NMMS 2026 Highlights
| Particular | Details |
| Full name | National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) |
| Run by | Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education |
| Type | Central Sector Scheme; merit-based scholarship on NSP |
| Amount | ₹12,000 per year (₹1,000 per month) |
| Duration | Class 9 to Class 12 (maximum four years) |
| Fresh scholarships | 1,00,000 every year, divided among States/UTs |
| Income limit | Parental income up to ₹3,50,000 per year from all sources |
| Selection | State-level exam in Class 8: Mental Ability Test (MAT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) |
| NSP last date 2026-27 | October 31, 2026 |
| Payment | Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the student’s bank account |
| NMMS Official Website | https://scholarships.gov.in |
NMMS NSP Last Date 2026-27
| Stage | Original | 1st Extension | 2nd Extension | Current (3rd Extension) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student application (fresh and renewal) | 31 Aug 2026 | 30 Sep 2026 | 31 Oct 2026 | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Institute Nodal Officer (L1) verification | 15 Sep 2026 | 15 Oct 2026 | 15 Nov 2026 | 30 Nov 2026 |
| District Nodal Officer (L2) verification | 30 Sep 2026 | 31 Oct 2026 | 30 Nov 2026 | 15 Dec 2026 |
NMMS Exam Date 2026-27: State-wise Registration and Exam Schedule
| State/UT | Exam registration | Exam date |
| Andhra Pradesh | Sept 11 – Oct 27, 2026 (extended) |
November 29, 2026 (rescheduled from Nov 15)
|
| Delhi | Sept 9 – Oct 13, 2026 (extended) | December 5, 2026 |
| Haryana | Sept 24 – Oct 24, 2026 |
November 2026 (date awaited)
|
| Himachal Pradesh | Aug 1 – Sept 21, 2026 (closed) | November 1, 2026 |
| Maharashtra | Sept 8 – Oct 21, 2026 without late fee; Oct 22–28 with late fee | December 20, 2026 |
| Punjab | Aug 10 – Sept 11, 2026 (closed) | November 22, 2026 |
| Telangana | Closed (last date reported as Aug 24, 2026) | – |
| Rajasthan | Registration October 30 to November 30, 2026 | – |
| Tamil Nadu | Registration October 26 to November 3, 2026 (offline, through schools) | – |
| Gujarat | Registration October 15 to November 5, 2026 (extended, offline through schools) | – |
| Karnataka | Registration September 23 to November 7, 2026 | – |
| Assam | Last date November 8, 2026 (online) | – |
| Mizoram | September 16 to November 6, 2026 | – |
| Uttarakhand | October 4 to October 31, 2026 | – |
NMMS Eligibility Criteria 2026-27
| Criterion | Requirement |
| Class | Studying in Class 8 when taking the exam; scholarship starts on promotion to Class 9 |
| School | Regular student in a Government, Government-aided or local body school |
| Parental income | Not more than ₹3,50,000 per year from all sources |
| Class 7 marks (to sit the exam) | At least 55% or equivalent grade (50% for SC/ST) |
| Class 8 marks (at selection) | At least 55% or equivalent grade (50% for SC/ST) |
| Exam result | At least 40% aggregate in MAT and SAT together (32% for SC/ST) |
| Study location | Studies in India only |
| Course | Regular school classes 9–12; not available for diploma or certificate courses |
How to Apply for NMMS 2026?
The application for the NMMS is done through the official National Scholarship Portal. NSP has implemented the One-Time Registration (OTR) for students, it is mandatory for every student applying for various scholarship schemes under the National Scholarship Portal.
In order to move forward with a scholarship application, it is first necessary to register yourself in the portal which will help you generate your unique OTR number. OTR enables students to register once and create a unique profile that can be used for all scholarship applications. The process of application to NMMS is provided below.
Registering and OTR Generation via NSP
Step 1: Applicants first have to visit the official website of the National Scholarship Portal. (https://scholarships.gov.in/)
Step 2: Proceed to click on the “Apply For One-Time Registration (OTR)” section located in the top left corner of the homepage.
