Who is eligible for the Comprehensive Educational Loan Scheme (CELS)?

Children of persons with a gross annual income not exceeding Rs. 2.50 lakhs for studies within India and Rs. 5.00 lakhs for studies abroad, as certified by the District Collector.

Is there a reserved quota for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families under CELS?

Yes, 50% of the total amount is reserved for BPL families. If there are not enough BPL candidates, the reserved amount will be available to other eligible candidates.

Can more than one member of a family apply for the loan?

No, only one member of a family is eligible, except for BPL families.

What happens if the loanee discontinues their studies?

The beneficiary or co-applicant must refund the entire loan amount within one year if the studies are discontinued.

How are applications for CELS processed?

Applications are processed by the Sikkim Industrial Development and Investment Corporation Ltd., which ensures that all eligibility criteria and necessary formalities are met.

How often are loans disbursed under CELS?

Loans are disbursed after final government approval based on the recommendation of a committee comprising the Secretary of the Human Resource Development Department, the Director of the Directorate of Capacity Building, and the Managing Director of the Sikkim Industrial Development & Investment Corporation.

How is the loan amount distributed among different categories?

The loan amount is disbursed in proportion to different categories of people in Sikkim as per the State Government HRDD Notification.

What criteria are used to select loanees?

Selection is based on merit, taking into account marks obtained in Board/University exams, and preference is given to those admitted to leading professional institutions like IIT, IIM, NIIT, and NIFT.

What kind of publicity is done for the CELS?

The Directorate of Capacity Building ensures wide publicity through Sikkim Herald regarding the scheme and submission deadlines, ensuring all eligible Sikkimese students are informed.

Is there any requirement for applicants to submit an affidavit?

Yes, applicants must submit an affidavit stating they are not employed with any agency, have no outstanding dues with any financial institution, and meet any other necessary requirements.

Comprehensive Educational Loan Scheme - Sikkim – Eligibility & How to Apply

By Expertie Editorial Team · Expertie editorial desk

Overview

About CELS-S

The Comprehensive Educational Loan Scheme (CELS) is a state government loan programme in Sikkim. It is run by the Department of Personnel, Administrative Reforms, Training and Public Grievances, Government of Sikkim, with the Sikkim Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (SIDICO) acting as the implementing agency that collects and processes applications.

The scheme lends money to students on an interest-free basis for the length of an approved professional course, with a one-year moratorium before repayment begins. The benefit reaches the student as cash, structured as a loan rather than an outright grant, and is meant to cover the cost of a single course of study.

It is aimed at students from Sikkim pursuing professional courses at recognised institutions, and it applies income criteria that a family must meet to qualify. Applicants from Below Poverty Line families receive specific consideration. Because the eligibility rules and loan ceilings vary by where you study, confirm the current terms with SIDICO before applying.

Sources: myScheme - Comprehensive Educational Loan Scheme, Sikkim (Government of India) · Government of Sikkim - Comprehensive Educational Loan Scheme (CELS) · SIDICO Sikkim - CELS scheme portal

Who runs it

Provider

Sikkim State Government

State / UT Government

Department Of Personnel, Administrative Reforms, Training & Public Grievances

At a glance

Key details

Level	State/ UT
Scheme type	—
Category	Banking,Financial Services and Insurance, Education & Learning, Women and Child
Beneficiaries	Individual
Benefit type	Cash
Application mode	Offline

Calendar

Important dates

Across all open application cycles.

Important dates by cycle
Cycle	Stage	Date

Who can apply

Eligibility criteria

The applicant should be a student.
The applicant's family annual income should not exceed ₹2,50,000/- for studies within India and ₹5,00,000/- for studies abroad.
The institution where the applicant wants to study, whether in India or abroad, must be recognized by the relevant authority in India.
Only one member per family shall be considered for the benefit, except in the case of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.
Only members of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families will be considered for the study in Sikkim.
Note: Children of Government/Public Sector Undertaking employees are also eligible.

What you get

Award & benefits

The maximum loan amount is ₹5,00,000/- for full-time professional courses within Sikkim
The loan amount of ₹7,50,000/- for studies in India, and ₹15,00,000/- for studies abroad.
Note: In case of discontinuity of studies or the loanee dies, the co-applicant shall be liable to refund the entire amount of the loan within a period not exceeding one year.

What to prepare

Documents required

Income Certificate (certified by the District Collector).

Admission proof from a recognized institution.

Affidavit of not being employed.

Project viability and technical feasibility certification.

Step by step

How to apply

1
Apply offline
See the official links below for the application portal.

Source

Official links

Guidelines myScheme (Government of India)

Questions

CELS-S – FAQ

Disclaimer

Scheme details are compiled from myScheme, the Government of India’s official scheme-discovery platform, and are reproduced without alteration. Amounts, deadlines and eligibility change between cycles — always confirm on the official links above before applying. Expertie does not process applications or charge fees.

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Comprehensive Educational Loan Scheme - Sikkim(CELS-S)