For lakhs of Class 8 students studying in government schools across India, one examination can change the next four years of their education. It is not run by a coaching institute or an agent. It is a central government scheme that has been running since 2008, and it pays a monthly scholarship straight into the student’s bank account from Class 9 all the way to Class 12. If your child is in Class 8 in a government or government-aided school, this is one opportunity you should not miss.
This guide covers everything about that examination — who can appear, what the exam pattern is, when each state is holding its exam, where to download the admit card, and what to do after selection. It also clears up the single biggest confusion around this scheme: two different timelines that most websites mix up. Read the honesty box below first, because it can save you from chasing a deadline that was never meant for you.
NMMS Exam 2026-27: Quick Facts Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme name | National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) |
| Exam name | National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Examination (NMMSE) 2026-27 |
| Who can appear | Regular Class 8 students of government, government-aided and local body schools |
| Scholarship amount | Rs 12,000 per year (Rs 1,000 per month), from Class 9 to Class 12 |
| Total fresh scholarships | 1,00,000 every year across India |
| Conducted by | State SCERT or state examination board (each state separately) |
| State selection exams | 1 November 2026 to May 2027 (dates vary by state) |
| NSP portal | scholarships.gov.in (for applying after selection) |
Honesty Box: Two Timelines You Must Not Mix Up, Plus Disputed State Dates
The biggest confusion about NMMS comes from mixing up two separate processes. The first is the NSP portal scholarship application — this was for students who had already been selected in last year’s (2025-26) state examination. Its last date was 31 October 2026, which has now passed. The second is the state selection examination — this is for Class 8 students who will appear this year and get selected. These exams are being held between November 2026 and May 2027 in different states. If you are appearing this year, your exam is still ahead of you; the 31 October NSP date was not meant for you.
The second honest point is about state-wise exam dates. Many websites print every state’s date with equal confidence, but in reality some dates are confirmed by official notices and others rest only on secondary listings. In this guide, every date carries its status. West Bengal’s date of 20 December 2026 is confirmed on the West Bengal government’s official scholarships portal, so it is firm. Karnataka’s and Maharashtra’s 20 December dates appear in several listings, but could not be confirmed on their official portals in this check, so treat them as reported and cross-check on the state portal. Odisha is genuinely disputed — one listing says 4 November and another says 6 December — so Odisha students should trust only the SCERT Odisha portal. Never travel to an exam centre on the basis of a guessed date.
What Is the NMMS Scheme and Why Does It Matter
The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme was launched in May 2008 by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India. Its purpose is simple: to stop bright students from economically weaker families from dropping out after Class 8. In many poor households, the cost of further schooling rises sharply after Class 8, and children leave school to work. This scheme removes that barrier.
Every year, 1,00,000 fresh scholarships are awarded across the country. Each state gets a fixed quota — for example, West Bengal’s quota is 7,250 students and Uttar Pradesh’s quota is 15,143. Selection happens through a state-level examination, so a student competes only with students from their own state, not with the whole country. That makes this a genuinely winnable opportunity for a hardworking student.
The scholarship is Rs 12,000 per year, paid as Rs 1,000 per month, from Class 9 to Class 12. It is transferred directly to the beneficiary’s bank account through DBT. Over four years, one student receives Rs 48,000 in total — money that covers books, notebooks, school fees and travel costs. For a family earning less than Rs 3,50,000 a year, that support is significant.
NMMS Exam 2026-27 Eligibility
All of the following conditions must be met. If even one is missing, the application will not be accepted.
- The student must be a regular Class 8 student in a government, government-aided or local body school. Private school students cannot appear.
- The student must have scored at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade in the Class 7 annual examination. For SC/ST students, there is a 5% relaxation, so 50% marks are enough.
- The total annual income of the parents from all sources must not exceed Rs 3,50,000. An income certificate is required at the time of application.
- The student must have passed Class 7 from a government or aided school.
- Students of Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas and Sainik Schools are outside the scope of this scheme, because those institutions already provide residential facilities and support.
There are also conditions for keeping the scholarship after selection. To move from Class 9 to the next class, a general-category student must score at least 55% marks, and an SC/ST student 50%. In Class 10, at least 60% marks (55% for SC/ST) are required for the scholarship to continue into Classes 11 and 12. In addition, the student must file a renewal application on the NSP portal every year.