Step 3: On clicking that button, the following page will appear. Ensure that you are in the “Register” section of the page.
Step 4: At the bottom of the page, you will see two boxes under the “I Agree To The Following” section. You need to agree to the guidelines in order to move forward; click “Next”.
Step 6: After registering your phone number, you will need to do an eKYC verification.
Step 7: On completing the KYC verification, you will receive an OTR that can be used for the NMMSS application.
How to fill NMMSS Application Form 2026?
Step 1: After registering yourself on NSP, applicants first have to visit the official website of the National Scholarship Portal.
Step 2: Navigate to the top left corner of the page and click on the “Apply For Scholarship” button.
Step 3: The following picture will display, fill in the required details and click “Login”.
Step 4: After, navigate to the “Apply for NMMSS Scholarship” section and click on it.
Step 5: An application page will open, there you must fill all the required details, along with the required documents.
Step 6: After completing the application, submit the request. Ensure you double-check the submitted details to avoid mistakes.
Documents Required for NMMS
The following documents are necessary for the application of the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme:
1. Two recent passport-size photos.
2. Income certificate obtained from a competent body proving that the parental income does not exceed ₹3,50,000 annually.
3. Caste Certificate if applicable.
4. Disability Certificate: If required, applicants should obtain a certificate of disability status from the proper authority.
5. Mark Sheet: A photocopy of the most recent examination report card (Class 7 or 8).
6. Proof of Residence: Documents verifying the applicant’s residential address may also be requested.
7. Aadhaar Card
NMMS Exam Pattern: MAT and SAT
| Paper | Questions | Duration | What it tests |
| Mental Ability Test (MAT) | 90 multiple-choice questions | 90 minutes | Verbal and non-verbal reasoning: analogy, classification, numerical series, pattern perception, hidden figures |
| Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) | 90 multiple-choice questions | 90 minutes | Science, social studies and mathematics as taught in Classes 7 and 8 |
How to Check NMMS Results
The result of each applicant can be accessed through their own state SCERT. SCERT stands for State Council of Educational Research and Training and it is responsible for admission, examination and certification of private recognised ETE and ECCE Institutions. The NMMS results can be accessed through the following steps:
Step 1: Visit the official website of your respective state’s SCERT.
Step 2: In each portal there will be a section titled “Result”/ “NMMS Results”. Look for that section and click on it.
Step 3: A PDF will be linked to it and on clicking, it should appear.
Step 4: Download the PDF and search for your name to view the results.
State-Wise NMMS Result 2026
The table below provides an overview of each state’s SCERT along with the respective link to check NMMS result 2026. It serves as a convenient reference for accessing state portals and staying updated on important timelines.
NMMS Result Link 2026
| State | SCERT |
| West Bengal | scertwb.org |
| Uttar Pradesh | scert-up.in |
| Telangana | scert.telangana.gov.in |
| Sikkim | scertsikkim.ac.in |
| Rajasthan | rscertudai.rajasthan.gov.in |
| Punjab | http://scert.epunjabschool.gov.in/ |
| Odisha | scertodisha.nic.in |
| Madhya Pradesh | scert.mp.gov.in |
| Meghalaya | megeducation.gov.in/dert |
| Maharashtra | maa.ac.in |
| Kerala | scert.kerala.gov.in |
| Karnataka | dsert.karnataka.gov.in |
| Jammu and Kashmir | sites.google.com/view/scertjk-jmudiv |
| Himachal Pradesh | scerthp.org |
| Haryana | scertharyana.gov.in |
| Gujarat | gujarat-education.gov.in/scert |
| New Delhi | edudel.nic.in |
| Chhattisgarh | scert.cg.gov.in |
| Bihar | scert.bihar.gov.in |
| Andhra Pradesh | scert.ap.gov.in |
NMMS Cutoff 2026
NMMS 2026 cut off is the minimum marks that the students would need to be considered eligible for the respective state-specific scholarships through MAT and SAT. The NMMS cutoff 2026 varies as per category of the student.
