The last date for eligible students to submit fresh and renewal applications under the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS), for 2026–27 academic year, is August 31, 2026. The applications are to be submitted on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
The verification of applications under NMMSS is carried out in two stages:
Level-1 (L1) Verification: By the Institute Nodal Officer (INO) – last date: 15 September 2026.
Level-2 (L2) Verification: By the District Nodal Officer (DNO) – last date: 30 September 2026.
Further, from 2026–27 academic year, students may apply for one merit-based scholarship scheme and one or more welfare-based scholarship schemes simultaneously, subject to fulfilling the eligibility criteria prescribed under the respective schemes.
The central sector Scheme was launched with the objective of awarding scholarships to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections to reduce dropout at the secondary stage by encouraging them to continue their education after Class VIII.
Under the Scheme, one lakh fresh scholarships are awarded every year to eligible students studying in Class IX, with renewal of the scholarship in Classes X to XII, subject to the prescribed conditions, for studies in state government, government-aided, and local body schools.
All eligible students are advised by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Union Ministry of Education, to submit their applications well before the closing date to avoid any last-minute difficulties. Similarly, Institute and District Nodal Officers are advised to complete the verification process within the stipulated timelines to facilitate timely processing and disbursement of scholarships.
