National Means cum Merit Scholarship (NMMSS): Eligibility, Process, Selection criteria

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The National Means cum Merit Scholarship (NMMSS) program is a shining example of the government’s commitment to promoting education and identifying and empowering deserving students. In this article, we’ll explore the NMMSS program, its significance, eligibility criteria, application process, and the opportunities it opens up for talented young scholars.

Table of Contents

What is the NMMSS Program?

The National Means cum Merit Scholarship (NMMSS) is a centrally sponsored scholarship scheme launched by the Ministry of Education in India. The program aims to provide financial assistance to meritorious students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to continue their education beyond the secondary level.

Significance of NMMSS

This program serves several significant purposes:

  • Financial Support: It offers financial support to deserving students, allowing them to pursue their education without the burden of financial constraints.
  • Incentive for Merit: NMMSS recognizes and rewards academic excellence, motivating students to perform well in their studies.
  • Reduction of Dropouts: By offering scholarships, NMMSS helps reduce the dropout rate among economically disadvantaged students, ensuring that they can complete their secondary and higher secondary education.

Objective of the scholarship

The scheme’s primary goal is to grant scholarships to economically disadvantaged but academically talented students, aiming to prevent them from dropping out after class VIII and motivating them to pursue their education through the secondary stage. Every year, selected students are awarded a scholarship of Rs. 12,000 annually (equivalent to Rs. 1,000 per month) for their studies in classes IX to XII, specifically in State Government, Government-aided, and local body schools. The distribution of scholarships among various states and Union Territories is based on predefined quotas.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Academic Performance: Students must have scored at least 55% marks or equivalent grade in Class VIII final examination.
  • Family Income: The annual income of the student’s family should not exceed INR 1.5 lakh.
  • Reservation: Scholarships are reserved for students belonging to SC, ST, and OBC categories as per government norms.
  • Continuation: To continue receiving the scholarship in subsequent years, students must maintain a minimum of 60% marks in Class IX and X.
  • The students studying in “Kendriya Vidalayas and “Jawahar Vavodaya Vidlayas” are not entitled to get scholarship under this scheme.
  • Similarly, those students studying in Residential Schools run by the State Government Institutions, where facilities like boarding, lodging and education are provided and students studying in private schools are also not eligible for the scholarship under this scheme.

Application Process

The application process involves the following steps:

  • Notification: The respective State or Union Territory (UT) education departments release notifications about the NMMSS examination, including important dates and application guidelines.
  • Application Submission: Eligible students should fill out the application form and submit it to their school or educational institution along with the required documents.
  • Admit Card: After successful application submission, students receive an admit card, specifying the date and venue of the examination.
  • Examination: Students appear for the NMMSS examination, which typically includes questions on mental ability, scholastic aptitude, and language.
  • Results: The results of the examination are announced, and successful candidates are notified.

Selection Criteria

While the NMMS program is a scholarship scheme initiated by the Central Government, it’s noteworthy that the selection tests are administered individually by each State/Union Territory for their own students. These tests comprise two components: a mental ability test and a scholastic aptitude test, both of which follow the guidelines established by the NCERT. Applicants are required to complete each test within a maximum time frame of 90 minutes. It’s important to mention that students with special abilities are granted additional time to ensure they can complete the tests comfortably. Below, you will find specific information regarding this State Level Examination Test.

  1. Mental Ability Test (MAT)

This test examines the reasoning abilities and critical thinking of students through 90 multiple-choice questions.

Most of the questions may be based on topics like analogy, classification, numerical series, pattern perception, hidden figures, etc.

  1. Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

SAT consists of 90 multiple-choice questions.

The syllabus of SAT covers the subjects of science, social studies and mathematics as per the syllabus of classes 7 and 8.

Online submission of Application form 

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