In an effort to support the education of meritorious students from economically weaker sections, the last date for submitting applications under the ‘National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme’ (NMMSS) for the academic year 2023-24 has been extended to February 9, 2024.

The NMMSS, a Central Sector Scheme, aims to prevent dropouts at Class VIII by awarding scholarships to deserving students, encouraging them to pursue education at the secondary stage. Annually, one lakh fresh scholarships, amounting to Rs. 12,000 per annum, are granted to selected students from Class IX. The scholarship continues or renews for students in Classes X to XII attending State Government, Government-aided, and local body schools.

Applications for NMMSS can be submitted on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), a comprehensive platform for various scholarship schemes. Scholarships are disbursed directly into selected students’ bank accounts through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) using the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

Eligibility criteria include a parental income not exceeding Rs. 3,50,000 per annum, and students must have a minimum of 55% marks (or equivalent grade) in the Class VII examination. SC/ST students receive a 5% relaxation in this criterion.

Verification involves two levels: Institute Nodal Officer (INO) Level (L1) and District Nodal Officer (DNO) Level (L2). The deadline for L1 verification is February 15, 2024, and for L2 verification, it is February 26, 2024.

Aspiring students are encouraged to seize this opportunity and apply for the NMMSS scholarships before the extended deadline of February 9, 2024.