For a child of a Safai Karamchari, manual scavenger or waste-picker family in Haryana who wants to pursue professional or technical higher education — such as engineering, medicine, management or IT — the course fee is often the biggest obstacle. The National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC) Education Loan Scheme exists for exactly this — a loan of up to Rs 10 lakh for studies in India and up to Rs 20 lakh for studies abroad, at 6–7% annual interest. In Haryana, the loan is routed through the Haryana Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (HSFDC), and applications are made offline.
Before going further, two confusions must be cleared. First — this loan is only for the Safai Karamchari community; Scheduled Caste (SC) students have a separate NSFDC Education Loan Scheme (Rs 30 lakh / Rs 40 lakh) and Backward Classes (BC) students have a separate NBCFDC scheme (guide 7381). Second — many old websites still show this loan’s interest rate as 4%; under NSKFDC’s current terms the interest is 6% (India) / 7% (abroad). This guide treats the current terms as the main terms, and shows the old terms for reference. Before applying, do confirm the current terms with the HSFDC District Office.
Scheme at a Glance
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scheme name | Education Loan Scheme under NSKFDC (NSKFDC Education Loan); myScheme Haryana list entry #110 |
| Implementing agency | National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India (established 24 January 1997, operational since October 1997) |
| Channel in Haryana | Haryana Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (HSFDC) — NSKFDC’s State Channelising Agency (SCA) / District Office |
| Loan | Maximum Rs 10 lakh for studies in India; maximum Rs 20 lakh for studies abroad (up to 90% of the expenditure; 10% promoter contribution) |
| Interest (to student) | Studies in India — 6% per annum; studies abroad — 7% per annum; women students get a 0.5% rebate (5.5% / 6.5%) |
| Who gets it | Safai Karamcharis, manual scavengers, waste-pickers and their dependents (children / spouse) who want professional or technical education |
| Income limit | Annual family income up to Rs 4.5 lakh (as per State Channelising Agencies’ pages — confirm with HSFDC) |
| Courses | Full-time professional / technical course at graduation or higher level, at a recognised institution (in India or abroad) |
| How to apply | Offline — HSFDC District Office / Regional Rural Bank (RRB) / nationalised bank branch; no SARAL service has been verified for this loan |
| Last date | None — applications are accepted throughout the year |
| Repayment | After course completion, with a one-year moratorium, repaid within a maximum of 5 years |
How Much Loan Will You Get?
The loan amount depends on your course’s total cost — the loan covers up to 90% of the expenditure, and the remaining 10% promoter contribution must be arranged by you / your guardian.
| Study | Maximum loan | Interest (to student) | Interest (to channel agency) |
|---|---|---|---|
| In India | Up to Rs 10 lakh | 6% per annum (women 5.5%) | 2% per annum |
| Abroad | Up to Rs 20 lakh | 7% per annum (women 6.5%) | 3% per annum |
| Promoter contribution | 10% of total expenditure | — | — |
| Loan share | Up to 90% of total expenditure | — | — |
| Expenses covered | Tuition fees, books, living expenses (as per NSKFDC) | — | — |
Note — the loan amount is decided by your course fee, not just by the limit: a Rs 10 lakh limit does not mean every student gets Rs 10 lakh — the loan is only up to 90% of your course’s actual expenditure.
The Biggest Confusion — Old Terms vs New Terms
Searching for this scheme throws up terms from two different periods, because the interest rate has changed. The table below shows which term belongs to which period — and which applies today.
