The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) is a central government scheme designed to support meritorious students from economically weaker sections, enabling them to continue their education beyond Class 8. Under the NMMS scheme, approximately one lakh scholarships are awarded annually to students studying in government, government-aided, and local-body schools.
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Each selected student receives INR 12,000 per year (INR 1,000 per month) for up to four years (Class 9 to Class 12). This benefit continues as long as they meet the required academic standards and criteria. Selection for the NMMS scholarship takes place through a state-level exam, and only students fulfilling the eligibility criteria are approved.
The NMMS Scholarship 2025 helps meritorious students from low-income families continue their education from Class 9 to Class 12. In the table below, we have provided major highlights of the scholarship:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
Scholarship scheme name | National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) |
Amount | INR 12,000 per year (INR 1,000 per month) |
Duration | Class 9 to Class 12 (up to 4 years) |
Eligibility | Class 8 students from Govt/Govt-aided schools |
Exam pattern | Mental Ability Test (MAT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) |
Total number of scholarships available | Around 1,00,000 annually |
Disbursement | Direct transfer to the student’s bank account |
Students wanting to know about the NMMS scholarship selection process 2025 can go through this section, as we have mentioned the NMMS selection criteria and process briefly below. Before applying, they must fulfil the NMMS eligibility criteria to sit for the NMMS exam:
Students currently studying in Class 8 in government, government-aided or local body schools can apply. Students studying in Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, private schools or fully residential government-run institutions are not eligible.
Students need to meet the academic requirement of scoring at least 55 per cent marks in Class 7. For SC and ST students, the requirement is relaxed to 50 per cent.
The parental income of the applicant should not be more than INR 3,50,000 per year from all sources.
Each state conducts the NMMS Scholarship exam to select students. The test consists of two papers: the Mental Ability Test (MAT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
The first paper (Mental Ability Test) has 90 multiple-choice questions. The second paper (Scholastic Aptitude Test) also has 90 multiple-choice questions based on the NMMS syllabus. Each paper is of 90 minutes duration. Children with disabilities get additional time as per the rules.
To qualify for the NMMS 2025 scholarship, students need to secure at least 40 per cent marks in total in both MAT and SAT.
For SC and ST students, the qualifying marks are 32 per cent.
In addition, students must achieve at least 55 per cent marks in their Class 8 final exam, which is relaxed by 5 per cent for SC and ST candidates.
Shortlisted students need to apply on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and provide the required documents.
After state-level verification, the final list is sent to the Ministry for approval, and the scholarship is credited directly to the student’s bank account through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer).
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The government introduced the NMMS scholarship scheme to reduce the dropout rate after Class 8 and motivate students from low-income families to continue their studies. The benefits of the NMMS scholarship scheme are listed below:
The scholarship provides financial support of INR 12,000 every year to meet academic expenses. It continues for four years up to Class 12 if the student maintains good academic performance and regular attendance. Students must remember that they need to secure at least 60 per cent marks in Class 10 to renew the NMMS scholarship for higher classes. For SC and ST students, the required marks are relaxed by 5 per cent.
The NMMS scholarship recognises the merit of students by selecting them through a transparent, competitive exam.
The direct transfer of the scholarship amount into the student’s bank account makes the process easy and transparent.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, students of private schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and fully residential schools run by the government are not eligible.
The scholarship amount is transferred directly to the selected student’s bank account after verification through the National Scholarship Portal.
The scholarship is available for a maximum period of four years, starting from Class 9 and continuing up to Class 12 if the student continues to fulfil the eligibility conditions.
On Question asked by student community
Hi dear candidate,
The applications of NMMS scholarship exam for Bihar state were open in the months of November/ December 2025 and now have been closed. If you have not filled them then, you will have to wait till 2026 cycle.
Get complete details at:
Hello aspirant,
The NMMS 2025–2026 test answer key is being made available by the State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs). The NMMS exam solutions are released on different dates by each state. Uttarakhand, Telangana, UP, Haryana, HP, AP, Delhi, and numerous other states have released their NMMS answer
Hello,
The NMMS Bihar class 8 form for the 2025-26 session is typically released in November-December 2025, with applications usually closing around early December, allowing for a January 2026 exam and June 2026 results. So, please keep checking the official website for more updates.
I hope it will clear your
Hi dear candidate,
The NMMS scholarship form for the state of Bihar was open in November/ December 2025 and now have been closed. In case you have missed this 2025 cycle for registration then, you will have to wait till next cycle in 2026.
Know more at:
HELLO,
NMMS Bihar Class 8 form is usually out in the month of November to December every year, and the forms for the 2025-26 session were released in November 2025 and were filled till December 2025, the exam for which was held in January 2026
(//scert.bihar.gov) You have to keep
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