Let us start with something that every parent in Haryana with a school going child deserves to know about.
Every parent wants the best education for their child. That is not something that changes based on how much money a family has. The desire is the same whether you are rich or struggling financially. But the reality is that private schools in India offer better infrastructure, better teaching quality, and better overall exposure — and most of them come with fees that families from economically weaker sections simply cannot afford.
So children from poor families end up in government schools not because their parents do not want better for them but because there is simply no other option available. And that gap between what a child deserves and what the family can afford has been a quiet injustice that the Haryana Government finally decided to address properly.
This is exactly where chirag yojana comes in. Under chirag yojana eligible students from government schools can get completely free admission in recognized private schools from Class 2 to Class 12. The Haryana Government pays the entire school fee directly to the private school. The parents pay nothing. The child gets quality private school education. And a family’s financial situation stops being the reason a child cannot access good education.
This complete guide covers everything about chirag yojana — what it is, who qualifies, how much the benefit is worth, what documents you need, and exactly how to apply for the session 2026-27.
Chirag yojana is officially known as the Chief Minister Haryana Equal Education Relief Assistance and Grant Scheme — which is why it is also called the CHEERAG Scheme. It was launched by the Haryana Government on 1 July 2022 and is implemented by the Directorate of Elementary Education and the Department of Secondary Education, Haryana.
The word CHIRAG means lamp or light in Hindi — and that is exactly what this scheme aims to be for children from economically weaker families. A light that opens up opportunities that would otherwise remain out of reach.
Before chirag yojana was launched the Haryana Government had a provision under Section 134A of the Haryana School Education Act that allowed EWS students to get free admission in private schools. Chirag yojana essentially replaced and significantly expanded that provision making it more structured, more accessible, and more impactful for a larger number of students across the state.
Under chirag yojana the Haryana Government directly reimburses the fee to the private school on behalf of the selected student. So the school gets paid and the student gets quality education without the family having to spend a single rupee on school fees.
For the academic session 2026-27 the Directorate of Elementary Education Haryana has officially released the notification for chirag yojana admissions. Offline applications started from 13 March 2026 and the last date to submit the application form is 30 March 2026. So if you have been waiting to apply the window is open right now.
Details | Information |
Scheme Name | Chirag Yojana / CHEERAG Scheme |
Full Form | Chief Minister Haryana Equal Education Relief Assistance and Grant |
Launched By | Government of Haryana |
Launch Date | 1 July 2022 |
Implemented By | Directorate of Elementary Education, Haryana |
Classes Covered | Class 2 to Class 12 |
Income Limit | Annual Family Income Up to Rs. 1.80 Lakh |
Application Mode | Offline Only |
Application Start Date 2026-27 | 13 March 2026 |
Application Last Date 2026-27 | 30 March 2026 |
Selection Process | Lucky Draw / Lottery |
Application Fee | Completely Free |
Official Website |
Let us get straight to the eligibility criteria. Here is everything you need to qualify for chirag yojana:
Residency
The student must be a permanent resident of Haryana. Chirag yojana is exclusively for Haryana domicile students and children from other states cannot apply.
Previous School
This is a key condition. The student must have studied in a government school in the previous academic year. Students already studying in private schools are not eligible for chirag yojana. The scheme is specifically designed to give government school students access to private school education.
Income Limit
The annual income of the student’s parents or family must be Rs. 1.80 lakh or below. This income is verified through the Parivar Pehchan Patra PPP Family ID database. So make sure your income details in the Family ID are accurate before applying for chirag yojana.
Class Eligibility
Chirag yojana covers admissions from Class 2 to Class 12. Students currently studying in Class 1 in a government school can apply for Class 2 admission in a private school under chirag yojana. Similarly students in any class from Class 2 to Class 11 can apply for the next class in a recognized private school.
School Location Condition
This is an important condition that many parents miss. The private school where the student seeks admission under chirag yojana must be located in the same block where the student currently lives and studies. A student cannot apply for a chirag yojana seat in a private school from a different block.
School Leaving Certificate
The student must have a valid School Leaving Certificate SLC from the previous government school. This document is mandatory for the chirag yojana application and without it the application is incomplete.
EWS Certificate
If the student holds an EWS Economically Weaker Section certificate it must not be older than 6 months as on 1st April of the admission year to be valid for chirag yojana.
Quick Eligibility Summary:
Condition | Requirement |
Residency | Permanent Resident of Haryana |
Previous School | Must Have Studied in Government School Last Year |
Annual Family Income | Up to Rs. 1.80 Lakh Verified Through PPP |
Classes | Class 2 to Class 12 |
School Location | Private School Must Be in Same Block |
SLC | School Leaving Certificate from Previous School Mandatory |
Let us talk about what chirag yojana actually means for a family in practical terms.
