National Means Cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme: The Education Ministry has extended the application deadline for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for the 2024-25 academic year. According to the official notice, the new deadline for application submission is September 30. Eligible and interested students can submit their applications through the National Scholarship Portal.
Heads of institutions are requested to inform the relevant students and ensure that all registrations are completed within the given timeframe.
“It is hereby notified that the last date for uploading the applications of new and selected candidates of the National Means cum Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) beneficiaries for the year 2024-2025, as well as renewals on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), is extended to 30.09.2024. Heads of institutions are requested to inform the students concerned and complete the registrations within the scheduled time,” the official notice stated.
National Means-Cum Merit Scholarship Scheme: Steps To Apply
- Go to the official website, scholarships.gov.in.
- Fill out the one-time registration (ORT) application.
- Applicants will receive a unique 14-digit number issued based on Aadhaar/Aadhaar Enrolment ID (EID).
- “OTR simplifies the scholarship application process by eliminating the need for registration each academic year,” according to the official website.
Each year, the Ministry of Education grants 1,000,000 NMMS scholarships to deserving eighth-grade students. The NMMS exams are conducted offline by Education Departments or SCERTs at the state level.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the NMMS Scholarship 2024, students must have an eighth-grade pass certificate with the required minimum score. Scholarships are awarded to students who are selected based on merit. The merit list includes students selected by a state-level authority. For the NMMS Scholarship 2024, students must achieve a minimum of 55% in Class 8 (or 50% for SC/ST students). Additionally, the family’s total annual income must not exceed Rs 3,50,000.
Exam Pattern
The NMMS Exam consists of two sections: Mental Ability Test (MAT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Each section is a 90-minute paper worth 90 points.
Documents Required
Ensure that you have the following documents readily available when applying. Document requirements may vary by scheme, so verify the specific requirements for your application:
- Active mobile number with Android.
- Personal details
Details from Class 10:
- Roll number
- Percentage
- Marksheet (if applicable)
Details From Class 12:
- Roll number
- Percentage
- Marksheet (if applicable)
Competitive exam information:
- Name of the exam (if qualified)
- Roll number for the exam (if any)
- Year of the exam (if any)
- Ration Card or PPPID details.
- UDID number (if applicable for disability).
- Complete address.
- Domicile certificates (if applicable).
The Central Sector Scheme, known as the ‘National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme,’ was initiated in 2008 following approval from the CCEA. Its purpose is to provide scholarships to academically talented students from economically weaker sections to reduce dropout rates at the Class 8 level and motivate them to continue their education through secondary school. Each year, one lakh new scholarships are awarded to selected Class 9 students, with renewal available for Classes 10 to 12, covering students in State Government, Government-aided, and Local body schools. Since 1st April 2017, the scholarship amount has been increased to Rs 12,000 per annum, up from the previous Rs 6,000 per annum.
