National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship 2026: The Ministry of Education has extended the application deadline for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for 2026-27 to September 30. Eligible meritorious students can submit their applications through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). As of August 31, 79,398 fresh and 1,87,208 renewal applications had been submitted.
All eligible students are advised to submit their scholarship applications through the National Scholarship Portal within the extended deadline. Students who have already submitted their applications should also ensure that they are duly verified by the concerned Institute, District or State Nodal Officers, as applicable.
There are two levels of verification of scholarship applications on the NSP. Level 1 (L1) verification is conducted by the Institute Nodal Officer (INO), while Level 2 (L2) verification is conducted by the District Nodal Officer (DNO). The last date for L1 verification is October 15, 2026, while the deadline for L2 verification is October 31, 2026.
The NSP has been open for submission of applications since June 1, 2026. For 2026-27, selected students are required to complete a one-time registration (OTR) on the NSP, after which they can apply for the scholarship scheme of their choice.
The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme, implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Union Ministry of Education, awards scholarships to meritorious students from economically weaker sections to prevent them from dropping out after the elementary level, or Class 8, and encourage them to complete their school education up to the higher secondary level, or Class 12.
NMMSS Scholarship Benefits And Selection Process
The scheme provides 1 lakh fresh scholarships every year to Class 9 students who qualify in the scholarship selection examination conducted by the respective State or Union Territory governments. The scholarship is continued through renewal from Classes 10 to 12, subject to the student's academic performance. The scheme is applicable only to students studying in state government, government-aided, and local body schools. The scholarship amount is Rs 12,000 per annum per student.
NMMSS scholarships are disbursed directly into the bank accounts of selected students through electronic transfers under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode using the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).
NMMSS Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for the scholarship include an annual parental income of not more than Rs 3.50 lakh and a minimum of 55% marks, or an equivalent grade, in the Class 7 examination for appearing in the selection test for the award of the scholarship. The minimum marks requirement is relaxable by 5% for students belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories.
