NMMSS scholarship 2026-27 application deadline is extended to 15 November 2026. The scholarship is ₹12,000 per year. Parental income must be ≤ ₹3.5 lakh. Apply on the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in.
Last date (student)
15 November 2026
Amount
₹12,000 per annum
Income limit
₹3.5 lakh per year parental
Institute verification (L1)
30 November 2026
District verification (L2)
15 December 2026
Who can apply
Class 8 passed, studying in Class 9 in government / aided / local body school, means + merit
The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme is run by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India. It aims to reduce dropouts after Class 8 by supporting meritorious students from economically weaker families to continue up to Class 12.
Nature of the scholarship
It is a central-sector scholarship of ₹12,000 per year, paid through Direct Benefit Transfer. Fresh applications are for Class 9 students. Renewal continues till Class 12 if the student meets the continuation rules. Applications go through the National Scholarship Portal after One-Time Registration (OTR).
Who can apply
Passed Class 8 and enrolled in Class 9 in a state government, government-aided or local body school.
Parental annual income does not exceed ₹3.5 lakh.
Selected on the basis of the state-level merit test / selection process for NMMSS.
Must complete OTR on the NSP before applying.
Who should skip
Students in private unaided schools (unless the scheme explicitly covers them — it does not for standard NMMSS).
Families with parental income above ₹3.5 lakh.
Those who have not been selected through the state merit process.
Students who have not done OTR on scholarships.gov.in.
Dates and fee
Process
Last date
Student application submission
15 November 2026
Institute Nodal Officer (L1) verification
30 November 2026
District Nodal Officer (L2) verification
15 December 2026
No application fee. Portal has been open since 1 June 2026. As of 30 October 2026, 90,483 fresh and 1,99,531 renewal applications had been submitted.
Available positions
The scheme awards 1,00,000 new scholarships every year. Exact state-wise quotas are decided by the Ministry and state authorities. No individual vacancy table is printed for students; selection is through the state process followed by NSP verification.
NMMSS — ₹12,000 per year
Eligibility
Class 8 passed, studying in Class 9 in government / government-aided / local body school.
Parental income ≤ ₹3.5 lakh per annum.
Selected in the state-level means-cum-merit process.
OTR completed on NSP.
Educational qualifications
Stage
Requirement
Fresh
Passed Class 8, enrolled in Class 9 in eligible school + state selection
Renewal
Continued study up to Class 12 with prescribed attendance and marks rules
Selection stages
State-level selection / merit test for Class 8 students.
One-Time Registration (OTR) on scholarships.gov.in.
Online application for NMMSS on the NSP by 15 November 2026.
Institute Nodal Officer (L1) verification by 30 November 2026.
District Nodal Officer (L2) verification by 15 December 2026.
Disbursal through DBT if selected.
Apply steps
Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) on scholarships.gov.in (or the NSP OTR app) using Aadhaar or Enrolment ID.
Log in and select the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme for 2026-27.
Fill the form, upload required documents, and submit before 15 November 2026.
Inform your school so the Institute Nodal Officer can verify by 30 November 2026.
Official PIB release and Ministry circular win for any rule change. Students who already applied should still track verification status.
FAQs
What is the last date for NMMSS 2026-27? 15 November 2026 for students. Institute verification till 30 November; district verification till 15 December.
How much is the scholarship? ₹12,000 per year, paid through DBT, renewable up to Class 12 subject to rules.
What is the income limit? Parental annual income must not exceed ₹3.5 lakh.
Where do I apply? National Scholarship Portal — scholarships.gov.in after completing OTR.
Stay safe: Campus Reality never charges you. Pay only the fee printed in the official notice, only on the official site (scholarships.gov.in). Nobody can guarantee selection for money.