| Point | Old terms (Lok Sabha answer, 8 Aug 2011 / pages up to 2023) | New terms (current — NSKFDC) |
|---|---|---|
| Interest (to student) | 4% per annum (women 3.5%) | 6% (India) / 7% (abroad); women 5.5% / 6.5% |
| Maximum loan | Rs 10 lakh (India) / Rs 20 lakh (abroad) | Rs 10 lakh (India) / Rs 20 lakh (abroad) — the limit has not changed |
| Income limit | Not stated separately on any old page | Rs 4.5 lakh per annum (as per State Agencies’ pages — confirm with HSFDC) |
| Repayment | One-year moratorium after the course, repaid in 5 years | One-year moratorium after the course, repaid in 5 years — unchanged |
| Channel | HSFDC / RRB / nationalised bank | HSFDC / RRB / nationalised bank — unchanged |
The most important warning: many websites and old articles still show the 4% interest rate, while the current terms carry 6%/7% — the NSFDC Education Loan Scheme also moved to the same 6%/7% from 22 July 2024. This guide treats the new rates as the main terms — but before applying, do confirm the current rate with HSFDC.
Who Is Eligible?
Every condition below must be met — if even one is missed, the application will not be considered.
| Condition | Detail |
|---|---|
| Community | Safai Karamchari, manual scavenger or waste-picker — or their dependent (child or spouse) |
| Identification | Identified in the National Scheme for Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers (NSLRS) survey — or a Safai Karamchari certificate from the local Revenue Officer / Executive Officer / Municipal Committee, Council or Corporation |
| Residence | Permanent resident of Haryana |
| Income | Annual family income up to Rs 4.5 lakh (as per the Tamil Nadu State Agency TAHDCO’s pages — confirm with HSFDC) |
| Admission | Admission to a full-time professional / technical course at graduation or higher level, at a recognised institution (in India or abroad) |
| Age | No age limit is stated separately in NSKFDC’s Education Loan terms — confirm with HSFDC |
Who Is NOT Eligible?
If any of the situations below applies to you, the application will not be considered — check yourself against this list before applying.
- Not from the Safai Karamchari community — this scheme is only for Safai Karamcharis, manual scavengers, waste-pickers and their dependents; SC students have the separate NSFDC Education Loan Scheme (Rs 30 lakh / Rs 40 lakh) and BC students have the separate NBCFDC scheme (guide 7381).
- Annual family income above Rs 4.5 lakh — those above the income limit are excluded (as per State Agencies’ pages — confirm with HSFDC).
- Not a permanent resident of Haryana — residents of other states cannot take this loan from Haryana’s HSFDC; contact the channelising agency of your own state.
- Course is not professional / technical, or not full-time — the loan is given only for full-time professional / technical courses at recognised institutions.
- Loan needed for school education (below graduation) — this loan is for graduation-level or higher education.
- Loan needed for something other than education — such as a business or a house; this loan is not given for non-education purposes.
Which Courses Are Covered?
The loan is given for full-time professional or technical courses at graduation or higher level — the fields below are examples, not an exhaustive list. Your course’s recognition will be checked by HSFDC / NSKFDC.
- Engineering & Technology — B.Tech, M.Tech, professional study after diploma
- Medicine & Health — MBBS, BDS, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy
- Management & Business — MBA, hotel management
- Information Technology — BCA, MCA, computer-related professional courses
- Finance & Law — CA, ICWA, CS, LLB and similar professional courses
- Education — B.Ed, M.Ed and other teacher-training courses
As per NSKFDC, the loan covers tuition fees, books and living expenses. Items such as hostel-mess charges, examination fees and travel / visa costs for study abroad are written in the parallel NSFDC scheme — they have not been separately confirmed for the NSKFDC loan, so ask HSFDC which expenses your course will cover.
Interest, EMI and Repayment
The interest rate depends on where you study — studies in India are cheaper, studies abroad slightly costlier. The EMI figures below are illustrations (computed from the stated rates and tenures) — the actual EMI will depend on your sanction terms.
Rs 5 lakh loan, 6% interest, 5 years: EMI about Rs 9,666 per month; total payment about Rs 5,79,984 (interest about Rs 79,984).
Rs 10 lakh loan, 6% interest, 5 years: EMI about Rs 19,333 per month; total payment about Rs 11,59,968 (interest about Rs 1,59,968).
Rs 20 lakh loan (abroad), 7% interest, 5 years: EMI about Rs 39,602 per month; total payment about Rs 23,76,144 (interest about Rs 3,76,144).
