NMMSS Scholarship 2026-27: Rs 12,000 a Year

The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMSS) is a central sector scheme of the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education. It pays Rs 12,000 a year (Rs 1,000 a month) to meritorious students from economically weaker families so that they do not drop out at Class 8 and continue their studies up to Class 12.

Every year 1,00,000 fresh scholarships are awarded to students entering Class 9. Selection is through a State/UT-level merit test held for Class 8 students, and the awardee then applies on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). For the 2026-27 session the portal lists the NMMSS student application as open till 31 October 2026.

This page gives the NMMSS amount, the eligibility and income rules, the selection test, the documents needed, the important dates and the official links, all taken from the scheme’s own official guidelines and the National Scholarship Portal’s official scheme listing.

NMMSS scholarship 2026-27 - Rs 12,000 a year for Class 9 to 12 students, apply on NSP by 31 October 2026

Table of Contents

NMMSS 2026-27: quick facts

Quick facts2026-27

Scholarship from	Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India
Scholarship value	Rs 12,000 per year (Rs 1,000 per month) for four years, from Class 9 to Class 12
Who can apply	Meritorious students of Class 8 who take admission in Class 9 of a Government, Government-aided or local body school
Income limit	Parental income up to Rs 3.50 lakh per annum from all sources
Number of awards	1,00,000 fresh scholarships every year (State/UT-wise fixed quota)
Last date to apply	31 October 2026 (student application on the National Scholarship Portal; the State/UT selection test is held in November)
Official website	scholarships.gov.in – National Scholarship Portal scheme list

Go to official website

What is the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship?

NMMSS is a central sector scheme of the Ministry of Education, implemented since 2008. Its aim is to award scholarships to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest their drop out at Class 8 and encourage them to continue study at the secondary stage.

The scholarship is given on a yearly basis to students studying as regular students who enter Class 9 in a Government, Government-aided or local body school. It is paid for a maximum of four years – Class 9, Class 10, Class 11 and Class 12 – for study in India only. Every State and Union Territory has a fixed quota of scholarships.

How much money does NMMSS pay?

Rs 12,000 per annum (that is Rs 1,000 per month) for each year from Class 9 to Class 12.
The scholarship is sanctioned by the Ministry and released to the State Bank of India, the implementing bank, for direct transfer to the student’s bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
The awardee must open a bank account with core banking facility, preferably in SBI or any public sector or scheduled bank.
A student can hold only one scholarship under any Central Government scheme at a time.

Eligibility for NMMSS 2026-27

As per the scheme’s official guidelines, you are eligible if you meet all of these conditions:

You are a regular student in a Government, Government-aided or local body school (studying in Class 8 when you appear for the selection test).
You have secured a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade in the Class 7 examination to appear in the selection test (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST students).
Your parental income is not more than Rs 3.50 lakh per annum from all sources at the time of selection.
You pass both the tests – Mental Ability Test (MAT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) – with at least 40% marks in aggregate taken together (32% for SC/ST students).
At the time of selection you have scored at least 55% in the Class 8 examination (5% relaxation for SC/ST students).
You obtain clear promotion from Class 8 to Class 9 for starting the scholarship.

Who is not eligible: students of Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, students of residential schools run by the centre or State Government where boarding, lodging and education are provided, and students of private schools are not entitled to the NMMSS scholarship.

The NMMSS selection test

Each State and Union Territory conducts its own test at the Class 8 stage for selection of students. The selection test has two papers:

Mental Ability Test (MAT): 90 multiple-choice questions testing verbal and non-verbal meta-cognitive abilities such as reasoning, classification, numerical series, pattern perception and hidden figures.
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT): 90 multiple-choice questions covering science, social studies and mathematics as taught in Class 7 and Class 8.
Each test is of 90 minutes duration; children with disability are given extra time as applicable.

As per the guidelines, the selection test for the award of scholarship is conducted for Class 8 students in November every year by the State Governments and UT Administrations. Check your State’s school education portal or your school for the exact test notification and date.

Continuation and renewal of the NMMSS scholarship

For continuation to the next higher class, the awardee must get a minimum of 60% marks in the Class 10 examination (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST students).
For Class 10 and Class 12, the awardee should get clear promotion from Class 9 to Class 10 and from Class 11 to Class 12 in the first attempt.
The scholarship lapses if there is a gap of one academic session in studies for any reason.
A scholarship discontinued on the basis of the disbursement rules cannot be revived.

Documents needed for the NMMSS application

Aadhaar and an active Aadhaar-linked mobile number (mandatory for the NSP application and DBT payment).
Bank account details, seeded with Aadhaar and NPCI-mapped (DBT enabled).
Income certificate from the competent authority, and caste certificate where a relaxation is claimed.
Class 7 and Class 8 marksheet / certificate, and the school bonafide details.
The State/UT selection test result or roll details, where the State asks for it.

How to apply for NMMSS 2026-27

Appear for the NMMSS selection test conducted by your State/UT at the Class 8 stage.
If selected, complete One Time Registration (OTR) on the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in.
Log in, select the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship scheme and fill in your personal, academic, bank and category details.
Upload the income and caste certificates and the supporting documents.
Submit the online application before 31 October 2026.
Your school and the State/UT authorities verify the application on the portal; institute verification closes on 15 November 2026 and DNO/SNO/MNO verification on 30 November 2026.

Important dates for NMMSS 2026-27

Scheme opened on the National Scholarship Portal: 1 June 2026
Last date for students to submit the application on NSP: 31 October 2026
Institute verification closes: 15 November 2026
DNO / SNO / MNO verification closes: 30 November 2026
State/UT NMMSS selection test: normally November, as notified by your State

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What is the NMMSS scholarship amount?

Rs 12,000 per year, that is Rs 1,000 per month, for four years from Class 9 to Class 12, as per the official NMMSS guidelines.

Who is eligible for NMMSS?

Meritorious students of Class 8 from economically weaker families (parental income up to Rs 3.50 lakh per annum) who study in a Government, Government-aided or local body school and clear the State/UT-level selection test for Class 8 students.

What is the income limit for NMMSS?

The parental income must not be more than Rs 3.50 lakh per annum from all sources at the time of selection of awardees.

Can private school and Navodaya students apply for NMMSS?

No. Students of private schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and residential schools run by the centre or State where boarding and lodging are provided are not eligible.

What is the last date to apply for NMMSS 2026-27?

The National Scholarship Portal lists the NMMSS student application as open till 31 October 2026. Institute verification closes on 15 November 2026 and DNO/SNO/MNO verification on 30 November 2026.

Do I have to pass an exam to get NMMSS?

Yes. Each State/UT conducts a selection test for Class 8 students with a Mental Ability Test and a Scholastic Aptitude Test. You must pass both with at least 40% aggregate (32% for SC/ST students).

Can I get another scholarship along with NMMSS?

No. A student can avail only one scholarship under any Central Government scholarship scheme.

Official links

Explore more: browse national scholarships, Class 10 scholarships and Class 12 scholarships.

NMMSS Scholarship 2026-27: Rs 12,000 a Year, Apply by 31 October