NMMSS 2026 Cutoff
| Paper | General Category | Reserved Category (SC/ST/PH) |
|---|---|---|
| MAT | 40% | 32% |
| SAT | 40% | 32% |
NMMS Grievance Redressal Mechanism
The grievance redressal mechanism is a feature that enables students to address any scholarship related issue. Students can utilize this feature to address and get solutions for all issues related to scholarship from the application, disbursement, etc. The steps for grievance redressal are given in the image below.
Given below are the detailed steps of how your grievance can be redressed.
Step 1: Visit the official NSP website and click on the top left corner.
Step 2: From the drop down list, click on the “Grievance Registration” under the “Public” section.
Step 3: A page will open where you will need to select the relevant option from the tab – applicant/institution/district/state/ministry.
Step 4: After clicking the appropriate option, another page will open. There you must fill in the required details; OTR number, OTR password and Captcha in order to proceed.
Step 5: Once all required details are filled in, click the “Login” button at the bottom of the page.
Step 6: After logging in successfully, navigate to the ‘Complaint’ section on the dashboard.
Step 7: Select the appropriate category of grievance, provide a clear description of the issue, and upload any supporting documents if required.
Step 8: Then, click the ‘Submit’ button to register the complaint.
Grievances which are not taken up for redressal:
1. RTI Matters
2. Court related / Subjudice matters
3. Religious matters
4. Suggestions
Links to NMMS State Scholarship Portal
These state-specific platforms are tailored to meet regional educational and financial needs. Listed below are the official links to each state’s scholarship portal, providing students with alternative opportunities in case they do not qualify for the NMMS.
| States | Relevant Links |
| Tamil Nadu | dge.tn.gov.in |
| Assam | madhyamik.assam.gov.in |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli | dnh.gov.in |
| Arunachal Pradesh | apdhte.nic.in |
| Jharkhand | jacexamportal.in |
| Mizoram | scert.mizoram.gov.in |
| Nagaland | scert.nagaland.gov.in |
| Puducherry | schooledn.py.gov.in |
| Manipur | manipur.gov.in |
| Daman & Diu | daman.nic.in |
| Chandigarh | siechd.nic.in |
| Uttarakhand | scert.uk.gov.in |
| Tripura | scertonline.tripura.gov.in |
| Goa | scert.goa.gov.in |
| Odisha | ntse.scertodisha.nic.in |
NMMS Scholarship Amount
| If selected in Class 8 and renewed every year | Amount |
| Per month | ₹1,000 |
| Per year | ₹12,000 |
| Over Classes 9 to 12 (four years) | ₹48,000 |
How Many NMMS Scholarships Does Each State Get?
The one lakh scholarships are divided among States/UTs as a fixed quota. It gives two-thirds (66.67%) weightage to enrolment in Classes 7 and 8 and one-third (33.33%) to the child population of that age group. The table below is Annexure-I of the Ministry of Education’s revised NMMSS guidelines (letter dated March 2022, for the 2021-22 to 2025-26 cycle).
