National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS): Benefits, Eligibility and How to Apply

• The applicant must be a student studying as a regular student in a Government, Government-aided or local body school.
• Parental income from all sources must not be more than ₹3,50,000 per annum.
• To appear in the selection test, the student must have at least 55% marks or equivalent grade in the Class VII examination (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST students).
• To be selected, the student must pass both the Mental Ability Test (MAT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) with at least 40% marks in aggregate taken together (32% for SC/ST students).
• At the time of selection, the student must have at least 55% marks or equivalent grade in the Class VIII examination (5% relaxation for SC/ST students).
• The student must get clear promotion from Class VIII to Class IX to start receiving the scholarship.
• Reservation applies as per State/UT Government norms.
• For renewal: clear promotion in the first attempt from Class IX to X and from Class XI to XII, and at least 60% marks in the Class X examination (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST students) to continue at the higher secondary stage.

Who Is Not Eligible

• Students studying in Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas.
• Students studying in residential schools run by Centre/State Government institutions where boarding, lodging and education are provided.
• Students studying in private schools.
• Studies abroad for any course are not covered.
• No scholarship at this stage is payable for diploma/certificate level courses.

• Apply online on the National Scholarships Portal (NSP).
• In the application form, fill in the details (fields marked * are compulsory) and upload the documents. Credentials such as caste and educational qualifications are verified through DigiLocker.
• Click 'Save as Draft' to finish later, or 'Final Submit' to apply.
• Track the scholarship payment using 'Know Your Payment' on the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) portal with your Aadhaar number, bank account number or NSP Application ID.

About the Scheme

The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2008 by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India. Its purpose is to keep bright students from economically weaker families in school after Class VIII and help them continue to the secondary stage. Each State/UT has a fixed quota of scholarships, and reservation follows the norms of the State/UT concerned.

Key Benefits Explained

Every year, 1,00,000 fresh scholarships of ₹12,000 per annum (₹1,000 per month) are awarded at the Class IX level. The scholarship can continue up to Class XII, for a maximum of four years, and only for studies in India. The money is sent directly to the student's bank account through DBT, so awardees need to open a bank account, preferably in SBI, any public sector bank or any scheduled bank with core banking facility.

How Students Are Selected

Each State/UT conducts its own selection test at the Class VIII stage. The test has two parts:

• Mental Ability Test (MAT): 90 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes on reasoning and critical thinking, such as analogy, classification, numerical series, pattern perception and hidden figures.
• Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT): 90 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes on science, social studies and mathematics as taught in Classes VII and VIII.

A student must score at least 40% in aggregate across both tests (32% for SC/ST students). At the time of selection, the student must also have at least 55% marks in Class VIII (5% relaxation for SC/ST).

Keeping the Scholarship

The scholarship continues only while the student studies full time as a regular student in a Government, Government-aided or local body school, maintains good conduct and does not stay absent without proper leave. Important rules:

• Clear promotion in the first attempt from Class IX to X and from XI to XII; at least 60% in Class X (5% relaxation for SC/ST) to continue in the higher secondary stage.
• The next class must be joined within 3 months of the previous result.
• A gap of one academic session discontinues the scholarship, and a discontinued scholarship cannot be revived.
• Arrear claims are not entertained after 12 months of the academic session concerned.
• No scholarship is paid if the student leaves the course within one month of admission.
• If a school holds no exam at the end of Class IX or XI, a certificate from the Head of the school allows the scholarship to continue.

Applying: Practical Points

Applications are made online on the National Scholarships Portal. Keep your Aadhaar card, marksheets, caste certificate, parents' income certificate, domicile certificate and, if applicable, disability certificate ready.