Women student — Rs 10 lakh loan, 5.5% interest, 5 years: EMI about Rs 19,101 per month; total payment about Rs 11,46,070 (interest about Rs 1,46,070).
Repayment starts after the course is completed — first a one-year moratorium, then the loan must be repaid within a maximum of 5 years. One thing is not clear — whether interest accrues during the course period and the moratorium is not stated separately in NSKFDC’s Education Loan terms. The EMI figures above are computed on the sanctioned principal repaid over 5 years; if interest accrues during the study period, the actual EMI will be higher — ask HSFDC.
Documents Required
These documents are usually asked for with the application — confirm the exact list at the HSFDC District Office, because if even one paper is missing, the case will stall.
| No. | Document | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Application form (NSKFDC loan application form) | From the HSFDC District Office or NSKFDC’s website; to be submitted at the HSFDC District Office / RRB / bank branch |
| 2 | Recent passport-size photograph of the applicant | Attach with the application |
| 3 | Aadhaar card | Proof of identity |
| 4 | Haryana residence proof (domicile certificate / ration card / PPP) | Proof of being a permanent resident |
| 5 | Safai Karamchari certificate | NSLRS survey identification, or a certificate from the Revenue Officer / Executive Officer / Municipal Committee, Council or Corporation |
| 6 | Income certificate (recent) | Proof that annual family income is up to Rs 4.5 lakh |
| 7 | Admission letter | From a recognised institution, with the course and its duration |
| 8 | Course fee structure / estimate | From the institution — the loan amount will be decided from this |
| 9 | Academic certificates and mark sheets | Class 10 / 12 / previous degree — proof of qualification |
| 10 | Bank account details (passbook / cancelled cheque) and guardian’s details | The loan will be linked to this account; the guardian is a co-applicant — confirm with HSFDC |
How to Apply?
The application for this scheme is offline — the form is taken from NSKFDC’s website and submitted at the HSFDC District Office. Follow the steps below to apply.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Check eligibility — Safai Karamchari community, Haryana resident, income up to Rs 4.5 lakh, admission to a professional / technical course at a recognised institution |
| 2 | Gather documents — Aadhaar, Safai Karamchari certificate, income certificate, residence proof, admission letter, fee structure, mark sheets, bank details (see the list above) |
| 3 | Get the application form — from the HSFDC District Office, or from NSKFDC’s website (nskfdc.nic.in), “How to Apply / Loan Application Form” page |
| 4 | Submit the filled form — at your district’s HSFDC District Office, or at a Regional Rural Bank (RRB) / nationalised bank branch |
| 5 | Scrutiny and sanction — the District Office checks the proposal and sends it to the Head Office; NSKFDC’s Project Appraisal Committee examines it, then the Board of Directors sanctions it and issues a Letter of Intent |
| 6 | Agreement and funds — accept the terms and execute the loan agreement; after sanction, NSKFDC releases the funds to HSFDC / the bank, which passes them to the student |
The application status can be asked about at your HSFDC District Office. Note — no SARAL online service has been verified for this loan, so do not waste time searching for this scheme on the SARAL portal; the BC Nigam’s education loan is on SARAL, but that is a different corporation’s different scheme.
Fee, Timeline and Status Check
- Fee: No government fee for this loan is written in any official source — no fee is being claimed; ask at the HSFDC District Office.
- Timeline: No disposal timeline has been published — no number of days can be stated. Repayment starts one year after the course is completed.
- Status check: Ask at your HSFDC District Office or Head Office — no online status portal has been verified.
- RTS: No timeline under the Right to Service (RTS) has been found in any official source for this service — no number of days can be stated.
- Last date: None — applications are accepted throughout the year.
How Is the Money Paid? — The Finance Pattern
After sanction, the loan amount does not come directly to the student — it comes through HSFDC / the bank. The pattern is as follows:
- NSKFDC share — up to 90% of the expenditure — comes from the national corporation (up to Rs 10 lakh in India, up to Rs 20 lakh abroad).