Completely Free Private School Education
The biggest and most direct benefit of chirag yojana is this — your child gets to study in a recognized private school without you paying a single rupee in school fees. The Haryana Government reimburses the entire fee amount directly to the private school on your child’s behalf. This means your child sits in the same classroom, uses the same facilities, and gets the same quality of education as every other student in that private school — without the financial burden falling on your family.
Quality Education in Recognized Private Schools
Government schools do their best but the reality is that many recognized private schools in Haryana offer better infrastructure, more experienced teachers, better extracurricular activities, and overall better learning environments. Chirag yojana bridges that gap and gives children from economically weaker families access to that quality without the price tag attached.
Coverage from Class 2 to Class 12
This is honestly one of the most impressive things about chirag yojana and it is worth taking a moment to appreciate what it actually means.
The scheme covers admissions from Class 2 all the way through Class 12. That is essentially a child’s entire school life. Think about that for a second. A child who gets admitted to a private school under chirag yojana in Class 2 can potentially continue studying in that private school right through to their Class 12 board exams — without their family ever paying school fees.
That is not just financial relief for one year. That is over a decade of quality private school education for a child from an economically weaker family. The kind of education that genuinely shapes a child’s future, builds their confidence, opens up better opportunities, and gives them a real fighting chance at whatever they want to do in life.
And all of it because their family got one chance through chirag yojana that they did not let go of.
No Application Fee
The application process for chirag yojana is completely free. There is no form fee, no processing fee, no hidden charges of any kind. The form is available at the private school office for free and the submission is also completely free.
Government Pays School Directly
One of the most practical aspects of chirag yojana is that the money never has to pass through the parent’s hands. The government reimburses the school directly which means there is no risk of the benefit being misused or diverted and the school receives the same fee they would from any paying student.
Before going to collect the application form make sure you have all these documents ready:
Mandatory Documents:
- Aadhaar Card of the student
- Aadhaar Card of the parent or guardian
- Parivar Pehchan Patra PPP Family ID
- Income Certificate confirming annual family income below Rs. 1.80 lakh
- School Leaving Certificate SLC from the previous government school
- Transfer Certificate TC from previous school if applicable
- Previous year’s marksheet or report card from government school
- Haryana Domicile Certificate or Residence Proof
- EWS Certificate if applicable — must not be older than 6 months as on 1 April 2026
- Caste Certificate if applicable for SC/ST category
- Recent passport size photograph of the student
- Birth Certificate of the student as age proof
Make sure every document is self-attested before submission. Sign across each document and write Self Attested on it. And most importantly confirm your family income in the PPP Family ID is correctly updated because income verification for chirag yojana happens directly through the Family ID database.
Before we get into the steps there is one thing you need to know right upfront. The application process for chirag yojana is completely offline. There is no website to fill a form on, no portal to upload documents to, nothing like that. Everything happens in person at the private school where you want your child to get admission. So put away the laptop for this one and get ready to make a few visits in person. Here is exactly what to do:
Before anything else you need to identify which recognized private school in your block is participating under chirag yojana for the session 2026-27. And here is the condition that a lot of parents overlook — the school must be in the same block where your child currently lives and studies. You cannot apply for a school in a different block. To find the list of participating schools in your area visit the official Haryana School Education portal at schooleducationharyana.gov.in and check from there.
Once you have identified the right school walk in and go straight to the school office. Tell them clearly that you want to apply for admission under chirag yojana for the academic session 2026-27. Do not go through any agent, any middleman, or any third party. Go directly to the school office yourself. That is the only right way to do this.
Ask the school staff for the chirag yojana admission application form. They will hand it to you right there. And this is really important — the form is completely free of cost. Not Rs. 10, not Rs. 50, nothing. If anyone at that school or standing outside it tries to charge you for the form something is not right. The form costs nothing and you should not pay for it no matter what anyone tells you.
Take the form home or find a quiet spot and fill it in without rushing. Enter your child’s full name, date of birth, the class they are applying for, their current school details, your family income details, and all other required information. Place every document right in front of you and fill in each detail exactly as it appears on those documents. This step matters more than most people realise. Even one small mismatch between what you write on the form and what is on your documents can get your chirag yojana application rejected during the scrutiny process. So take the extra time and get everything right.
Before attaching any document sign across it and write Self Attested on it. Do this for every single document you are submitting — no exceptions. Once everything is self-attested attach all documents neatly together with your filled application form. Before you leave the house go through the complete document checklist one final time. Showing up at the school with something missing just means another trip.
Head back to the participating school and hand over your complete application set at the school office. The school is required to give you a proper acknowledgement receipt after accepting your chirag yojana application. Do not walk out of that school without getting that receipt in your hand. That receipt is your official proof that your application was submitted and accepted. Keep it somewhere safe because you will need it if you ever have to follow up.
