The Ministry of Education has extended the deadline for applications under the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for the 2026-27 academic year. Eligible students can now submit their applications through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) until November 15, 2026.The extension gives students additional time to complete the application process for the scholarship scheme, which aims to support students from economically weaker sections and reduce school dropouts after Class 8.
Over 2.9 lakh applications submitted so far
According to the Ministry of Education, 2,90,014 applications had been submitted under the NMMSS as of October 30, 2026. Of these, 90,483 were fresh applications, while 1,99,531 students had applied for the renewal of their scholarships.The ministry has also revised the schedule for verification of applications by institute and district-level authorities. Students who have already submitted their forms should ensure that their applications are verified within the revised timelines.
NMMSS 2026-27: Revised application and verification dates
The updated schedule is as follows:
| Process | Last date |
| Student application submission | November 15, 2026 |
| Institute Nodal Officer (L1) verification | November 30, 2026 |
| District Nodal Officer (L2) verification | December 15, 2026 |
Applications for the 2026-27 academic year have been open on the National Scholarship Portal since June 1, 2026. Students must complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) process on the portal before submitting their scholarship applications.Candidates can click on the link provided here to apply for the NMMSS scholarship 2026.
Who is eligible for the NMMSS scholarship?
The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme is aimed at encouraging meritorious students from economically weaker families to continue their education beyond the elementary stage.Under the scheme, one lakh fresh scholarships are awarded every year to eligible Class 9 students who qualify in the selection examination conducted by their respective state or Union Territory governments.Students studying in state government, government-aided and local body schools are eligible to apply. To appear for the selection test, students must have secured at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade in Class 7. Students belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories are eligible for a relaxation of five percentage points.The annual income of the student’s parents from all sources should not exceed Rs 3.5 lakh.
Rs 12,000 annual scholarship for selected students
Students selected under the scheme receive a scholarship of Rs 12,000 per year. The amount is transferred directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.The scholarship is awarded initially to eligible students in Class 9 and can be renewed for Classes 10, 11 and 12, subject to the prescribed academic requirements.With the application deadline now extended to November 15, students who are yet to apply have additional time to complete the required registration and submit their forms through the National Scholarship Portal. Those who have already applied should also keep track of the verification process to ensure their applications are processed within the revised schedule.