NMMS Exam Pattern: MAT and SAT
The state selection examination has two papers, held on the same day in two separate sessions. Both papers have multiple-choice questions.
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Duration | What is asked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental Ability Test (MAT) | 90 | 90 | 90 minutes (10:00 AM to 11:30 AM) | Reasoning, patterns, series, classification, coding and mental ability questions |
| Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) | 90 | 90 | 90 minutes (1:00 PM to 2:30 PM) | Mathematics, Science and Social Science from the Class 7 and 8 syllabus |
There are 180 questions and 180 marks in total. To qualify, a student must score at least 40% marks across both papers taken together. For SC/ST students, the qualifying mark is 32%. But merely qualifying is not enough — final selection is made from the merit list according to the state’s quota, so higher marks mean a better rank and a more certain selection.
State-wise NMMS Exam Dates 2026-27
In the table below, each date carries its status. “Official” means the date is confirmed by a government portal or a government press note. “Reported” means the date appears in secondary listings but could not be confirmed on the official portal in this check. Recheck your state’s portal one week before your exam.
| State / UT | Exam Date 2026-27 | Status | Official Portal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 1 November 2026 | Official (admit card released) | entdata.co.in |
| Telangana | 1 November 2026 | Official (admit card released) | bse.telangana.gov.in |
| Himachal Pradesh | 1 November 2026 | Official | himachalservices.nic.in |
| Meghalaya | 7 November 2026 | Reported | megeducation.gov.in |
| Nagaland | 7 November 2026 | Reported | scert.nagaland.gov.in |
| Punjab | 22 November 2026 | Official (SCERT Punjab notice) | ssapunjab.org |
| Assam | 28 November 2026 | Reported | madhyamik.assam.gov.in |
| Andhra Pradesh | 29 November 2026 | Reported | bse.ap.gov.in |
| Haryana | 29 November 2026 | Official (SCERT press note) | scertharyana.gov.in |
| Delhi | 5 December 2026 | Reported | edudel.nic.in |
| Gujarat | 5 December 2026 | Reported | sebexam.org |
| Odisha | 6 December 2026 | Disputed (one listing also says 4 November) | ntse.scertodisha.nic.in |
| Chhattisgarh | 12 December 2026 | Reported | scert.cg.gov.in |
| West Bengal | 20 December 2026 | Official (state scholarships portal) | scholarships.wbsed.gov.in |
| Karnataka | 20 December 2026 | Reported (one listing also says February 2027) | sslc.karnataka.gov.in |
| Maharashtra | 20 December 2026 | Reported | mscepune.in |
| Kerala | January 2027 | Date yet to be announced | scholarship.scert.kerala.gov.in |
| Madhya Pradesh | Yet to be announced | Date yet to be announced | educationportal.mp.gov.in |
| Bihar | Yet to be announced | Date yet to be announced | scert.bihar.gov.in |
| Jammu and Kashmir | March 2027 | Date yet to be announced | jkbose.nic.in |
| Jharkhand | March 2027 | Date yet to be announced | jacexamportal.in |
Note that in several states the application window has already closed — for example, West Bengal on 16 September, Punjab on 19 September, Haryana on 24 October and Uttar Pradesh on 29 September. Fresh applications cannot be made there now. This guide is for students who have already applied and are preparing for the exam, and for parents who want to plan early for next year.
How to Download the NMMS Admit Card
Admit cards are usually released about 10 to 15 days before the examination. Admit cards for Uttar Pradesh and Telangana were already released in October, because their exam was held on 1 November. For states with December exams, admit cards are expected in early December. The general steps are:
- Visit the official portal of your state’s SCERT or examination board (links are given in the table above).
- Find the NMMS or NMMSE 2026-27 link on the homepage and click it.
- Log in with your application number, date of birth or school code. In some states, admit cards are also distributed through schools, so do check with your school.
- Download the admit card and take a printout. Check your name, photograph, exam centre and exam timings carefully.
- On exam day, carry the admit card along with the original photo identity proof that was uploaded in the online application. Entry to the exam centre will not be allowed without it.
After Selection: Applying for the Scholarship on NSP
Selection in the state exam is only the first step. To actually receive the scholarship, the selected student must apply on the NSP portal (scholarships.gov.in) in the following year. This is where most mistakes happen. The steps are:
- Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) on the NSP portal — you need an Aadhaar number or Aadhaar Enrolment ID. OTR gives you a 14-digit number that is required for every NSP application.
