The Saraswathi Pratibha Yojana (SPY) Scholarship Program 2026–27 is a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of HBL Engineering Limited, implemented end-to-end by VVK Education Research Foundation through the Scholarlify platform. The program is designed to identify and nurture exceptional young talent from economically disadvantaged backgrounds by enabling access to higher education in science disciplines and empowering the next generation of researchers and innovators.
The program supports First Year undergraduate students from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana who are pursuing MPC (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry) or BiPC (Biology, Physics, Chemistry) science streams, with equal opportunity for boys and girls.
About HBL Engineering Limited HBL Engineering Limited, formerly known as HBL Power Systems Limited, is a Hyderabad-based engineering company founded in 1977. HBL is recognised as a global leader in specialised batteries and power electronics, manufacturing lead acid, nickel-cadmium, silver zinc, and lithium battery technologies. The company serves critical sectors including railways, defence, aviation, oil and gas, power, and telecommunications, and its flagship products include the KAVACH train collision avoidance system. HBL is the world's second-largest nickel-cadmium battery manufacturer and India's third-largest telecom battery manufacturer.
As part of its CSR commitment, HBL Engineering Limited has partnered with VVK Education Research Foundation to support meritorious students from financially weaker sections of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana who wish to pursue higher education in science streams.
Key Highlights
● Scholarship support is provided for the entire duration of the undergraduate degree, subject to the student's academic performance.
● 30 scholars will be selected under the program, with equal representation of 15 boys and 15 girls.
● Scholars receive support beyond tuition fees, including digital learning devices, language mentorship, practical internship opportunities, and leadership mentorship.
● Final selection is made jointly by HBL Engineering Limited and Scholarlify, following a structured, need-cum-merit based evaluation.
Program Objectives
The Saraswathi Pratibha Yojana Scholarship Program aims to:
● Identify and nurture exceptional young talent from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
● Enable access to higher education in science disciplines, including Biology, Chemistry, Biotechnology, Environmental Sciences, and related fields.
● Support 30 deserving First Year undergraduate students annually, with equal representation of boys and girls.
● Reduce financial barriers that prevent meritorious science-stream students from continuing their education.
● Encourage academic excellence through mentorship in language, practical skills, and leadership.
● Empower the next generation of researchers and innovators from underserved communities.
Deadline: 2026-07-31
Eligibility: Passed Class 12 (MPC/BiPC) students admitted to 1st-year UG from EWS families.
Organization: HBL Engineering Limited
Scholarship Coverage:
Post government fee concessions, scholars can receive support of up to ₹1,00,000 per student per year towards fees, mess, accommodation, and basic needs, subject to conditions. Any additional support beyond this is considered on a case-to-case basis after selection. Laptops and tablets are provided separately and are not counted within this cap.
Scholarship Duration: Support is extended for the entire duration of the undergraduate degree, subject to the scholar's continued eligibility and satisfactory academic performance each year.
Areas of Support
● Tuition Fee Support – Reimbursement of tuition fees not covered under government schemes.
● Digital Learning Support – A laptop or tablet is provided for the duration of the student's education.
Utilization of Scholarship Funds
The scholarship should be utilized only for educational purposes, including:
● Tuition Fees
● Hostel / Mess Charges
● Accommodation
● Basic Educational Needs
● Digital Learning Devices (laptop / tablet, provided separately)
Funds are released on a reimbursement basis. Tuition fees are transferred directly to the scholar's account based on receipts and documentation submitted, rather than being paid to the institution directly. This student-support model allows the scholarship to address the full range of a scholar's education-related expenses, including cases where government college tuition is low but living costs remain high.
Applicants must satisfy the following eligibility requirements.
Academic Requirements
● Must have completed Class 12 / Intermediate education.
● Must belong to the MPC or BiPC science stream.
● Must have secured admission to a recognised undergraduate program in India.
● Must maintain satisfactory academic performance to continue receiving the scholarship in subsequent years.
Financial & Social Background
● Must belong to economically weaker sections, as per government EWS income norms.
● Open to students from SC, ST, OBC, and Open categories.
Geographic Coverage
● Open to students from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, studying at any recognised college across India (government, aided, or private institutions).
Scholar Selection
● Total of 30 scholars to be selected, with equal representation of 15 boys and 15 girls.
Application Process
Visit the official scholarship portal, scholarlify.com.
Register using Email / Mobile Number.
Complete the online application form, including personal, educational, and parents' details.
Upload all required documents.
Review the application (the form can be filled in multiple sittings and is auto-saved at every step).
Accept the declaration and terms & conditions.
Submit the application.
Documents Required
Applicants should upload:
● Passport-size Photograph
● Aadhaar Card
● Class 10 Marksheet
● Class 12 / Intermediate Marksheet
● Admission Proof / Admission Confirmation
● College Fee Structure
● Income Certificate / Proof of Financial Background
● Bank Passbook / Cancelled Cheque (of student only)
Selection Process
Applications will undergo multiple stages:
● Eligibility Screening – based on defined criteria (stream, income, admission proof).
● Academic Performance Evaluation – based on Class 12 / Intermediate scores.
● Document Verification – authenticity check of submitted documents.
● Shortlisting for Assessment – top candidates shortlisted for the online assessment stage.
● Online Proctored Assessment (FIT + FPTT) – conducted for a pool of shortlisted applicants.
● Telephonic Interview – conducted for qualified students to validate application details.
● Final Selection – joint decision by HBL Engineering Limited and Scholarlify.
● Result Announcement – official communication to selected candidates.
● Scholar Onboarding – collection of admission confirmation, fee structure, and bank details; signing of scholar offer letter.
● Fund Disbursement – tuition fees transferred directly to scholars based on submitted receipts, with device support provided as per program guidelines.
Assessment & Evaluation
● Online Assessment (Proctored): A structured evaluation through FIT (aptitude / fluid intelligence test) and FPTT (first-principles subject test).
● Assessment Areas: Logical reasoning, analytical ability, and core conceptual understanding in Biology & Chemistry.
● Evaluation Method: A hybrid model combining automated scoring (FIT) with expert-led rubric evaluation (FPTT).
● Outcome: Generation of a merit list based on composite performance under the SCC (Selection Composite Criteria) framework.