PM-Vidyalaxmi Scheme 2026: QHEI Eligibility Rules For Constituent Colleges
The Ministry of Education has officially expanded the Quality Higher Educational Institutions (QHEIs) list under the PM-Vidyalaxmi Scheme to include constituent off-campus units. As of February 2026, students admitted to the Institute of Business and Computer Studies (IBCS) can now secure collateral-free education loans following its formal mapping to its parent university.
Authority: Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education
Reference: F. No. 39-1/2025-CSIS- Part (3)
This article is based on the Ministry of Education Public Notice issued on 17th February 2026. In practice, students at off-campus centres routinely face loan application rejections because nodal bank managers cannot find the specific constituent college AISHE code in the primary QHEI master list, delaying financial disbursements for months.
Which off-campus units qualify for collateral-free loans?
The Department of Higher Education clarified that off-campus or constituent units are strictly eligible for PM-Vidyalaxmi benefits only if the parent university declares the unit as part of the university in the AISHE database, and the performance data of that specific unit was considered by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) during the parent university’s evaluation.
How To Verify Off-Campus QHEI Status In 2026
- Search the parent university’s overall or subject-specific ranking in the official NIRF 2024 database.
- Verify the exact AISHE code of the constituent college on the All India Survey on Higher Education portal.
- Confirm that the parent university has officially mapped the off-campus unit under its primary AISHE declaration.
- Obtain documentation from the institute’s administration verifying their data was included in the parent university’s NIRF submission.
- Apply for the guarantor-free education loan directly through the centralized PM-Vidyalaxmi portal using the approved institutional codes.
What is the status of IBCS under Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan?
The Institute of Business and Computer Studies (Faculty of Management Studies) is now fully authorized for the scheme. The government confirmed that its data was evaluated alongside Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University, which secured high placements in the NIRF Rankings 2024.
| Institution Name | Official AISHE Code | NIRF 2024 Ranking Status |
|---|---|---|
| Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Parent) | U-0363 | 14th (University), 24th (Overall) |
| Institute of Business & Computer Studies | C-42715 | 62nd (Management Category) |
PM-Vidyalaxmi Loan Benefits and Exclusions
The central sector scheme, originally launched in November 2024, mandates strict merit-based admission criteria. The eligibility parameters clearly distinguish between recognized constituent units and independent campuses lacking central ranking validation.
Merit-based admissions in QHEIs
Collateral-free education loans
Guarantor-free loan processing
Officially mapped constituent colleges
Constituent colleges excluded from parent AISHE data
Independent institutes without NIRF 2024 rankings
Management quota admissions lacking merit criteria
Can IBCS students apply immediately on the portal?
Yes. All references to Quality Higher Educational Institutions in the scheme guidelines now legally include the Institute of Business and Computer Studies. Students securing admission can immediately initiate their education loan applications through the PM-Vidyalaxmi digital portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which off-campus units qualify for collateral-free loans?
Off-campus units qualify if the parent university declares them in the AISHE data and their performance metrics were included in the parent university’s NIRF ranking evaluation.
What is the status of IBCS under Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan?
The Institute of Business and Computer Studies (AISHE Code: C-42715) is fully approved as an eligible Quality Higher Educational Institution under the PM-Vidyalaxmi Scheme.
Can IBCS students apply immediately on the portal?
Yes. Students admitted to the institute on a merit basis can now apply for collateral-free and guarantor-free education loans directly through the PM-Vidyalaxmi portal.
Who issued the notification for IBCS inclusion?
The notification was issued by the Scholarship Division of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, on February 17, 2026.
हिंदी सारांश
शिक्षा मंत्रालय ने पीएम विद्यालक्ष्मी योजना के तहत गुणवत्तापूर्ण उच्च शिक्षण संस्थानों की सूची में शिक्षा ओ अनुसंधान विश्वविद्यालय के घटक संस्थान इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ बिजनेस एंड कंप्यूटर स्टडीज को शामिल कर लिया है। 17 फरवरी 2026 को जारी इस आदेश के बाद अब इस संस्थान के छात्र बिना किसी गारंटी और कोलैटरल के एजुकेशन लोन के लिए सीधे पीएम विद्यालक्ष्मी पोर्टल पर आवेदन कर सकते हैं। यह नियम उन सभी ऑफ-कैंपस संस्थानों पर लागू होता है जिनका डेटा उनके मुख्य विश्वविद्यालय की एनआईआरएफ रैंकिंग और एआईएसएचई रिपोर्ट में शामिल है।
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