Jnanabhumi is the Andhra Pradesh government’s online portal for post-matric scholarships. If you are a student from the SC, ST, BC, EBC, Kapu, Minority or Differently-abled category, studying after Class 10, your college applies for your scholarship through Jnanabhumi. This guide explains what RTF and MTF pay, who can apply, how to apply, and what to do when money does not arrive.
Key Facts
| Particular | Detail |
|---|---|
| Portal | jnanabhumi.ap.gov.in |
| RTF | 100% of tuition fee, special fee and examination fee — paid to the college |
| MTF (ITI) | Rs.10,000 a year — paid to the mother’s bank account |
| MTF (Polytechnic) | Rs.15,000 a year — paid to the mother’s bank account |
| MTF (Degree and above) | Rs.20,000 a year — paid to the mother’s bank account |
| Income limit | Family income up to Rs.2.5 lakh a year |
| Who can apply | SC, ST, BC, EBC, Kapu, Minority and Differently-abled students |
| How to apply | Through your college on Jnanabhumi (JSAF) |
What RTF and MTF Actually Pay
RTF stands for Reimbursement of Tuition Fee. It covers 100% of the tuition fee, plus the special fee and the examination fee — and it is paid to the college, not to you. You never see the RTF money; it goes straight to the college against your fees.
MTF stands for Maintenance Fee. It is the money for your living and study expenses, and it is paid to your mother’s bank account — Rs.10,000 a year for ITI, Rs.15,000 a year for polytechnic, and Rs.20,000 a year for degree and above.
The MTF amount depends on your course, not on your marks. An ITI student gets Rs.10,000 a year, a polytechnic student gets Rs.15,000, and a degree student gets Rs.20,000 — the same amount every year, as long as you stay eligible and your college submits the application.
Who Can Apply
You can get a Jnanabhumi post-matric scholarship if you meet all of these conditions:
- You belong to the SC, ST, BC, EBC, Kapu, Minority or Differently-abled category.
- Your family’s annual income is up to Rs.2.5 lakh.
- You are studying a post-matric course — ITI, polytechnic, degree, PG or a professional course — in a recognised institution in Andhra Pradesh.
- You have an Aadhaar card, and your mother has a bank account linked with her Aadhaar for the MTF.
How to Apply on Jnanabhumi — Step by Step
- Collect the documents listed below and give them to your college office at the start of the academic year.
- The college verifies your documents and submits the Jnanabhumi Scholarship Application Form (JSAF) for you on the portal.
- Your application is verified by the college, and then by the district and social welfare authorities.
- Once approved, the RTF is released to your college and the MTF is released to your mother’s bank account.
- Ask your college office for your application number and check the status with the college. If the status is stuck, ask the college office first — the college is the one that submitted it.
Documents You Need
- Aadhaar card of the student and of the mother.
- Caste certificate.
- Income certificate showing family income up to Rs.2.5 lakh.
- Previous examination marks memo and study certificate.
- Bonafide certificate and admission or fee receipt from the college.
- Bank account details of the mother, with Aadhaar seeded to that account.
Income and caste certificates can be obtained at your Grama or Ward Sachivalayam or through MeeSeva. Get them early — a certificate takes time, and a late certificate can delay your whole application.
Jnanabhumi: Common Problems and Fixes
MTF not credited. The most common cause is Aadhaar-bank seeding: the money goes to whichever account is mapped to your mother’s Aadhaar. Check the seeding at the bank — if it points to an old or closed account, the money will not reach her.
Application not submitted. Some colleges submit late or miss students. Ask the college office directly whether your JSAF was submitted, and get your application number as proof.
Certificate rejected. An expired income or caste certificate, or a mismatch between the name on your Aadhaar and the certificate, will get the application rejected. Renew expired certificates before the college submits, and make sure the names match exactly.
A name mismatch is easy to miss and hard to fix later. The name on your Aadhaar, your caste certificate and your income certificate must match exactly — even a spelling difference can hold up the application. Check all three documents together before you hand them to the college.
Jnanabhumi: How the Money Reaches You
Jnanabhumi pays in two parts, and each part goes to a different place. RTF — reimbursement of tuition fee — goes to the college, against your fees. MTF — the maintenance fee — goes to your mother’s bank account.
If the MTF has not come, check the seeding first. The payment follows the Aadhaar seeding in the NPCI mapping — the money goes to the account mapped to your mother’s Aadhaar. Seeding is free and done by the bank, and it takes a day or two to reflect. Check your Aadhaar bank seeding if the payment is missing. The NPCI site is https://www.npci.org.in/
Jnanabhumi: What to Do If Your College Does Not Submit Your Application
Your college submits the application (JSAF) on your behalf on Jnanabhumi — you do not apply yourself. If the college has not submitted it, ask the college office first, then the principal.
If the college office cannot help, ask the college principal, and keep copies of everything you gave the college. The Sachivalayam can help with certificates, but the application itself is the college’s job.
Jnanabhumi: Who Should Apply and When
Jnanabhumi is for post-matric students — ITI, polytechnic, degree, postgraduate and professional courses. Apply at the start of the academic year, when the college collects documents — a late application can miss the verification cycle.
If you are the first in your family to go to college, the scholarship is what makes it possible. The fee is paid to the college and the maintenance money goes to your mother — so the family does not have to choose between your education and the household budget. That is the point of the post-matric scholarship.
Ask your college office for the scholarship notice at the start of every academic year. The notice tells you the last date for documents, the certificates you need, and the person to contact. Do not wait for a reminder — the college collects documents once, and a student who misses that window has to wait for the next cycle.
The same portal also matters for girls’ higher education support. Kalalaku Rekkalu is another scheme for girls, and the portal for Jnanabhumi is https://jnanabhumi.ap.gov.in. The AP government’s own portal carries the official information: https://www.ap.gov.in/
Read also: Talliki Vandanam · NTR Vidya Lakshmi Scheme 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I apply myself on Jnanabhumi?
No. Your college submits the application (JSAF) on your behalf on https://jnanabhumi.ap.gov.in. You give your documents to the college.
How much MTF will I get?
Rs.10,000 a year for ITI, Rs.15,000 a year for polytechnic, and Rs.20,000 a year for degree and above.
Is there an income limit?
Yes. Your family’s annual income must be up to Rs.2.5 lakh.
What if my mother has no bank account?
Open an account in her name and get her Aadhaar seeded to it. The MTF is paid only to the mother’s account.
Conclusion
Jnanabhumi scholarships remove the biggest barrier to higher education — the fee. Give your documents to your college at the start of the year, keep your certificates current, and make sure your mother’s Aadhaar is seeded to her bank account. The RTF goes to the college and the MTF goes to your mother — and both depend on your college submitting the JSAF on time.
Last updated: November 2026