Deadline Extended for National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme Applications for 2024-25

The deadline for submitting applications for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for the academic year 2024-25 on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) has been extended to November 15, 2024. Students can submit applications on the NSP, which opened on June 30, 2024. Selected students must first complete a One-Time Registration (OTR) before applying for the scholarship. Registration FAQs are available at NSP Student FAQs.

Administered by the Department of School Education & Literacy, the NMMSS aims to support economically disadvantaged students, encouraging them to complete their schooling through Class XII. Each year, the program awards one lakh scholarships to eligible Class IX students who pass a qualifying exam conducted by State/UT governments. The scholarship, worth ₹12,000 per year, is available to students from State Government, Government-aided, and local body schools and is renewable for Classes X through XII based on academic performance.

As of November 1, 2024, over 86,000 new and 162,000 renewal applications have been submitted on the NSP. Scholarships are directly transferred to students’ bank accounts through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS). Eligibility criteria include a family income cap of ₹3.5 lakh per year and a minimum of 55% in Class VII (with a 5% relaxation for SC/ST students).

NSP applications undergo two levels of verification: Level 1 at the Institute Nodal Officer (INO) and Level 2 at the District Nodal Officer (DNO). The INO verification deadline is November 30, 2024, and the DNO verification deadline is December 15, 2024.