National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) – Eligibility, Application, Dates & Result

The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS), also known as the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) launched by the Government of India in May 2008, is an initiative aimed at addressing one of the most pressing challenges in the Indian education system, student dropouts after Class 8. Many students, especially those from economically weaker sections, are forced to discontinue their education due to financial constraints. The NMMS seeks to change this by offering targeted financial support to help deserving students continue their studies through secondary and higher secondary levels.

Scholarship Registration and Login

By providing an annual scholarship of ₹12,000 to students from Class 9 to 12 studying in government, government-aided, or local body schools, the scheme directly tackles the economic barriers that often limit access to education. Eligibility is determined through a merit-based selection process and focuses on students whose family income does not exceed ₹3,50,000 per year. This article explores the key features, eligibility criteria, selection process, and overall impact of the NMMS, shedding light on how it continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young learners across the country.

Who can apply for NMMS?

To apply for NMMS one must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

  • Applicants must be promoted from Class 8 to Class 9 to be eligible to start receiving the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship.
  • To continue the scholarship in Classes 10 and 12, awardees must be promoted from Class 9 to 10 and from Class 11 to 12 in their first attempt.
  • Awardees must obtain a minimum of 60% marks in the Class 10 examination (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST students) to continue receiving the scholarship. 
  • The annual family income of the applicants should not exceed ₹3,50,000.
  • Applicants must not be receiving scholarships under any other Central Government Scholarship scheme.
  • This scholarship is not applicable for study abroad or for diploma/certificate level courses. 
  • Students studying in Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are not eligible for this scheme.

How to Apply for NMMS 2025?

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/)

How to Apply for NMMS 2025

Step 2: Proceed to click on the “Apply For One-Time Registration (OTR)” section located in the top left corner of the homepage.

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Apply For One-Time Registration (OTR)

Step 3: On clicking that button, the following page will appear. Ensure that you are in the “Register” section of the page. 

NMMS 2025 - Register

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”.

NMMS 2025 - I Agree To The Following

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Step 5: A page will appear, here you register yourself by entering the correct mobile number and OTP. Then click on “Verify”.

NMMS 2025 - Verify

Step 6: After registering your phone number, you will need to do an eKYC verification. 

NMMS 2025 - After registering your phone number

Step 7: On completing the KYC verification, you will receive an OTR that can be used for the NMMSS application.

NMMS 2025 - On completing the KYC verification

How to fill NMMSS Application Form 2025?

Step 1: After registering yourself on NSP, applicants first have to visit the official website of the National Scholarship Portal.

How to fill NMMSS Application Form 2025

Step 2: Navigate to the top left corner of the page and click on the “Apply For Scholarship” button. 

NMMSS Application Form 2025 - Apply For Scholarship

Step 3: The following picture will display, fill in the required details and click “Login”.

NMMSS Application Form 2025 - fill in the required details

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 NMMS:

  • Two recent passport-size photos.
  • Income certificate obtained from a competent body proving that the parental income does not exceed ₹3,50,000 annually.
  • Caste Certificate if applicable.
  • Disability Certificate: If required, applicants should obtain a certificate of disability status from the proper authority.
  • Mark Sheet: A photocopy of the most recent examination report card (Class 7 or 8).
  • Proof of Residence: Documents verifying the applicant’s residential address may also be requested.
  • Aadhaar Card

Selection Procedure for NMMS

The selection of candidates for NMMS is based on examinations conducted by each respective state/UT. Each test lasts 90 minutes, and children with disabilities receive extra time if needed. Students must maintain the required academic level to continue receiving the award. The final list of selected candidates is prepared based on their performance in the state-level test. The test follows the pattern as explained below:

  • Mental Ability Test (MAT): The Mental Ability Test consists of 90 multiple-choice questions designed to assess the reasoning and critical thinking skills of scholars. Topics include analogy, classification, numerical series, pattern perception, and hidden figures.
  • Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT): It also includes 90 multiple-choice questions on physics, social studies, and mathematics, which are taught in the syllabus of classes 7 and 8.

NMMS- How to Check 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 2025

The table below provides an overview of each state’s SCERT along with the respective result declaration dates for 2025. It serves as a convenient reference for accessing state portals and staying updated on important timelines.

NMMS Result Timeline 2025

State SCERT Result Date
West Bengal scertwb.org April 28, 2025
Uttar Pradesh scert-up.in February 28, 2025
Telangana scert.telangana.gov.in June 2025
Sikkim scertsikkim.ac.in June 2025
Rajasthan rscertudai.rajasthan.gov.in July 2025
Punjab http://scert.epunjabschool.gov.in/ February 2, 2025
Odisha scertodisha.nic.in April 2025
Madhya Pradesh scert.mp.gov.in April 2025
Meghalaya megeducation.gov.in/dert March 29, 2025
Maharashtra maa.ac.in February 7, 2025
Kerala scert.kerala.gov.in March 29, 2025
Karnataka dsert.karnataka.gov.in March 27, 2025
Jammu and Kashmir sites.google.com/view/scertjk-jmudiv August 2025
Himachal Pradesh scerthp.org April 4, 2025
Haryana scertharyana.gov.in April 25, 2025
Gujarat gujarat-education.gov.in/scert April 2, 2025
New Delhi edudel.nic.in March 3, 2025
Chhattisgarh scert.cg.gov.in May 19, 2025
Bihar scert.bihar.gov.in April 2025
Andhra Pradesh scert.ap.gov.in June 2025

NMMS Merit List 2025-2026 

The table below showcases the top ranker of the NMMS selection test general list (District : Mau) from the year 2025-26.

