Last date to submit applications under National Means cum Merit Scholarship Scheme for Year 2025-26 extended up to 30th September, 2025 on National Scholarship Portal

New Delhi: 16/9/25: Newdelhi:16/9/25:The last date for submission of applications by the selected meritorious students on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) for National Means cum Merit Scholarship Scheme  (NMMSS) for the year 2025-26  has been extended to 30th September, 2025.

The NSP portal is open for submission of applications by students with effect from 2^nd  June 2025. In this project year 2025-26, the selected students are first to do a one-time registration (OTR) on the NSP, after which they have to apply for the scholarship scheme that they have selected. The FAQ details for registration on NSP can be accessed at https://scholarships.gov.in/studentFAQs.

Through the ‘National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme,’ implemented by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, scholarships are awarded to meritorious students from economically weaker sections to arrest their drop-out after elementary level, i.e., Class VIII, and encourage them to complete their school education up to higher secondary level, i.e., Class XII.

The scheme provides one lakh fresh scholarships every year for Class IX students who clear the qualifying exam for the scholarship conducted by the State/UT governments. The scholarship is continued through renewal mode from Classes X to XII based on the student’s academic performance. The scheme applies only to students studying in State Government, Government-aided, and local body schools, and the scholarship amount is Rs. 12000 per annum per student.

The NMMSS is implemented through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) – the one-stop platform for scholarship schemes disbursed to students by the Government of India. As of 30.08.2025, 85420 fresh and 172027 renewal applications have been finally submitted by the applicants.

NMMSS scholarships are disbursed directly into the bank accounts of selected students by electronic transfer through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) following the DBT mode. The eligibility parameters for availing the scholarship include parental income not more than Rs. 3.50 lakh per annum, a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade in the Class VII examination, and/or appearing in the selection test for award of scholarship (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST students).

On the NSP portal, there are two levels of verification of the scholarship application of the selected student., Level-1 (L1) verification is at the Institute Nodal Officer (INO), and Level-2 (L2) is with the District Nodal Officer (DNO). The last date for INO level (L1) verification is 15.10.202,5, and for DNO level (L2) verification is 31.10.2025.