- Log in with the OTR number, select the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme, and fill the fresh application.
- Upload your bank account details (Aadhaar-linked), income certificate, caste certificate (if applicable), Class 8 marksheet and proof of selection.
- Get the form verified by your school — the principal or nodal officer verifies the application online, and only then is the scholarship released.
- Keep checking the application status on the NSP portal. The money comes directly into the Aadhaar-linked bank account.
For 2026-27, the NSP last date was 31 October 2026, but that was for students selected last year. Students selected in this year’s state exams will apply on NSP next year. So after passing the exam, keep watching the NSP dates just as carefully as you prepared for the exam.
Documents Required for NMMS
- Class 7 marksheet (proof of 55% marks; 50% for SC/ST)
- Parents’ income certificate (annual income below Rs 3,50,000)
- Aadhaar card and an Aadhaar-linked bank account
- Caste certificate (if applicable)
- Disability certificate (if applicable)
- School certificate confirming the student is a regular Class 8 student
- Passport-size photograph and signature
Preparation Tips for the NMMS Exam
For MAT, practise reasoning questions for 20 to 30 minutes every day — series, coding, direction sense and classification questions appear most often. For SAT, stick to the NCERT books of Classes 7 and 8, because questions come from that syllabus. In Mathematics, strengthen the basics of percentage, ratio, area and simple algebra. In Science, understand experiments and principles from daily life rather than memorising them. In Social Science, practise map-based questions in Geography and dates of events in History. Solving previous years’ question papers is the most effective method — it teaches both the exam pattern and time management. On exam day, eat light between the two sessions and keep your mind fresh for the second paper.
Important Links (Official Portals Only)
| Purpose | Official Link |
|---|---|
| NSP portal (scholarship application) | scholarships.gov.in |
| West Bengal scholarships portal | scholarships.wbsed.gov.in |
| West Bengal education department scholarships page | banglarshiksha.wb.gov.in |
| Karnataka SSLC board | sslc.karnataka.gov.in |
| Maharashtra State Council of Examinations, Pune | mscepune.in |
| Haryana SCERT | scertharyana.gov.in |
| Telangana board | bse.telangana.gov.in |
| Uttar Pradesh exam regulatory authority | entdata.co.in |
| Punjab education department | ssapunjab.org |
| Delhi Directorate of Education | edudel.nic.in |
| Gujarat State Examination Board | sebexam.org |
| Odisha SCERT | ntse.scertodisha.nic.in |
NMMS Exam 2026-27: Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much scholarship is given in NMMS?
The selected student gets Rs 12,000 per year, that is Rs 1,000 per month, from Class 9 to Class 12. Over four years, the total is Rs 48,000, paid directly into the bank account.
2. Who is eligible for the NMMS exam?
A regular Class 8 student of a government, government-aided or local body school, who scored at least 55% marks in Class 7 (50% for SC/ST) and whose parents’ annual income is below Rs 3,50,000.
3. Who was the NSP last date of 31 October 2026 for?
It was for students who had already been selected in the 2025-26 state exam. Class 8 students appearing in this year’s state exams will apply on NSP next year.
4. When is the NMMS exam in West Bengal?
According to the West Bengal government’s official scholarships portal, the exam will be held on 20 December 2026. West Bengal’s quota is 7,250 students.
5. How many questions are there in the NMMS exam and what are the passing marks?
There are two papers — MAT and SAT — each with 90 questions and 90 marks. The total is 180 marks. To qualify, a student needs at least 40% marks across both papers together (32% for SC/ST). Final selection is by merit according to the state’s quota.
6. What should I do if my state has not announced its exam date yet?
Keep checking your state’s SCERT portal. Dates for Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and some other states are yet to be announced. Continue preparing for MAT and SAT in the meantime, so you are ready when the date comes.
7. Can private school students appear for the NMMS exam?
No. This scheme is only for regular Class 8 students of government, government-aided and local body schools.
Also read our related guides: NSP Scholarship 2026-27 Guide and Odisha Post-Matric Scholarship 2026-27.
Last updated: 1 November 2026. This article is published by a private information portal, not a government website. Please confirm final dates and rules from your state’s official SCERT portal or the NSP portal before acting.
