The Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana is a scholarship programme of the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Government of India, designed to encourage school students to develop an interest in Philately, the study and collection of postage stamps and related postal material.
Under the scheme, eligible students studying in Classes VI to IX can compete for an annual scholarship of ₹6,000. Selection is conducted through a Philately Written Quiz followed by a Philately Project for shortlisted students.
The scheme is intended not only to support students financially but also to encourage learning through stamp collecting, research and exploration of subjects such as history, geography, science, culture and important personalities.
For 2026–27, India Post has published the scheme’s Standard Operating Procedure and several Postal Circles have issued their own notifications. Applicants should therefore check the notification issued by their concerned Postal Circle for the applicable dates and submission instructions.
Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana 2026–27 – Key Highlights
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana |
| Full Form of SPARSH | Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby |
| Ministry | Ministry of Communications |
| Implementing Department | Department of Posts |
| Target Students | Students of Classes VI to IX |
| Scholarship Amount | ₹6,000 per year |
| Scholarship Period | One year |
| Selection | Philately Written Quiz + Philately Project |
| Academic Requirement | At least 60% marks/equivalent grade in the recent final examination |
| SC/ST Relaxation | 5% relaxation in the academic requirement |
| School Requirement | Recognized school in India |
| Philately Requirement | School Philately Club membership or, where applicable, a Philately Deposit Account |
| Application Mode | As specified by the concerned Postal Circle/Division |
| Official Department | Department of Posts, Government of India |
The core eligibility conditions and scholarship amount are consistent with Department of Posts and PIB information on the scheme.
What Is Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana?
Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana was introduced by the Department of Posts to promote Philately among school children.
The word SPARSH stands for Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby.
Instead of treating stamp collecting only as a recreational activity, the programme uses Philately as a way to encourage students to research and learn about different subjects. Stamps and other philatelic material can introduce students to India’s history, geography, science, culture, important personalities and other areas of knowledge.
The Department of Posts has been running the programme for students in Classes VI to IX, with selection based on a written Philately Quiz and a subsequent Philately Project.
How Much Scholarship Is Given?
Selected students receive a scholarship of ₹6,000 per year.
The scholarship is intended for one year. The scheme documentation has traditionally provided for quarterly scholarship payments, while the exact payment/account formalities for the applicable cycle are handled according to Department of Posts instructions.
For the 2026–27 cycle, a recent PIB release also states that selected students will be required to open a joint account with their parents at a Post Office or India Post Payments Bank for receiving the scholarship.
Who Can Apply?
A student generally needs to satisfy all of the following conditions:
- The student must be studying in Class VI, VII, VIII or IX.
- The student must be enrolled in a recognized school in India.
- The student must have a good academic record.
- The student must have secured at least 60% marks or an equivalent grade/grade point in the recent final examination.
- SC/ST students receive a 5% relaxation in the academic requirement.
- The student’s school should have a Philately Club, and the applicant should be a member of that club.
- If the school does not have a Philately Club, a student having their own Philately Deposit Account (PDA) may also be considered, subject to the applicable scheme conditions.
These eligibility requirements are reflected in Department of Posts/PIB material for the scheme.
Academic Marks Requirement
The normal academic requirement is 60% or equivalent grade/grade point in the recent final examination.
For SC/ST students, there is a 5 percentage-point relaxation in this requirement.
Students should use the academic result corresponding to the examination specified in the current Postal Circle notification rather than assuming that an older year’s marksheet will always be accepted.
What Is a Philately Club?
A Philately Club is a school-based activity or club through which students can learn about stamps and develop stamp-collecting and research skills.
Students applying under the scheme are generally expected to be members of their school’s Philately Club.
If the school has not established such a club, the scheme permits consideration of a student who has their own Philately Deposit Account, subject to the applicable requirements.
What Is a Philately Deposit Account?
A Philately Deposit Account (PDA) is an account facility associated with India Post’s philatelic services. It enables customers to obtain philatelic material issued through the Department of Posts.
For Deen Dayal SPARSH eligibility, a student whose school does not have a Philately Club may be considered if the student has their own PDA and meets the remaining conditions.
Students should confirm the exact PDA requirements with their concerned Postal Circle before applying.
Scholarship Allocation
The scheme provides for a maximum of 40 scholarships per Postal Circle, with up to 10 students from each class:
| Class | Maximum Scholarships |
|---|---|
| Class VI | 10 |
| Class VII | 10 |
| Class VIII | 10 |
| Class IX | 10 |
| Total per Postal Circle | 40 |
The allocation structure is intended to provide representation across Classes VI to IX. Department of Posts scheme material specifies a maximum of 40 scholarships per Postal Circle.
