If your NSP (National Scholarship Portal) payment is stuck, pending in PFMS, or hasn’t reached your bank account, you're not alone. Every year thousands of students face issues like “Payment Under Process”, “Bank Account Not Validated”, “Aadhaar Not Verified”, or “Payment Rejected by Bank”.

This detailed guide explains exactly what each status means, what causes delays, and step-by-step actions you can take to fix them quickly. Whether you're waiting for the first installment or the final disbursement, this guide will help you diagnose the issue and get your payment released faster.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Visit the official NSP portal and log in. Go to the National Scholarship Portal, choose “Fresh” or “Renewal”, and log in using your credentials.
2. Check your application status on NSP. Under “Check Your Status”, review if your form is approved by Institute, District, and State/Nodal Officer.
3. Open PFMS portal and check payment status. Use the “Know Your Payments” option on PFMS, enter your bank details or Aadhaar number, and check if your payment is generated, pending, or failed.
4. Match the status shown in PFMS with the meanings listed below. Each PFMS status gives a direct clue about the reason for payment delay.
5. Read the action required for your specific issue. For example, incorrect Aadhaar seeding requires a bank visit; “Payment Failed” requires revalidation, etc.
6. Keep screenshots of NSP + PFMS status. This helps if you need to escalate or raise a grievance.

Required Documents

• NSP Application ID / Registration Number
• Aadhaar Number (linked to bank account)
• Bank account passbook (same student name)
• IFSC code of your branch
• Institute and State verification approval proof
• Bank-linked mobile number (for OTP validation)

Fees (If Applicable)

Tracking NSP or PFMS status is completely free. There are no charges for checking or updating your status. However, if your bank account requires Aadhaar linking or revalidation, your bank may charge a small fee (depending on the branch policy).

Status Meaning Explained

• Application Verified by Institute: Your college/school has approved your application.
• Application Verified by District/State Nodal Officer: Scholarship is approved and awaiting payment processing.
• Sent to PFMS: Your data has reached PFMS for payment generation.
• Payment Under Process: PFMS is validating your bank account and Aadhaar details.
• Payment Initiated: Payment file created and sent to bank for credit.
• Payment Failed: Bank rejected payment due to account mismatch, dormancy, incorrect IFSC, or Aadhaar not linked.
• Account Not Validated: Bank could not match your name, Aadhaar, or account details.
• Aadhaar Not Seeded: Your bank account is not linked to Aadhaar, causing failure in eKYC checks.
• Beneficiary Not Found: PFMS could not match the student details with bank records.
• Payment Sent to Bank: Amount is on the way; may take 1–5 days to credit.
• Payment Success: Amount successfully credited to your bank account.

Common Reasons for Delays

• Name mismatch between bank account and NSP application
• Bank account is dormant or not active
• Aadhaar not linked (or linked to another account)
• Incorrect IFSC code after branch merger
• Technical delays on PFMS server during heavy disbursement months
• Institute or state nodal officer verification pending
• Bank rejecting eKYC due to mismatched DOB or spelling errors
• Multiple students using the same bank account (not allowed)

Solutions for Each Problem

• Fix name mismatch:
  Ensure the bank account name exactly matches the NSP application. If the discrepancy is small (initials/full name), ask your bank to update the name or request a name correction in NSP via your institute.
• Activate dormant bank account:
  Make a small deposit/withdrawal to reactivate your account. Dormant accounts cause “Payment Failed”.
• Link Aadhaar with your bank account:
  Visit your branch or use ATM/NetBanking to link Aadhaar. PFMS requires Aadhaar seeding for many scholarships.
• Correct IFSC code:
  After bank mergers (SBI, BOI, etc.), old IFSC codes stop working. Update your IFSC with your institute and PFMS if needed.
• Revalidate bank account in PFMS:
  If PFMS shows “Account Not Validated”, use the NSP portal’s “Update Bank Account” feature or ask your institute to forward revalidation.
• Check PFMS daily when payment starts.
  During peak months (Dec–March), PFMS updates slowly. Checking between 8–11 AM often gives the latest status.
• Ask your institute to resend data to PFMS.
  Sometimes the error is on the institute’s end. Request them to verify and push your record again.
• If payment failed multiple times:
  Switch to a fresh bank account (preferably SBI) and update details in NSP + PFMS.

Offline Alternatives

If online methods aren’t solving the issue, you can use offline fixes through your bank and institute:

• Visit your bank branch and ask for “Aadhaar Seeding + Account Validation”.
• Request the bank to check if your account has restrictions or holds.
• Go to your institute’s NSP coordinator and verify whether your form was forwarded correctly.
• Ask the nodal officer (district/state) to manually approve pending files.

These manual interventions often resolve issues that online systems cannot detect.

How to Escalate Complaints

• NSP Helpline: 0120-6619540
• NSP Email: helpdesk@nsp.gov.in
• PFMS Helpline: 1800-118-111
• Bank Branch Manager: Ask for written reason for failed payments.
• State Nodal Officer: Best for stuck approvals or incorrect rejection.
• District Nodal Officer: For cases stuck at district-level verification.
• CPGRAMS Complaint: For long-pending cases (submit NSP ID + PFMS screenshot).

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is my NSP payment still pending?
   Most delays are due to bank account issues, Aadhaar mismatch, or verification pending at institute/district/state level.
2. How long does NSP take to release payment?
   After all approvals, payments typically take 7–15 days, but during peak months it may extend to 30–45 days.
3. PFMS shows Payment Failed — what should I do?
   Fix the bank issue (Aadhaar link, IFSC, name mismatch) and ask your institute to resend your data.
4. My PFMS record says “Beneficiary Not Found”. Why?
   This occurs when your bank details don’t match the PFMS database. Revalidate your bank account.
5. Can I change my bank account on NSP?
   Yes. Under the “Update Bank Account” option you can update or correct your bank details.
6. Will my scholarship be cancelled if payment fails?
   No — but you must fix the issue promptly. Unresolved issues may delay the entire year’s payment.
7. Why is Aadhaar mandatory for NSP payments?
   It verifies the student’s identity and prevents duplicate scholarship claims.
8. Can two students use the same bank account?
   No — payments will fail. Each student must have their own bank account.
9. How can I know if my teaching institute approved my application?
   Login to NSP → Check Status → See “Institute Verification Completed”.
10. Does switching to SBI improve success?
    Yes. SBI has the highest PFMS success rate and fewer validation failures.