| S. No. | State/UT | Scholarships per year |
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | 4,087 |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh | 122 |
| 3 | Assam | 2,411 |
| 4 | Bihar | 5,433 |
| 5 | Chhattisgarh | 2,246 |
| 6 | Goa | 144 |
| 7 | Gujarat | 5,097 |
| 8 | Haryana | 2,337 |
| 9 | Himachal Pradesh | 832 |
| 10 | Jammu & Kashmir | 1,091 |
| 11 | Jharkhand | 1,959 |
| 12 | Karnataka | 5,534 |
| 13 | Kerala | 3,473 |
| 14 | Madhya Pradesh | 6,446 |
| 15 | Maharashtra | 11,682 |
| 16 | Manipur | 255 |
| 17 | Meghalaya | 231 |
| 18 | Mizoram | 103 |
| 19 | Nagaland | 180 |
| 20 | Odisha | 3,314 |
| 21 | Punjab | 2,210 |
| 22 | Rajasthan | 5,471 |
| 23 | Sikkim | 58 |
| 24 | Tamil Nadu | 6,695 |
| 25 | Telangana | 2,921 |
| 26 | Tripura | 351 |
| 27 | Uttar Pradesh | 15,143 |
| 28 | Uttarakhand | 1,048 |
| 29 | West Bengal | 7,250 |
| 30 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 42 |
| 31 | Chandigarh | 85 |
| 32 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 22 |
| 33 | Daman & Diu | 16 |
| 34 | Delhi | 1,576 |
| 35 | Lakshadweep | 10 |
| 36 | Puducherry | 125 |
| Total | 1,00,000 |
NMMS Renewal: How to Keep the Scholarship Until Class 12
You must renew on NSP every year. If you miss the renewal window, the scholarship is discontinued.
| Moving from | Condition to continue |
| Class 8 to Class 9 (start) | Clear promotion to Class 9 |
| Class 9 to Class 10 | Clear promotion in the first attempt |
| Class 10 to Class 11 | At least 60% marks in Class 10 (55% for SC/ST) |
| Class 11 to Class 12 | Clear promotion in the first attempt |
Can You Get NMMS With Another Scholarship? The New 2026-27 Rule
From the academic year 2026-27, the National Scholarship Portal has moved from “One Student – One Scholarship” to “One Student – Multiple Scholarships”. A student can now hold one merit-based scholarship along with one or more welfare-based scholarships, if they meet each scheme’s eligibility.
1. NMMSS counts as a merit-based scholarship. You cannot combine it with another merit-based scheme on NSP.
2. You can combine it with welfare-based schemes such as Pre-Matric or Post-Matric scholarships for SC, ST, OBC or Minority students, if you are eligible for them.
FAQs
What is the last date for NMMS 2026-27 on NSP?
The last date to apply for the NMMS scholarship on the National Scholarship Portal is October 31, 2026, for both fresh and renewal applications. Schools must verify by November 15 and district officers by November 30, 2026.
When is the NMMS exam 2026?
Each state sets its own date. Himachal Pradesh holds it on November 1, Punjab on November 22, Andhra Pradesh on November 29, Delhi on December 5 and Maharashtra on December 20, 2026. Check your state SCERT for other states.
Who is eligible for NMMS?
Class 8 students in Government, Government-aided or local body schools with parental income up to ₹3.5 lakh a year, who scored at least 55% in Class 7 (50% for SC/ST) and clear the state NMMS exam.
What is the NMMS qualifying mark?
You need at least 40% in aggregate across MAT and SAT taken together. For SC and ST students it is 32%. The final selection cut-off depends on your state’s merit list.
How much is the NMMS scholarship?
The NMMS scholarship is ₹12,000 a year, or ₹1,000 a month, from Class 9 to Class 12. That is up to ₹48,000 over four years if renewed every year.
Can private school students apply for NMMS?
No. Only regular students of Government, Government-aided and local body schools are eligible. Students of private schools, KVs, JNVs and government residential schools are excluded.
What marks are needed to renew NMMS in Class 11?
You need at least 60% marks in Class 10 (55% for SC/ST students). For Class 10 and Class 12, you need clear promotion in the first attempt.
Can I get NMMS and another scholarship together?
From 2026-27, yes, with limits. NMMS is a merit-based scholarship, and you can hold it along with one or more welfare-based scholarships such as SC, ST, OBC or Minority Pre-Matric or Post-Matric schemes, if eligible.
How many NMMS scholarships are given every year?
One lakh fresh scholarships are given every year across all States and UTs. Uttar Pradesh has the largest quota at 15,143.
Is the NMMS scholarship available in Assam?
Yes. NMMS is a national scheme, and students in Assam get the same ₹12,000 a year after clearing the Assam NMMS exam and applying on NSP.
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