The exact number of scholarships and operational arrangements should always be checked against the current notification applicable to the student’s Postal Circle.
Deen Dayal SPARSH Selection Process
Selection is conducted in two stages:
Stage 1 – Philately Written Quiz
The first stage is a written Philately Quiz conducted by the concerned Postal Circle/region.
The standard scheme format provides for 50 multiple-choice questions, with each question carrying one mark and no negative marking. The quiz covers general knowledge/current affairs and Philately-related subjects.
A commonly specified distribution is:
| Subject | Marks |
|---|---|
| Current Affairs | 5 |
| History | 5 |
| Geography | 5 |
| Science | 5 |
| Sports/Culture/Personalities | 5 |
| Local Philately | 10 |
| National Philately | 15 |
| Total | 50 |
The exact conduct, venue, timing and regional arrangements are notified by the concerned Postal Circle.
Is the Quiz Score Added to the Final Merit?
This is an important point.
The written quiz functions as a screening stage. Under the scheme’s selection procedure, students shortlisted through the quiz proceed to the Philately Project stage, and the quiz marks are not given weightage in the final project evaluation. Final selection is based on the Philately Project among the shortlisted candidates.
Therefore, students should not assume that simply obtaining the highest quiz score guarantees the scholarship.
Stage 2 – Philately Project
Students shortlisted through the written quiz are required to prepare a Philately Project according to the instructions issued by the concerned Postal Circle.
The established scheme guidelines provide that:
- The project should generally not exceed 4–5 pages.
- The project may use a maximum of 16 stamps/stamp images.
- The written content should not exceed 500 words.
- The topic and detailed project instructions are communicated by the concerned Circle after the written quiz/shortlisting.
These project limits have also been specified in recent Department of Posts/PIB material.
For the 2026–27 cycle, applicants should follow the latest project instructions issued by their own Postal Circle, even if they find older project templates online.
2026–27 Important Dates
The Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana does not necessarily have one identical deadline for every Postal Circle. India Post publishes Circle-specific notifications, so students should verify dates applicable to their region.
For example, a PIB release issued on 27 August 2026 reported the following schedule for the North Gujarat Region:
| Activity | Date/Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Application deadline | 10 September 2026 |
| Philately Written Quiz | 27 September 2026 |
| Philately Project | First week of November 2026 |
| Final result | 1 December 2026 |
These dates are an example of a current 2026–27 regional schedule and should not be treated as a universal all-India timetable. Students must check the notification of their concerned Postal Circle/Division.
India Post’s official website currently lists 2026–27 Deen Dayal SPARSH notifications, including notifications from the UP and Kerala Postal Circles, as well as the national SOP.
How to Apply for Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana 2026–27
The application procedure is handled through the concerned Postal Circle/Division. The exact form, deadline, submission address and method can therefore vary.
Step 1: Check the Current Notification
Visit the official India Post website and look for the latest Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana notification applicable to your Postal Circle.
Step 2: Check Eligibility
Confirm that the student:
- is studying in Class VI to IX;
- attends a recognized school;
- meets the academic requirement;
- is a member of the school Philately Club, where applicable; or
- has a Philately Deposit Account where the school does not have a Philately Club.
Step 3: Obtain the Application Form
Use the application form prescribed in the latest notification issued by the concerned Postal Circle/Division.
Do not rely on an old application form downloaded from a third-party website if a newer Circle-specific form has been issued.
Step 4: Fill in the Details
Enter the student’s details, school information, class, academic information and Philately-related details accurately.
Step 5: Complete School Verification
Where required, obtain the prescribed verification, signature or certification from the school authority.
Step 6: Submit Before the Deadline
Submit the application using the method and at the address specified in the current Postal Circle notification.
Depending on the Circle, the notification may specify submission through a particular Postal Division or office and may prescribe a particular mode of delivery.
Step 7: Appear for the Philately Quiz
Eligible candidates are called for the written Philately Quiz according to the schedule announced by the concerned Circle.
Step 8: Prepare the Philately Project
Students shortlisted through the quiz must prepare and submit the project within the prescribed deadline and format.
Step 9: Final Selection
The Philately Project is evaluated by the committee constituted by the Postal Circle. Selected students are then processed for scholarship payment according to Department of Posts instructions.