ROLL NO NAME OF CANDIDATE’S TOTAL RANK
5001355 RAGINEE GUPTA 123 1
5002270 SAMEER KUMAR 121 2
5001415 SUBHAM KUMAR 121 2
5001569 DEEPANKAR YADAV 120 3
5002284 NANDANI SINGH 115 4
5002406 HARSH 115 4
5001344 TARUN SINGH 114 5
5001084 ARPITA MAURYA 114 5
5001342 RITESH CHAUHAN 113 6
5002096 GANGESH SINGH 110 7
5002380 MOHAMMAD SHADAB 110 7
5002457 PRANJAL YADAV 109 8
5002075 ADITYA YADAV 109 8
5001047 ANCHAL CHAUHAN 109 8
5001560 ABHINAV KUMAR 109 8
5002520 ANSHIKA RAJBHAR 108 9
5002053 MOJAMMIL AYAN 108 9
5001411 RANJANA KUMARI 107 10

 Note: This list above are the top rankers, to access the complete list click here

NMMS Cutoff 2025

NMMS 2025 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 2025 varies as per category of the student. 

NMMSS 2025 Cutoff  

Paper General Category Reserved Category (SC/ST/PH)
MAT 40% 32%
SAT 40% 32%

NMMS Statistics – 2022

This table below carries data in terms of the number of scholarships awarded to each state and union territory under the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme. 

NMMSS Data (2022)

S.No. State/UT No. of Scholarships
1 Uttar Pradesh 15143
2 Maharashtra 11682
3 West Bengal 7250
4 Tamil Nadu 6695
5 Madhya Pradesh 6446
6 Karnataka 5534
7 Rajasthan 5471
8 Bihar 5433
9 Gujarat 5097
10 Andhra Pradesh 4087
11 Kerala 3473
12 Orissa 3314
13 Telangana 2921
14 Assam 2411
15 Haryana 2337
16 Chhattisgarh 2246
17 Punjab 2210
18 Jharkhand 1959
19 Delhi 1576
20 Jammu & Kashmir 1091
21 Uttarakhand 1048
22 Himachal Pradesh 832
23 Tripura 351
24 Manipur 255
25 Meghalaya 231
26 Nagaland 180
27 Goa 144
28 Pondicherry 125
29 Arunachal Pradesh 122
30 Mizoram 103
31 Chandigarh 85
32 Sikkim 58
33 A&N Islands 42
34 D&N Haveli 22
35 Daman & Diu 16
36 Lakshadweep 10
Total 100,000

Scholarship Benefits and Disbursement of NMMS

Scholarship Benefits: The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) aims to award 100,000 scholarships to meritorious students whose parental annual income is not more than ₹3,50,000. Selected students will receive ₹12,000 annually (₹1000 per month), provided that they meet the eligibility and demonstrate continued academic excellence.. 

Scholarship Disbursement: Selected students will be required to open bank accounts, preferably with the State Bank of India (SBI), any other public sector bank, or a scheduled bank that offers core banking facilities. Only the final list of students, verified at all requisite levels, will be considered for the sanctioning of scholarship funds. Disbursement will be carried out through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), directly into the bank accounts provided by the students. It is important to note that the scholarship will be discontinued if the renewal application is not submitted within the specified timeframe.

NMMS Grievance Redressal Mechanism

The grievance redressal mechanism is a feature that enables students to address any scholarship related issue. Students can utilise 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.

NMMS Grievance Redressal Mechanism

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. 

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. 

Grievance Registration

Step 3: A page will open where you will need to select the relevant option from the tab – applicant/institution/district/state/ministry.

select the relevant option from the tab - applicant

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. 

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.

Grievance Registration - Login

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:

  • RTI Matters
  • Court related / Subjudice matters
  • Religious matters
  • Suggestions

Links to State Scholarship Portal

The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) is not open to all students, as its eligibility criteria can be restrictive. What often goes unnoticed is that most Indian states operate their own dedicated scholarship portals. 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

Also Read: Scholarship Status 2025: How to Check Online Status for NSP, UP, Bihar & Other State Scholarships

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can I apply for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme?

You can apply for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), whether it's a fresh or renewal application.

What is OTR?

OTR stands for One Time Registration. It is a 14-digit number generated using Aadhaar or Aadhaar Enrolment ID, and is mandatory for all students applying for scholarships through NSP.

Who is eligible for the NMMS?

Students from Class 9 to 12 with an annual family income below ₹3.5 lakhs are eligible. Students of Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are not eligible.

Do I have to fill up the online application in one sitting?

No, you can use the 'Save Draft' feature on the NSP portal to complete your application in multiple sittings before final submission.

What to do if I forgot my registration number?

Visit the NSP portal and click on 'Know Your OTR' under the Login section. Fill in the required details to retrieve your registration number.

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Disclaimer

  1. Source of Information: Buddy4Study app compiles details on scholarships/fellowships from government websites and private scholarship sources. Links to the official sources accompany each listing detail pages.
  2. Non-affiliation: The Buddy4Study app is not associated with any government entity in India or elsewhere. When featuring government scholarships, we rely on publicly accessible information from central and state government websites in India.

Scholarships For

Upto Class 8 Class 1 to10 (Pre-Matric) Class 9 to 10 (Pre-Matric) Post-Matric(Class 11-12) Class 11 & 12 Class 12 passed Polytechnic/Diploma/ITI ITI Diploma/Polytechnic Graduation Post-Graduation Medical Engineering Girls NSP Portal Income Based SC/ST/OBC Law

Scholarship by State

NSP Scholarships Andhra Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh Assam Bihar Chandigarh Chhattisgarh Delhi Goa Gujarat Haryana Himachal Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir Jharkhand Karnataka Kerala Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Odisha Punjab Rajasthan Sikkim Tamil Nadu Telangana Tripura Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand West Bengal