The PM CARES for Children Scheme supports children who lost eligible parents or guardians due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides financial assistance, school and higher-education support, health insurance and rehabilitation assistance. The scheme was launched on 29 May 2021 by the Government of India.
PM CARES for Children: What the Scheme Provides?
The scheme was created to provide long-term support to children affected by the loss of their parent(s) or guardian during COVID-19.
Key details:
- Scheme: PM CARES for Children
- Launch in: 29 May 2021
- Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development
- Main objective: Care, protection, education, healthcare and financial security for eligible children
- Financial support: Corpus of ₹10 lakh
- Health insurance: ₹5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY
- School scholarship: ₹20,000 per year for eligible students from Classes 1 to 12
- Financial support: Monthly stipend from 18 to 23 years and ₹10 lakh on attaining 23 years
Important: PM CARES for Children is not a general scholarship scheme. It is a comprehensive support programme for children who meet its specific eligibility conditions.
PM CARES for Children Eligibility
A child may be covered under the scheme if they lost:
- Both parents due to COVID-19
- The surviving parent due to COVID-19
- A legal guardian due to COVID-19
- Adoptive parent(s) due to COVID-19
- A single adoptive parent due to COVID-19
The official scheme guidelines specify that the eligible period begins on 11 March 2020. The scheme’s eligibility conditions also require the child to have been below 18 years of age on the date of the parent’s death.
Note: Eligibility is determined through the prescribed verification process. Meeting only one condition does not automatically guarantee approval.
PM CARES for Children Scheme Benefits
| Benefit | Support |
| Financial corpus | ₹10 lakh |
| School scholarship | ₹20,000 per year |
| Health insurance | ₹5 lakh under PM-JAY |
| Monthly stipend | From 18 to 23 years |
| Higher education | Education loan and applicable interest support |
| AICTE Swanath Scholarship | ₹50,000 per year, subject to conditions |
| Skill development | Support through applicable schemes |
| School education | Admission and educational assistance |
| Boarding and lodging | Family, foster care, CCI or residential-school support, as applicable |
| Higher education | Supernumerary seats under applicable provisions |
The benefits are delivered through PM CARES for Children and linked government schemes, with individual benefits subject to their respective eligibility conditions.
PM CARES for Children ₹10 Lakh Financial Support
The ₹10 lakh is not paid as an immediate lump sum when the child is approved.
The financial support works as follows:
- A pro-rata amount is credited upfront for each identified beneficiary.
- The corpus is structured to become ₹10 lakh when the beneficiary reaches 18 years of age.
- From age 18 to 23, the beneficiary receives a monthly stipend generated through investment of the corpus.
- On reaching 23 years of age, the beneficiary receives the ₹10 lakh corpus.
The official guidelines state that the financial amount is transferred to the beneficiary’s post-office account after the account is opened and validated.
PM CARES for Children Scholarship
Eligible school-going children studying in Classes 1 to 12 can receive ₹20,000 per child per year.
The scholarship includes:
- ₹1,000 per month as monthly allowance
- ₹8,000 per year as academic allowance
Support for:
- Books
- Uniform
- Shoes
- Other educational equipment
Disbursement through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
This scholarship is intended to help eligible children continue their schooling without financial barriers.
hildren who have lost a parent may also explore other financial aid options, including scholarships for single parents students, based on the eligibility criteria of individual schemes.
School Education Support
PM CARES for Children provides different forms of educational assistance based on the child’s age and circumstances.