Documents and Details to Keep Ready
The exact document list can differ according to the current Circle notification. Students should generally keep the following information ready:
- Completed application form
- Recent passport-size photograph, if required
- Student’s name and personal details
- School name and address
- Class and academic details
- Recent examination marks/grade details
- School Philately Club membership details, where applicable
- Philately Deposit Account details, where applicable
- School verification/certification, where required
- Contact details
- Other documents specifically requested in the current Postal Circle notification
Important: Do not assume that every document listed on a third-party website is mandatory. The latest official notification for the concerned Circle should be treated as the final authority.
What Is Philately?
Philately is the study, collection, appreciation and research of postage stamps, postal history and related philatelic material.
Stamp collecting can introduce students to much more than postal history. A stamp may depict a historical event, monument, scientist, artist, animal, plant, geographical location, cultural tradition or important personality.
For students, this makes Philately a useful hobby for developing:
- Research skills
- Observation
- Classification and organization
- Historical awareness
- General knowledge
- Interest in culture and geography
- Collection and documentation skills
This educational aspect is one of the reasons the Department of Posts uses Philately as the basis of the SPARSH scholarship programme.
Important Conditions for Scholarship Awardees
Students selected under the scheme are expected to continue meeting the applicable conditions during the scholarship period.
These include maintaining good conduct and continuing their studies as regular students. Scheme guidelines also provide for maintaining the relevant Philately Club membership or Philately Deposit Account during the scholarship-awarding period, where applicable. The scholarship can be withdrawn if irregularities in eligibility or prescribed conditions are subsequently identified.
A student who received the scholarship in one year may generally apply again in a subsequent year, provided the student satisfies the eligibility requirements applicable to that year’s selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana?
Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana is a scholarship programme of the Department of Posts that promotes Philately as a hobby among school students and encourages research and learning through stamps.
2. What is the scholarship amount?
Selected students receive ₹6,000 per year.
3. Which students can apply?
Students studying in Classes VI to IX in a recognized school in India can apply if they satisfy the academic, Philately and other conditions specified in the current notification.
4. What percentage is required for Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana?
The standard academic requirement is 60% marks or an equivalent grade/grade point in the recent final examination. There is a 5% relaxation for SC/ST students.
5. Is Philately Club membership required?
Normally, the student’s school should have a Philately Club and the student should be a member. Where the school does not have a Philately Club, a student having their own Philately Deposit Account may also be considered, subject to the scheme conditions.
6. What is the selection process?
Selection has two stages:
Stage 1: Philately Written Quiz
Stage 2: Philately Project
The quiz is used for screening candidates, while the final selection is based on the Philately Project among shortlisted students.
7. How many questions are in the Philately Quiz?
The standard format contains 50 multiple-choice questions, generally carrying one mark each with no negative marking.
8. Do quiz marks count toward the final selection?
The quiz acts as a screening test. Under the scheme guidelines, the quiz marks do not receive weightage in the final evaluation; final selection is based on the Philately Project among shortlisted candidates.
9. How many scholarships are available?
The scheme provides for a maximum of 40 scholarships per Postal Circle, with up to 10 students from each of Classes VI, VII, VIII and IX.
10. How long is the scholarship awarded?
The scholarship is awarded for one year.
11. Can a previous awardee apply again?
Yes. A student who has previously received the scholarship may apply again in a subsequent year, provided the eligibility conditions applicable to that year’s selection are fulfilled.
12. Where can I check the latest application date?
The application deadline is announced by the concerned Postal Circle/Division. Because schedules can differ by region, students should check the latest India Post notification applicable to their area rather than relying on an old date.
Official Website and Contact
For the latest notifications, forms and Circle-specific instructions, students should use the official India Post website.
India Post Official Website:
India Post
India Post Helpline: 1800 266 6868
The India Post website currently lists the helpline as available from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with IVRS available 24/7 except gazetted holidays.
For Circle-specific application dates, submission addresses and examination arrangements, students should contact the concerned Postal Circle or Postal Division.
Final Takeaway
The Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana is an opportunity for students of Classes VI to IX who have both a good academic record and an interest in Philately.
The key points to remember are:
- ₹6,000 annual scholarship
- Classes VI to IX
- 60% academic requirement
- 5% relaxation for SC/ST students
- Philately Club/PDA requirement
- Written Philately Quiz for screening
- Philately Project for final selection
- Maximum 40 scholarships per Postal Circle under the standard scheme structure
- 2026–27 dates depend on the concerned Postal Circle
Because India Post issues Circle-specific notifications, applicants should always verify the latest deadline, application form, examination schedule and submission instructions before applying.
Last updated: September 2026