NSP OTR Number for SSP 2026: Get It in Minutes
The State Scholarship Portal now asks for your NSP OTR number before you can submit your Karnataka scholarship application. No OTR, no final submission. Here is how to generate it and where to enter it.
What the NSP OTR Number Is
OTR stands for One-Time Registration. It is a system-generated 14-digit number issued on the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in) and tied to your Aadhaar. Once created, it stays valid for your entire academic career, so you register once and reuse the same number every year. The number links your identity across central and state scholarship systems, which is how the government stops duplicate or dual-benefit claims.
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Why SSP 2026 Requires It
For the 2026 cycle, the SSP portal has made the OTR a mandatory field. You enter it while completing your pre-matric or post-matric application. This connects your SSP record to the national database and confirms — through Aadhaar-based e-KYC — that a real, eligible student is applying. Without a valid OTR, the portal will not let you finish.
What to Keep Ready
- An Android smartphone
- Your Aadhaar number (or Aadhaar Enrolment ID / EID if the card hasn’t arrived)
- A mobile number linked to your Aadhaar, since the OTP goes there
- Bright light for the face scan
You also need two free apps from the Google Play Store: AadhaarFaceRD (by UIDAI) and the NSP OTR app. Install AadhaarFaceRD first — the OTR app depends on it for face authentication.
How to Generate Your NSP OTR
- Open the NSP OTR app and tap Register. Read the guidelines and accept them.
- Enter your mobile number, request the OTP, and verify it. Fill the captcha exactly as shown.
- Choose I have Aadhaar, enter your Aadhaar number, and verify the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile. The app fetches your name, gender, date of birth, and address on its own.
- A reference number appears. Save it — this is not your OTR yet.
- Tap Proceed for Face Authentication. The AadhaarFaceRD app opens. Sit in bright light, hold still, and blink when prompted.
- On a successful match, your 14-digit OTR number is generated on screen and sent by SMS, along with a password.
The process takes a few minutes when your Aadhaar details are current, and it is free at every step.
Where to Enter the OTR on SSP
Log in to the SSP portal (ssp.karnataka.gov.in) and open your application form. Enter the 14-digit OTR in the NSP details section, then continue with your caste, income, and bank details before final submission. Type the number exactly as issued.
Face Authentication Not Working?
- Turn off your Aadhaar biometric lock through the mAadhaar app or myAadhaar portal before scanning.
- Seeing Error 904? Update the AadhaarFaceRD app from the Play Store.
- Move to daylight or bright indoor light and clean your camera lens.
- If your Aadhaar photo is old and the match keeps failing, update it at an Aadhaar centre first.
FAQ
Is the OTR free?
Yes. There is no fee on scholarships.gov.in.
Can I make two OTRs?
No. One student, one OTR. Generating a second one, even with a guardian’s Aadhaar, leads to disqualification.
No Aadhaar card yet?
Register with your EID, then update your Aadhaar details within a month.
Lost your OTR?
Recover it on the NSP portal using the Aadhaar number from your e-KYC, or call the NSP helpdesk at 0120-6619540.
Generate the OTR before you open your SSP form. It clears the one step that stops most students right at submission.

