.
The institute states that tuition-fee exemption is admissible to SC, ST and PwD students irrespective of parents' or guardians' income. That statement concerns tuition. It should not be read as a promise that hostel seat rent, mess bills, deposits, examination charges or other costs are also waived. IIT Delhi separately describes free messing for eligible SC and ST students whose annual family income is below ₹8 lakh: basic menu charges plus ₹1,000 a month as pocket allowance, for a programme-dependent fixed period, with annual income proof. The scheme and its duration should be confirmed with the Scholarship Unit.
Application, documents and renewal
IIT Delhi's Academic Section FAQ says MCM and free-messing scholarships are announced at admission. Students declare parental income through ERP, and the Academic Section verifies it. The FAQ lists Form C and Form D from the Academic Section and documents such as an income certificate, Form 16, prior-financial-year ITR, 26AS or BPL card; it also describes an income certificate signed by a first-class magistrate, tehsildar or revenue officer. The exact document set depends on the scheme and the current circular. Use the current official checklist rather than uploading a generic income document that does not match the required format or year.
Keep annual proof current. A previous-year OBC, EWS or income certificate is listed by the FAQ among invalid documents for National Scholarship Portal applications. For NSP, the institute says a student applies on the NSP website, the institute verifies the application and the concerned ministry then verifies it. One-time registration is required, and the portal's own guidelines control the current documents and dates. Do not treat a donor-scholarship process in ERP as a substitute for an external NSP application.
The institute directs students to different offices for different steps: the Development Office for donor-fund availability, the Scholarship Unit in the Academic Section for data processing and ERP updates, and the Accounts Section for release of amounts. This division is useful if an application is delayed: first check the eligibility and document status with the Scholarship Unit, then ask the relevant office about fund availability or payment. Keep copies of the submitted form, income documents, fee slip and acknowledgement.
Planning for the 2027-28 entry year
The official assistance pages available on 27 October 2026 provide the current scheme descriptions but do not establish a final 2027-28 scholarship circular. The ₹4,000 monthly MCM amount, income ceilings, renewal conditions and donor availability should therefore be treated as the latest published guidance, not a guarantee for a future cohort. Recheck IIT Delhi's Academic Section announcements when admission begins. Compare aid against the exact fee schedule for the same year, and separate tuition relief from cash needed for one-time charges, deposits, accommodation and food.