National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme

National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme Latest News

The Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education has invited fresh and renewal applications for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for the 2026-27 academic year.  

About National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme

• It is a central sector Scheme launched in 2008.
• Objective: It was launched with the objective of awarding scholarships to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections to reduce dropout at the secondary stage by encouraging them to continue their education after Class VIII.
• NMMSS is on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) – a one-stop platform for scholarship schemes given to students.

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Features of National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme

• Under the Scheme, one lakh fresh scholarships are awarded every year to eligible students studying in Class IX, with renewal of the scholarship in Classes X to XII.
• Parents Income: Students whose parental income from all sources is not more than Rs. 350,000/- per annum.
• The students must have a minimum of 55% marks or an equivalent grade in the Class VII examination (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST students).
• The students should be studying as regular students in a Government, Government-aided and local body school. 
• The students studying in the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), and residential schools are not eligible for the scholarships under the NMMSS.
• There is reservation as per State Government norms.
• Selection Test: Each State and UT conducts its own test to select students for awarding the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship. The test is conducted at the stage of class VIII. 

Selection of Renewal Awardees Students

• The awardees should get a minimum of 60% marks in Class X for continuation of scholarship (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST candidates) in the next higher classes. 
• For continuing the scholarship in class X and XII, the awardees should get a clear promotion from class IX to class X and from class XI to class XII in the first attempt.