- Promoter contribution — 10% of the expenditure — to be arranged by the student / guardian.
- Interest split — NSKFDC charges the channel agency (HSFDC) 2% (India) / 3% (abroad); the student pays 6% (India) / 7% (abroad); women students get a 0.5% rebate (5.5% / 6.5%).
- Route of funds — sanction (Board of Directors) → Letter of Intent → accept the terms and execute the loan agreement → NSKFDC releases the funds to HSFDC / RRB / the bank → the student receives them from there.
- Instalment pattern — whether the amount comes in one instalment or in parts as per the fee schedule is not published separately — ask HSFDC.
- This is a loan, not a scholarship — the full amount must be repaid with interest; there is no waiver.
Understand the Difference — This Scheme vs Other Schemes
Many education loan schemes exist for Safai Karamchari, SC and BC communities — the names sound similar, but the terms, amounts and agencies differ. Applying under the wrong scheme wastes time.
| Scheme | For whom | Maximum loan | Interest (to student) |
|---|---|---|---|
| This scheme — NSKFDC Education Loan | Safai Karamchari / manual scavenger / waste-picker and dependents | Rs 10 lakh (India) / Rs 20 lakh (abroad) | 6% / 7% (women 5.5% / 6.5%) |
| NSKFDC Vocational Education & Training Loan | Safai Karamchari community (skill courses of 6 months–2 years) | Up to Rs 4 lakh | 4% (women 3.5%); repayment up to 7 years |
| NSFDC Education Loan (SC) | Scheduled Caste students | Rs 30 lakh (India) / Rs 40 lakh (abroad) | 6% / 7% (women 5.5% / 6.5%); income ≤ Rs 3 lakh (Rs 5 lakh from 7 Jan 2026 — NSFDC only) |
| NBCFDC BC Education Loan (guide 7381) | Backward Classes students | Rs 15 lakh (India) / Rs 20 lakh (abroad) — as per the guide | 4% (boys) / 3.5% (girls) — as per the guide; NBCFDC’s 2025 terms may differ, see guide 7381 |
| NSKFDC business loans (MCF / Mahila Adhikarita) | Safai Karamcharis (for business, not for study) | Rs 1 lakh (MCF) / Rs 2 lakh (Mahila Adhikarita) | 7% |
| Haryana Education Loan Scheme (Credit Guarantee) | Class 12 pass Haryana resident students (all categories) | Government guarantee on a bank loan (no collateral) | Bank rate; income ≤ Rs 6 lakh; via atmanirbhar.haryana.gov.in |
| PM-Vidyalaxmi | Meritorious students admitted to top institutions | Up to Rs 10 lakh, no collateral | 3% interest subsidy for families with income ≤ Rs 8 lakh |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How much loan will I get under this scheme?
Maximum Rs 10 lakh for studies in India and maximum Rs 20 lakh for studies abroad — the loan covers up to 90% of the course expenditure, and the remaining 10% is the promoter contribution. Note — one aggregator page writes Rs 10 lakh for abroad too; that is wrong — the Rs 20 lakh limit is confirmed by several sources.
2. How much interest will be charged?
Studies in India — 6% per annum; studies abroad — 7% per annum. Women students get a 0.5% rebate (5.5% / 6.5%). Under the old terms the interest was 4% (women 3.5%) — many old pages still show that; it is the old rate.
3. What is the income limit?
Annual family income up to Rs 4.5 lakh — this limit is written on State Channelising Agencies’ (Tamil Nadu TAHDCO) official pages for dependents of cleanliness workers. One aggregator writes Rs 4 lakh — a different figure. Ask HSFDC for the current limit before applying.
4. Who is eligible?
Safai Karamcharis, manual scavengers or waste-pickers — or their dependents (children / spouse). Identification is through the NSLRS survey or a certificate from the local Revenue Officer / Executive Officer / Municipal Committee, Council or Corporation. Being a permanent resident of Haryana is required.
