Last date to apply for National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship extended

The Union Ministry of Education has extended the last date for submitting applications under the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for the academic year 2026-27 to November 15, 2026. According to a PIB report, this decision will give eligible students additional time to complete their applications on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and facilitate timely verification by the concerned authorities.

According to the revised schedule, the last date for submitting applications is November 15, 2026. Thereafter, the last date for verification by the Institute Nodal Officer (L1) has been set as November 30, 2026 and the last date for verification by the District Nodal Officer (L2) as December 15, 2026. Students who have already applied must ensure that the verification is completed within this timeframe.

The National Scholarship Portal has been open for applications since June 1, 2026. Before applying, it is mandatory for students to complete One-Time Registration (OTR) on the portal. As of 30.10.2026, a total of 90,483 fresh and 1,99,531 renewal applications have been submitted.

The objective of the NMMSS scheme is to support meritorious students from economically weaker sections and encourage them to continue their education from Class VIII up to Class XII. Under this scheme, one lakh fresh scholarships are awarded every year to eligible students of Class IX who pass the selection examination conducted by State or Union Territory governments. Thereafter, this scholarship continues through renewal from Class X to XII as per educational requirements.

Eligible students of State Government, Government-aided schools, and schools run by local bodies receive ₹12,000 per annum, which is directly credited to their bank accounts through DBT. For the selection test, students must have obtained at least 55 percent marks or equivalent grade in Class VII, with a 5-percentage point relaxation for SC/ST students. The annual income of the applicant's parents should not exceed ₹3.50 lakh.