The Pradhan Mantri Vidya Lakshmi Karyakram, commonly known as Vidyalakshmi Scheme, was introduced on 15th August 2015 by the Finance Ministry of Indian Government. It was launched in collaboration with the NSDL – Governance Infrastructure Limited. Under this scheme, a dedicated web portal named Vidyalakshmi has been introduced to enable easy application for scheme benefits.
This portal serves as a single-window, providing information and access to different education loan schemes. This web portal is also a repository of various scholarship programs run by the government.
The Vidyalakhsmi scheme portal had been developed with guiding efforts from the following departments:
- Department of Financial Services.
- Ministry of Human Resource Development.
- Indian Banks Association (IBA).
Various banks provide education loans through the Vidyalakshmi portal, whereby students can apply for up to three loan schemes from different banks simultaneously.
Registration guidelines on the Vidyalakshmi education loan portal
With the Vidyalakshmi scheme, students get to pursue their aspirations and achieve their dreams. For example, funds acquired through an education loan can help them choose from the best biomedical colleges worldwide without worrying about their course fees and related expenses.
To access various education loans and scholarship programs, students need to register themselves on this portal first. You will need to provide the following details for registration:
- Name – The name must match that printed on the mark sheet of 10th standard or the mark sheet attached with the loan application.
- Mobile Number – Students can provide their mobile number or their parents.
- Email Address – Students will need to provide a valid email ID, which must not be changed or deactivated later. All the updates and communications are supposed to be done through this ID.
Only registered students can proceed with the Vidyalakshmi loan application form to avail education loans. The interest rates for these advances have also been set low by the lenders so that students can repay a loan effectively.
How to fill up the application form on the portal?
To avail education loans through the Vidyalakshmi scheme, students need to fill up the CELAF or Common Education Loan Application Form. Here is a detailed guide on how to apply for a loan by filling up the CELAF:
Step 1: Visit the official portal for the scheme.
Step 2: Log in with your credentials (ID and password).
Step 3: Select ‘Loan Application Form’ on the Student Panel.
Step 4: Certain instructions will be displayed on your screen, which you must go through before proceeding with your application.
Step 5: Fill in the necessary details as asked. It includes the following –
- Personal information.
- Details and history of relationship with the lender.
- Course details for which a loan is being borrowed.
- Course fees or source of finance.
- Details regarding the securities provided.
- Income prospects after a said course’s completion.
- Documents provided.
Step 6: While entering the details, save each page before moving to the next step.
Step 7: Upload a soft copy of the required documents and save your application form.
Step 8: Tick on the declaration box after all documents are uploaded.
Step 9: Select ‘Website Agreement Terms and Conditions’ option provided below the checkbox.
Step 10: Click on ‘Submit’ to complete your application process.
Documents required for Vidyalakshmi loan include the KYC documents, financial papers, academic records, collateral documents, application form, guarantee forms, and so on.
The portal also provides an education loan calculator which students can access to estimate their loan EMIs. This calculator helps assess the affordability of an education loan.
If, by any chance, this education loan EMI does not seem affordable to an applicant, he/she can instead opt for a loan against property to fund the educational expenses.
Nowadays, lenders also provide pre-approved offers on various financial products to hasten the process while saving time. These offers are available on home loans, loans against property, and several other financial products. You can check your pre-approved offer now only with your name and mobile number.
Apart from loan disbursals, the portal dedicated to the Vidyalakshmi scheme also facilitates data security, tenure extension, loan renewal, etc. Students may also merge an education loan with other loans as per their convenience for affordable financing and repayments.