The Union Ministry of Education has extended the last date for submission of applications under the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for the academic year 2026-27 till November 15, 2026. This extension provides eligible students additional time to complete their applications on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and facilitates timely verification by concerned authorities.
The revised schedule establishes November 15, 2026 as the final application submission deadline, followed by Institute Nodal Officer (L1) verification by November 30, 2026, and District Nodal Officer (L2) verification by December 15, 2026. The National Scholarship Portal has been open for student applications since June 1, 2026, requiring students to complete One-Time Registration before applying. As of October 30, 2026, the portal had received 90,483 fresh applications and 199,531 renewal applications.
The NMMSS scheme aims to support meritorious students from economically weaker sections and encourage them to continue education beyond Class VIII up to Class XII. It provides one lakh fresh scholarships annually to eligible Class IX students who qualify in selection examinations conducted by respective State/UT Governments. The scholarship continues from Classes X to XII through renewal subject to prescribed academic requirements.
Eligible students studying in state government schools, government-aided schools, and schools managed by local self governments receive ₹12,000 per annum, transferred directly to their bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Eligibility criteria require students to have secured at least 55% marks or equivalent grade in Class VII, with a 5-percentage point relaxation for SC/ST students, and parental income must not exceed ₹3.50 lakh per annum.