India's NMMSS scholarship registration opens for 2026-27 session

The Department of School Education and Literacy, under India's Ministry of Education, has opened registrations for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) for the 2026-27 academic session. The program provides financial assistance to meritorious students from economically weaker families to encourage continued education after Class 8 and reduce dropout rates.

Eligible students in Class 9 at government, government-aided, or local body schools can apply for new scholarships, while students in Classes 10 through 12 can apply for renewals. To qualify, annual parental income from all sources must not exceed ₹3.5 lakh.

Applications must be submitted online via the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) by the deadline of August 31, 2026. The verification process will occur in two stages: Level-1 verification by Institute Nodal Officers is expected to be completed by September 15, 2026, followed by Level-2 verification by District Nodal Officers by September 30, 2026.