Children below 6 years
Support can include:
- Supplementary nutrition
- Preschool education and early childhood care
- Immunisation
- Health referrals
- Health check-ups through Anganwadi services
Children below 10 years
Eligible children may receive:
- Admission to a nearby government or government-aided school
- Admission to a Kendriya Vidyalaya
- Admission to an eligible private school
- Free uniforms and textbooks in government schools, according to applicable guidelines
- RTE-based fee support where applicable
- Assistance for uniforms, textbooks and notebooks where the child cannot access the other benefits
Children aged 11 to 18 years
Depending on the child’s circumstances, the District Magistrate may facilitate:
- Government or government-aided school admission
- Kendriya Vidyalaya admission
- Private-school admission where applicable
Residential education through institutions such as:
- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas
- Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas
- Eklavya Model Schools
- Sainik Schools
- Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Awasiya Vidyalayas
Alternative accommodation during vacations where required
Higher Education Support
PM CARES for Children continues to support eligible beneficiaries beyond school education.
Key provisions include:
- Assistance in obtaining an education loan for professional courses and higher education in India.
- If the beneficiary cannot obtain interest exemption under an existing Central or State Government education-loan scheme, the applicable loan interest can be supported under PM CARES for Children.
- Eligible beneficiaries can be assisted in obtaining scholarships through the National Scholarship Portal under applicable government schemes.
- Eligible technical-education students can receive the AICTE Swanath Scholarship of ₹50,000 per year, subject to the scholarship’s conditions.
Supernumerary seats are available under applicable provisions for eligible beneficiaries in technical and higher education institutions.
Health Insurance Under PM CARES for Children
Eligible children are covered under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY.
The support includes:
- ₹5 lakh health insurance cover
- PM-JAY enrolment for eligible beneficiaries
- Premium support under PM CARES for Children until 23 years of age
- Access to healthcare benefits according to PM-JAY rules
Boarding, Lodging and Rehabilitation Support
The scheme also addresses the child’s living and care arrangements.
The District Magistrate, with assistance from the Child Welfare Committee, may consider:
- Extended family or relatives as the first option where suitable.
- Foster care if family-based care is unavailable or unsuitable.
- A Child Care Institution (CCI) where appropriate.
- Residential schools for eligible older children who require such arrangements.
The guidelines also state that efforts should be made to keep siblings together wherever possible.
Steps to Access Support Under PM CARES for Children?
The scheme uses a dedicated online portal for submitting and processing beneficiary applications.
Who can submit an application?
The details may be submitted by:
- The eligible child
- Parent/caregiver
An agency producing the child before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC)
Application process
- Submit the required child and family details through the PM CARES for Children portal.
- The application is examined by the relevant authorities.
- The Child Welfare Committee verifies the child’s circumstances.
- District-level authorities process the application.
- Once approved, the child receives the applicable benefits under the scheme.
Official Portal: PM CARES for Children Official Portal
The official portal also provides an option to check the status of an already submitted application.
Is PM CARES for Children Still Available?
Yes. The scheme continues to support identified beneficiaries according to the applicable provisions.
The official Ministry FAQ states that the financial support is designed around beneficiaries reaching 23 years of age, with the ₹10 lakh corpus payable at that stage.
The official portal currently lists 4,543 approved applications across 31 States/UTs and 558 districts. Tamil Nadu accounts for 426 approved beneficiaries in the portal’s current state-wise data.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is eligible for PM CARES for Children?
Children who lost eligible parent(s), a legal guardian or adoptive parent(s) due to COVID-19 and meet the scheme’s age and other eligibility conditions may be covered.
2. How much scholarship is provided under PM CARES for Children?
Eligible school-going children from Classes 1 to 12 receive ₹20,000 per year.
3. Is the ₹10 lakh financial support given immediately?
No. The corpus is structured to reach ₹10 lakh when the beneficiary turns 18. A monthly stipend is provided from 18 to 23, followed by payment of the ₹10 lakh corpus at 23.
4. How much health insurance does the scheme provide?
Eligible beneficiaries receive ₹5 lakh health insurance coverage under PM-JAY, with premium support under the scheme until age 23.
Sources:
Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India; PM CARES for Children official portal; PM CARES for Children scheme guidelines. Information should be verified on the official portal before taking action because scheme implementation and applicable conditions may change.
