National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship: Last Date Extended to September 30, 2024

The last date for students to apply for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for the year 2024-25 has been extended to September 30, 2024. Students can submit their applications on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), which has been open since June 30, 2024.

For the 2024-25 year, selected students must first complete a One-Time Registration (OTR) on the NSP before applying for the scholarship. Detailed steps and FAQs for registration are available on the portal at scholarships.gov.in.

The NMMSS is a scheme run by the Department of School Education & Literacy to help bright students from economically weaker sections. It aims to stop students from dropping out after completing Class VIII and encourages them to continue their education until Class XII.

Each year, the scheme offers 1 lakh scholarships to Class IX students who pass a special exam conducted by the state or UT governments. The scholarship continues through Classes X to XII based on the student’s academic performance. The scholarship amount is Rs. 12,000 per year and is given to students in government, government-aided, or local body schools.

As of August 31, 2024, 60,321 fresh applications and 121,834 renewal applications have been submitted. Scholarships are paid directly into the student’s bank account through DBT mode using the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).

To qualify, the student’s family income must not be more than Rs. 3.5 lakhs per year, and they must score at least 55% in Class VII (with a 5% relaxation for SC/ST students).

Applications are verified at two levels: the Institute Nodal Officer (INO) at Level-1 (L1) and the District Nodal Officer (DNO) at Level-2 (L2). The last date for L1 verification is October 15, 2024, and for L2 verification, it is October 31, 2024.