Great news for meritorious students: Get 12,000 rupees every year from classes 9 to 12—who is eligible to apply?

The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) is administered by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Union Ministry of Education. This scheme encourages meritorious students from economically weaker families to continue their education beyond the eighth grade. Under this initiative, selected students are awarded a scholarship of ₹12,000 per annum, continuing up to class 12.

Opportunity from Class 9
A selection examination will be conducted for students in class 9 under this scheme. To continue receiving the benefits in classes 10, 11, and 12, students must maintain a specified level of academic performance and complete the renewal process. This scholarship is provided for a maximum duration of four years.

Eligibility for Application
The scholarship is available to eligible students enrolled in schools run by state governments, government-aided institutions, or local bodies. To appear for the selection examination, a student must have secured at least 55% marks (or an equivalent grade) in class 7. A 5% relaxation in the minimum marks requirement is granted to students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Furthermore, the annual income of the applicant's parents, from all sources, must not exceed ₹3.50 lakh.

Selection via Examination
Students will be selected based on an examination conducted by the respective state or union territory. The examination consists of two papers: the Mental Ability Test (MAT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Each paper contains 90 multiple-choice questions. The Mental Ability Test assesses a student's logical reasoning, analytical abilities, and problem-solving skills, while the Scholastic Aptitude Test covers subjects including Mathematics, Science, and Social Science. Students who achieve the prescribed minimum marks in both tests will proceed to the next stage of the process.

Verification After Application
After submitting their applications, students should also monitor the status of their submissions. Applications are verified first by the institution's nodal officer and subsequently by the district-level nodal officer. According to the revised schedule, the deadline for verification at the institutional level is November 30, 2026, and the deadline for verification at the district level is December 15, 2026. Students who have already submitted their applications should also ensure that their forms are verified by the relevant authorities within the stipulated timeframe.

How to apply online:
* To apply, first visit the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in.
* New applicants are required to complete a 'One-Time Registration' (OTR) on the portal.
* After completing the OTR, log in using the credentials provided and select 'NMMS' (National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme) from the list of available schemes.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we modified it for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.