NMMS Full Form: Importance, Exam Dates, Benefits, Awards

The full form of NMMS is the National Merit-Cum Means Scholarship which was introduced for the students of class 8 to reduce the drop-out rates in higher secondary education. It is a national-level scholarship programme offered to candidates at the secondary level. 

NMMS exams eligibility is the same for all the states. Besides, the question paper differs for each state, and lakhs of students appear for the NMMS scholarship exam every year. Read the article to know more about NMMS exam dates, eligibility, application, and scholarship details.

What is NMMS?

The NMMS is National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS)." The centrally sponsored scheme was launched in May 2008 for meritorious students but belong to economically weaker sections. These NMMS scholarships are introduced to arrest the drop out of class VIII and encourage students to continue the study at the secondary stage.

NMMS application form and question papers are released state-wise by the State Council of Educational Research and Training, i.e., SCERT, on the respective official websites. To apply for the NMMS scholarship exam, the student must have scored at least 50% (55% for reserved categories) in class 8. Most importantly, the income of the student's parents must be less than INR 1.50 Lakh per annum from all the sources.

Some SCERTs conduct the NMMS exam tentatively in November/ December every year in offline mode, but from 2020, most of them will be conducted online. The exam pattern and sections in question papers are the same for all the states. The two sections in which students are tested are Mental Ability Test (MAT) and Scholastic Ability Test (SAT). The question paper of NMMS will be 180 marks. A minimum of 40% marks (32% for SC/ST) must be scored by the students to pass the NMMS exam 2020-21. The result of NMMS will be declared in February/March.

Here is some important information regarding NMMS:

NMMS Exam Dates

NMMS exam dates and the last date of registration may vary with state. However, the registration notification will be released by MHRD. After official registration notification, students can check their official status of the respective state on SCERT's official website.

National merit-cum-means scholarship exam dates for the academic year 2026-22 are given in the table below.

NMMS Eligibility Criteria

There are different criteria, which students should keep in mind while applying for the NMMS exam.

Ensure the details below before preparing and applying for the NMMS examination. 

• The candidates applying for NMMS must be Indian nationals.
• Candidates must be in class 8 in a recognized private or government school in India.
• The minimum required marks in class 8 is 55% (50% for reserved categories).
• Students' parental income should be less than INR 1.50 Lakhs per annum.
• Students studying in residential schools run by state government institutions with facilities like boarding, lodging, and education are also eligible.

NMMS Application Form

Students satisfying the eligibility criteria can apply for the NMMS exam. The applications are available online for the scholarship through NSP.

The step by step NMMS registration process is mentioned below:

Step 1: Visit the official website of the NSP, i.e., the National Scholarship Portal. Choose a new registration and sign up; if the student has already registered, sign in using a registered mail id.

Step 2: The students should fill in all the relevant information in the new registration. Details include personal details, address book, bank details, and governmental identity number. After registration, students should keep a copy of the application ID.

Step 3: On the home page of NTS, click on login to apply for the detailed registration form. After successful registration, students are requested to change the password for the first time.

Step 4: At every login, an OTP will be sent to the registered mobile number. After verifying the OTP, the applicant is redirected to a page where the password should be changed, directed to the applicant's dashboard page.

Step 5: The student required to fill in the application form is registration details, academic details, personal details, and account details. 

Step 6: After filling in the required details, the student can view the application status by clicking on the 'Check your Status' button.

Step 7: Students are requested to keep a printout of the NMMS application form for future reference.

NMMS Exam Fees

The registration fee for NMMS is INR 100 per student (if applicable). However, the affiliation fees for institutes are INR 200 per year per institution.

The NMMS application fee for Daman & Diu is INR 75 for general students and INR 55 for SC/ST students.

Documents Required for NMMS Application Form

Students may be required to submit a copy of academic and identity documents as proof while applying for the NMMS exam.

The important documents to be submitted while applying for the NMMS application are,

• Two passport size photographs
• Should submit a xerox copy of the class 7th exam's report card
• Xerox copy of the SC/ST certificate
• Disability certificate from the competent authority
• Should provide an income certificate from the competent authority

Also Read: NMMS Renewal: Important Dates, Eligibility, Process

NMMS Syllabus

The most important component to prepare for the NMMS exam is the NMMS syllabus. The talent search exam is conducted for students studying in class 10. The eligible students for the examination must be below 18 years of age and only be in the 10th class.

NMMS consists of two papers: Mental Ability Test (MAT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

• Mental Ability Test (MAT)

It tests student's knowledge of reasoning abilities and critical thinking through 90 MCQs (Multiple-Choice Questions).

The important topics covered are analogy, classification, numerical series, pattern perception, hidden figures, etc.

• Scholastic Ability Test (SAT)

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) consists of 90 MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) covering science, social studies, and mathematics as per the syllabus of classes 7 and 8.

Note: Students can refer to their class 7 and 8 books, NCERT class 7 books, and NCERT class 8 books.

NMMS Scholarship Amount

Every year the selected students are awarded a scholarship of INR 12,000 per annum (as INR 1,000 per month) for study in classes from IX to XII in State Government, Government Aided, and local body schools.

To renew their NMMS scholarships, students have to enter their application number and date of birth, which they registered the previous year. In addition, only students eligible for NMMS renewal can access the "Apply for Renewal "option on the portal's homepage.

Also Read: NMMS Scholarship Registration Process | Eligibility, Application Fees