After the application deadline of 30 March 2026 the selection of students under chirag yojana will happen through a Lucky Draw lottery system. This lottery exists because in most cases the number of applicants is higher than the seats available in participating private schools. Running a lottery ensures that every eligible child gets a completely fair chance. Results will be declared between 1 April and 5 April 2026. Keep checking the official portal at schooleducationharyana.gov.in and the school notice board regularly during that period.
If your child’s name appears in the lottery results do not delay even for a single day. Move quickly and complete all the admission formalities at the private school within the prescribed timeline given by the school. Because if selected students do not complete their formalities on time that seat goes to the next child on the waiting list. You do not want to lose a confirmed chirag yojana seat because of a delay that could have been avoided.
Once your child is selected through the lottery and officially admitted to the private school under chirag yojana here is what the process looks like from that point forward:
The school uploads your child’s details on the official MIS Portal managed by the Education Department. You will receive an SMS on your registered mobile number confirming the selection. From there the Haryana Government reimburses the school fee directly to the private school throughout the academic year on a regular basis. Your child attends school as a completely regular student — same classroom, same teachers, same facilities, same everything. There is no separate treatment and no distinction between chirag yojana students and fee paying students. Your child just goes to school and learns.
And here is something worth knowing if your child does not make it into the first list. If some selected students from the first round do not complete their admission formalities their seats become vacant. The government then releases a second list under chirag yojana to fill those empty seats. So if the first list does not have your child’s name do not give up. Keep checking for the second list because there is still a real chance of getting in.
Before going ahead here are a few critical things every parent applying for chirag yojana should keep in mind:
The application window for chirag yojana 2026-27 is from 13 March to 30 March 2026 — do not miss this deadline. The application is offline only — there is no online application for chirag yojana. The form is completely free so never pay anyone for it. The private school must be in the same block as your child’s current school. Income verification happens through PPP Family ID so keep your Family ID updated. The School Leaving Certificate from the previous government school is mandatory. Selection is through lottery so apply on time and keep your receipt safe. And never pay any agent or middleman to help with your chirag yojana application — everything is done directly at the school for free.
Contact | Details |
Official Website | |
Elementary Education Helpline | 0172-2560453 |
Secondary Education Helpline | 0172-2560269 |
Elementary Education Email | eduprimaryhry@gmail.com |
Secondary Education Email | edusecondaryhry@gmail.com |
Chirag yojana officially known as the CHEERAG Scheme or Chief Minister Haryana Equal Education Relief Assistance and Grant Scheme is a free education scheme launched by the Haryana Government on 1 July 2022. Under chirag yojana eligible students from government schools with family income below Rs. 1.80 lakh can get free admission in recognized private schools from Class 2 to Class 12. The Haryana Government pays the entire school fee directly to the private school on behalf of the selected student.
To be eligible for chirag yojana the student must be a permanent resident of Haryana, must have studied in a government school in the previous academic year, and the annual family income must be Rs. 1.80 lakh or below as verified through the PPP Family ID. The student must be seeking admission in Class 2 to Class 12 and the private school must be located in the same block where the student currently lives and studies.
Selection under chirag yojana is done through a Lucky Draw lottery system. After the application deadline all eligible applications are pooled together and students are selected randomly through the lottery. This is done to ensure complete fairness when the number of applicants is more than the available seats in participating private schools. Results for chirag yojana 2026-27 are expected between 1 April to 5 April 2026.
Yes completely free. The application form for chirag yojana is available at the participating private school office at no cost. There is no application fee, no processing fee, and no charges of any kind. If anyone — whether inside or outside the school — asks you to pay money for the chirag yojana application form or for getting your child selected that is either a mistake or a scam. Do not pay anyone and report it immediately.
Before you head to the school to collect the application form it is worth getting all your documents sorted first. Walking in prepared saves you from making multiple trips.
For chirag yojana you need the student's Aadhaar card, parent's or guardian's Aadhaar card, PPP Family ID, income certificate, School Leaving Certificate from the previous government school, previous year's marksheet or report card, Haryana domicile certificate, EWS certificate if applicable — remember it must not be older than 6 months — caste certificate if applicable, a recent passport size photograph of the student, and the student's birth certificate as age proof.
Two things worth paying extra attention to before you apply. First make sure every document is self-attested — sign across it and write Self Attested before submitting. Second and this one really matters — check that your family income details in the PPP Family ID are correctly updated. Because income verification for chirag yojana happens directly through the Family ID database and if the details there do not match your income certificate it can create unnecessary problems during scrutiny.
No and this is a condition that is completely fixed with no exceptions.
Chirag yojana was built specifically for students who are currently studying in government schools and want access to quality private school education that their family cannot afford. That is the whole point of the scheme. So if a student is already enrolled in a private school — regardless of how low the family income is or what category they belong to — they are simply not eligible for chirag yojana.
The scheme is not for students who are already in private schools. It is for government school students who deserve better opportunities but have never had access to them because of financial reasons. If your child is currently in a government school and meets the other eligibility conditions chirag yojana is exactly what it was made for.