Each Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) offers a range of scholarships aimed at supporting students who demonstrate academic excellence or come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In this article, we focus on two key financial aid programmes offered by IIT Bombay — the Merit-cum-Means (MCM) Scholarship and the Free Messing facility for SC/ST students. IIT's free courses for students & professionals that don’t require JEE Students need to note that once they avail the Institute's scholarship, they cannot accept any other scholarship from the government, semi-government or private sources. If the student received or applied for any other scholarship, it needs to be declared at the time of application. IIT Bombay's Merit-cum-Means (MCM) Scholarship The MCM Scholarship is to support students who demonstrate both academic merit and financial need. According to the institute’s academic office, approximately 25 per cent of the sanctioned undergraduate intake is eligible for this benefit. Under the scholarship, students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds can receive tuition fee waivers and a monthly stipend, provided they meet specific academic and income criteria. Despite supernumerary seats, women's representation at IITs is stuck at 20%: IIT Admission 2025 Report Eligibility requires a parental income below a prescribed threshold and satisfactory academic performance, typically measured through JEE ranks or internal performance metrics. Students must maintain a minimum SPI/CPI of 6.0 and avoid academic backlogs to retain the scholarship. In borderline cases, the Scholarship Committee reviews individual circumstances to determine continued eligibility. IIT-JEE Admissions 2025: Seats allotted exceed sanctioned capacity in most IITs Students from families with an annual income of up to Rs 1 lakh will receive a complete tuition fee waiver along with a scholarship of Rs 40,000 per year. Women students in this category are additionally eligible for a Women Merit Scholarship of Rs 10,000 per year. For students with an annual income between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakhs, the tuition fee is similarly waived. They will receive a Rs 30,000 yearly scholarship, while women students will again receive an additional Rs 10,000 merit scholarship. IIT JEE Toppers: IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi continue as top picks for JEE Advanced toppers Those from families earning between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh will also benefit from full tuition fee exemption and a Rs 20,000 annual scholarship. Women students in this bracket continue to receive the Women Merit Scholarship of Rs 10,000 per year. IIT Bombay's Facilities of Free Messing (for SC/ ST Category students) IIT Bombay offers free messing benefits to undergraduate students from the Scheduled Caste (SC) and the Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. This facility exempts eligible students from basic mess charges, ensuring access to meals at no cost. The support package also includes tuition fee waivers, hostel rent exemptions, and a monthly pocket allowance of Rs 500. These benefits apply to students enrolled in BTech, BS, BDes, and Dual Degree (BTech + MTech) programmes, although the free messing facility for dual degree students is generally limited to the first four years. Women Merit Scholarship is a special provision for female students of UG programmes under.
