NMMS Scholarship
NMMS has two papers: MAT (Mental Ability Test) — 90 questions, 90 marks, 90 minutes; and SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) — 90 questions, 90 marks, 90 minutes. Both are OMR-based MCQs. No negative marking. The scheme encourages these students to continue their education beyond Class 8 by offering them financial assistance of ₹12,000 per year (₹1,000 per month) from Class 9 to Class 12. 1,00,000 scholarships are awarded nationally every year — distributed state-wise based on enrollment. Each state gets an allocation proportional to its Class 7-8 enrollment in government schools.
NMMS stands for National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme. It is a scholarship program launched by the Ministry of Education, Government of India to support meritorious students from economically weaker sections of society. Each state's education board (SCERT/Directorate of Education) conducts its own exam and merit list, even though the scheme itself is centrally funded.
Eligibility Criteria
- Students studying in Class VIII in Government, Government aided or Local Body Schools are eligible to appear NMMS examinations.
- His/her parental income from all sources should not exceed Rs. 3,50,000 per annum.
- They must have passed Class VII Annual Examination securing at least 55% marks (relaxable by 5% for reserved category).
- Students in Government residential schools like Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and residential schools under SC/ST Development Department, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sainik Schools, KGBV, etc. where expenses are paid by the Government, are not eligible under this scheme.
- Students in private schools are also not eligible.
- The student must score at least 55% marks (5% relaxation for reserved categories) in the Class 8 examination to get the scholarship in Class 9.
- Must pass Class 9 to get a scholarship in Class 10.
- Must have secured 60% marks in Class 10 (5% relaxation for reserved categories) to get a scholarship in Class 11.
- Must pass Class 11 to get a scholarship in Class 12.
- Must remain enrolled in a government/government-aided/local body school throughout — if there is a one-year gap, the scholarship ends permanently and cannot be revived.
- Must be an Indian citizen.
Benefits & Scholarship Amount
- ₹12,000 per annum (₹1,000 per month)
- Scholarship continues from Class 9 to Class 12 (4 years) on renewal
- Deposited directly into student's bank account via DBT Total over 4 years - ₹48,000 (if continuation criteria met every year)
- Helps reduce financial burden on families.
- Motivates students to continue secondary and higher secondary education.
- Reduces dropout rate after Class 8. Gives equal opportunities to talented students from economically weaker backgrounds.
- Identifies and rewards academic excellence among underprivileged students.
- Builds a verified academic record (state merit list) that's useful for other scholarship/college applications later.
- NOTE: Students must have an active bank account linked to Aadhaar for disbursal.
Exam Pattern
90 questions — Analogy, classification, numerical series, pattern, perception, hidden figures, etc
90 questions —Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Political Science, Geography and Economics
2 hours each paper | 90 minutes each for PwD candidates
1 mark per question, No negative marking
Students must pass both tests i.e. MAT and SAT, with at least 40% marks in aggregate for each test. For SC/ST students, this cut-off is 32% marks.
Final selection is merit-based within each state's district-wise quota — clearing the cutoff doesn't guarantee a scholarship if the quota fills up with higher scorers.
Syllabus
- SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) — based on Class 7 & 8 NCERT/state board syllabus:Science:
- Physics, Chemistry, Biology basics (matter, force, light, the cell, nutrition, etc.)
- Social Science: The Indian Constitution, the Judiciary, Women, Caste and Reform, Colonialism and the City, Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners, Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age, When People Rebel 1857 and After, Law and Social Justice, Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources, Mineral and Power Resources, and Geography/Economics basics.
- MAT (Mental Ability Test) — non-syllabus, reasoning-based
- Analogy, classification, series completion, coding-decoding, pattern recognition, hidden/embedded figures, mirror & water images, blood relations, direction sense.
Important Dates
Nov–Dec 2025 (state-dependent)
Dec 2025 – Jan 2026 (e.g., Gujarat: 3 Jan 2026; Rajasthan: held Jan 2026, prior year was Jan 19, 2025)
Expected Feb 2026, with objection window in March 2026
Feb–July 2026 (state-dependent; Rajasthan declared May 26, 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
NMMS stands for National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme, a Government of India scheme to support meritorious students from economically weaker families.
Class 8 students in government, government-aided, or local-body schools who scored at least 55% in Class 7 and whose parental income is under ₹3.5 lakh/year.
No. Students studying in Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, or private schools are not eligible.
No, there is no negative marking in the NMMS examination.
₹12,000 per year (₹1,000 per month) from Class 9 to Class 12, subject to continuation criteria.
At least 40% in each paper (MAT and SAT) for general category; 32% for SC/ST students.
No. Students must pass each class with at least 55% marks and continue studying to receive the scholarship each year. There is no separate exam after Class 8 but continuation criteria must be met.
NMMS application fees vary from state to state — it's almost free in a few states; some states and UTs may levy a small fee.
1,00,000 scholarships are awarded nationally every year, distributed state-wise based on enrollment.
Not yet announced as of June 2026. Each state's education department/SCERT releases its own notification, typically Sept–Nov. We'll update this page the moment it's out — bookmark or subscribe for alerts."
Quick Info
- Eligibility
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Class 9-12()Government school students
- Amount
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Scholarship Amount₹12,000 per year
- Category
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Central Govt.