Big Relief for Students! Scholarship Deadline Extended — Check New Last Date Before You Miss Out

Ananya soch: The Union Ministry of Education has extended the last date for submitting applications under the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) 2026-27 to September 30, 2026. The application process on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) had originally started on June 1, 2026, but selected students now get more than an extra month to complete their forms. Along with this, the deadline for verification by the Institution Nodal Officer (INO) — Level 1 (L1) — has been set at October 15, 2026, while the District Nodal Officer (DNO) verification, Level 2 (L2), must be completed by October 31, 2026.

This scholarship scheme is specially designed for meritorious students from economically weaker sections, aiming to reduce dropout rates after Class 8 and encourage students to continue their schooling up to Class 12. Under the scheme, around one lakh new scholarships are awarded every year to Class 9 students who clear a qualifying exam conducted by their respective state or Union Territory. Based on academic performance, the scholarship is later renewed each year from Class 10 to Class 12.

Notably, this scheme applies only to students studying in government, government-aided, and local body schools. To be eligible, a student's parental income must not exceed ₹3.50 lakh per annum, and the student must have scored at least 55% marks in Class 7 (with a 5% relaxation for SC/ST students). The scholarship amount is transferred directly to students' bank accounts through the DBT mode via the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).

According to the ministry, as of August 31, 2026, a total of 79,398 new applications and 1,87,208 renewal applications had already been submitted. Students who have already applied are also advised to check the verification status of their applications to avoid last-minute hassles.