5. Where do I apply?
Offline — at your district’s HSFDC District Office, or at a Regional Rural Bank (RRB) / nationalised bank branch. The application form can be taken from NSKFDC’s website. No SARAL online service has been verified for this loan — do not search for it on the SARAL portal.
6. When does repayment start?
After the course is completed, with a one-year moratorium, then repaid within a maximum of 5 years. Whether interest accrues during the course period and the moratorium is not stated separately — ask HSFDC.
7. Is this a scholarship — can the loan be waived?
No — this is a loan, not a scholarship or a grant; the full amount must be repaid with interest. There is no waiver or subsidy in this scheme. Har-Chhatravratti scholarships (which are not repaid) are different — do not confuse the two.
8. Can SC or BC students apply under this scheme?
No — this scheme is only for the Safai Karamchari community. SC students have the NSFDC Education Loan Scheme (Rs 30 lakh / Rs 40 lakh, 6%/7%) and BC students have the NBCFDC scheme (guide 7381). If you are SC, look at the NSFDC scheme through HSFDC — the same corporation is Haryana’s channel for both schemes.
9. What is the 10% promoter contribution?
The loan covers up to 90% of the course expenditure; the remaining 10% must be arranged by the student / guardian. For example, on a Rs 10 lakh course the loan will be at most Rs 9 lakh and Rs 1 lakh will be the promoter contribution.
10. What is the last date to apply?
There is no last date — applications are accepted throughout the year. One aggregator page writes a “31 December” deadline — that has not been verified, so do not treat it as the last date; ask HSFDC.
Official Links and Contact
The links below are official sources. The myScheme detail page could not be verified, so myScheme is cited by its list entry number, not by a link.
- NSKFDC website: nskfdc.nic.in — did not open from here on 9 November 2026 (timed out) — that does not mean the site is down
- NSKFDC — How to Apply: nskfdc.nic.in/en/content/how-apply/loan-application-form — application form and process (the site did not open from here on 9 November)
- HSFDC website: hscfdc.org.in — did not open from here on 9 November 2026 (it opened on 8 November)
- myScheme — Haryana schemes: myScheme Haryana list, entry #110 — the detail page slug could not be verified
- HSFDC Head Office: Bay No. 53-54, Sector-2, Panchkula – 134109; Tel 0172-2584438 (from HSFDC website’s Google Maps embed, 8 November 2026) — an August 2025 news report gives a different address: Plot No. 199, Industrial Area, Phase-1, Panchkula; Tel 0172-2991227 — confirm by phone before visiting
- SARAL helpline: 0172-3968400 — only for SARAL portal queries; no SARAL service has been verified for this loan
- Related guides — BC Education Loan: Backward Classes Education Loan Scheme | NSKFDC Micro Credit Finance: Micro Credit Finance Scheme | Mahila Adhikarita Yojana: Mahila Adhikarita Yojana | Stand-Up India: Stand-Up India | Mudra Yojana: PM Mudra Yojana
Disclaimer
This guide was prepared on 9 November 2026 from available official and research sources — the IMPRI research article on NSKFDC’s schemes (citing NSKFDC and the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment), the Lok Sabha answer of 8 August 2011, the Tamil Nadu TAHDCO official district pages, NSKFDC’s “How to Apply” information, the Haryana Government’s December 2007 announcement (HSFDC–NSKFDC education loan), and the myScheme Haryana list (entry #110). The most important point: NSKFDC’s website (nskfdc.nic.in) and HSFDC’s website (hscfdc.org.in) did not open from here on 9 November 2026, so this guide’s terms are taken from research sources based on NSKFDC’s published details, not from a fresh page of NSKFDC’s own website. Loan amount, interest rate, eligibility and process can change — before applying, do take the latest information from the HSFDC District Office. Where sources differ or information could not be verified (especially the current interest rate and the women’s rebate, the Rs 4.5 lakh income limit, the age limit, the full course list, the fee and RTS timeline, and the HSFDC Head Office address), the guide says so clearly. Viksit Haryana is not an official portal of any government department.
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