Students from economically weaker families have an important opportunity to receive financial assistance for their school education. The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) is offering scholarships of ₹12,000 per year to eligible students, with applications for the 2026–27 academic year currently open.

The Ministry of Education has extended the deadline for submitting applications on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) to September 30, 2026.

Who Can Get the ₹12,000 Scholarship?

The NMMSS is designed to support meritorious students from economically weaker sections and help prevent them from dropping out of school after Class 8.

Under the scheme, one lakh fresh scholarships are awarded every year to eligible Class 9 students who qualify through the selection examination conducted by their respective State or UT.

The scholarship can subsequently be renewed from Class 10 to Class 12, subject to the required academic conditions.

What Is the Scholarship Amount?

Selected students receive ₹12,000 per year, which is transferred directly into their bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.

The scholarship is intended to provide financial support so that students can continue their secondary and higher-secondary education without financial difficulties forcing them to leave school.

Who Is Eligible?

Students generally need to meet the following conditions:

• They must be studying in a State Government, Government-aided or local body school.

• Parental income should not exceed ₹3.50 lakh per year.

• Students must have secured at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade in Class 7, with a 5% relaxation for SC/ST students.

• They must qualify for the scholarship selection test conducted by the concerned State or Union Territory.

The scheme is not applicable to students studying in private schools under the eligibility conditions specified by the government.

September 30 Is the Last Date to Apply

For the 2026–27 academic year, the last date for students to submit their applications on the National Scholarship Portal is September 30, 2026.

However, applying is not the only step. Applications also need to go through verification.

The deadline for Level-1 verification by the Institute Nodal Officer is October 15, 2026, while Level-2 verification by the District Nodal Officer must be completed by October 31, 2026.

How to Apply?

Eligible students need to complete the required registration and application process through the National Scholarship Portal.

For 2026–27, students selected for the scheme must first complete One-Time Registration (OTR) and then apply for the relevant scholarship.

Students who have already submitted their applications should also check whether their application has been properly verified by the concerned authorities.

Don't Miss the Deadline

The NMMSS scholarship can provide ₹12,000 every year to selected students and is specifically aimed at helping talented students from financially weaker families continue their education.

Eligible students and their parents should therefore complete the application process before September 30, 2026, and make sure the application moves through both verification stages on time.