NMMS Application Form 2025-26 — State-wise Registration & How to Apply

The NMMS (National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship) is a scheme to help students from less privileged homes stay in school. The idea is to give meritorious students some financial support so they don’t drop out after class 8. If you’re in class 8 now (or just passed it), this is something you should know about.

In 2025-26, many states will open the NMMS application forms state by state. Each state’s education department or SCERT matters here. So, this post will walk you through the steps, eligibility, state variations, and important dates.

Let’s get started.

What is NMMS & Who It Helps

NMMS (National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship) is a government initiative. It grants a scholarship to deserving students who:

• Are studying in class 8 in government, government-aided, or local body schools
• Have good marks in class 7 (sometimes a cut-off is applied)
• Belong to families with income below a certain limit (for example, many states use ₹3,50,000 per year)
• Are regular students (not in open schooling)

If you clear the NMMS exam, you’ll be eligible for scholarship in classes 9 to 12. That helps with fees, books, etc.

Eligibility Criteria (2025-26)

Here are general eligibility rules. But always check your state’s SCERT / education board, because small details vary.

• You must be a student of class 8 in a recognized school (government, aided, local body).
• You should have secured a minimum mark in class 7. Many states set it at 55% (for SC/ST sometimes a relaxation, e.g. 50%).
• Parents’ or guardians’ total annual income should be less than or equal to ₹3,50,000 (or whatever the state limit is).
• You should not be receiving any other central government scholarship.
• Students from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya sometimes are not eligible (depends on state).

If you meet all these, you can fill the form.

State-wise Registration & Timing

Each state’s education department (or SCERT) releases its own NMMS application form. Some do it online, some offline, some both. The important thing: don’t wait too long.

Here are some state examples:

• Uttar Pradesh: Application window is from August 27 to October 4, 2025. Exam date is November 9, 2025. The results are expected in February 2026. (through entdata.co.in)
• Maharashtra: The NMMS 2025-26 application form was released on September 12, 2025. The last date is October 11, 2025. Schools are involved in submitting student forms.
• Himachal Pradesh: Online form last date extended to September 30, 2025.
• Odisha: In Odisha, the online application (and submission of hard copies) runs from August 1 to September 30, 2025.

See below for general national schedule (approximate, state-wise exceptions will exist).

Important Dates (Tentative / State-wise)

Below is a guide to the major timelines. Do not assume these are the same everywhere. Always check your state’s official notice.

Again: these are general dates. Your state might have earlier or later deadlines.

How to Fill the NMMS Application Form (Step by Step)

Here’s how students generally complete the form:

1. Register / Login
   Go to National Scholarship Portal (NSP) or your state’s SCERT portal. If new, create a profile; if you already have one, log in.
2. Select NMMS Scheme
   After login, find “Apply for NMMS”（or “NMMSS”) under scholarship schemes.
3. Fill Personal, Academic Details
   Name, date of birth, class, school, state, etc. Also, you’ll fill in details like bank account, Aadhar, etc.
4. Upload Documents
   You will upload scanned copies:
   • Photograph
   • Signature
   • Income Certificate
   • Caste/category certificate (if applicable)
   • Domicile/address proof
   • Marksheet or school certificate
5. Verification by School / State
   Some states ask you to submit a hard copy via school or physical verification. Others accept fully online.
6. Submit / Finalize Form
   Check everything before pressing “Submit”. Once done, download or save the confirmation/acknowledgment.

One thing: in Assam, their online form instructions mention using Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome for better results. Also, they list all required documents to be ready beforehand.

Application Fee

In many states, the NMMS application is free or the fee is very low. Some states may charge a small examination fee depending on category. Always check your state’s notification.

Exam Pattern & Selection

The NMMS scholarship exam has two parts:

• MAT (Mental Ability Test) – tests reasoning, pictorial, spatial ability
• SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) – covers subjects like Maths, Science, Social Studies, Languages

Each paper has multiple choice questions. The total marks, time, negative marking rules differ by state, so read your state’s exam pattern carefully.

Students who score above cut-offs (which vary by state and category) will be placed in a merit list and awarded scholarships.

What After You Submit?

• Admit cards will be issued (usually via school or online).
• You’ll appear for NMMS exam on scheduled date.
• After exam, answer keys may be released.
• Result/merit list is published state-wise.
• If your name is on the merit list, you’ll get the scholarship via DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) into your bank account.

For example, in Assam, scholarship disbursement is done via DBT through SBI (State Bank of India).

Things to Watch Out for & Tips

• Don’t delay. State deadlines can sneak up fast.
• Scan documents in correct format, size. Blurry scans = rejected.
• Ensure your income, category proofs are valid and matching records.
• Use a good browser; some state portals work better in specific ones (Assam uses Firefox / Chrome).
• After filling form, check school/state verification status.
• Keep a printed or soft copy of confirmation/acknowledgment.

State Differences You Must Note

Because education is a concurrent subject, states control much of NMMS implementation. That means:

• Some states allow offline submission via school; others are fully online.
• The cut-off marks vary state to state and across categories (General, OBC, SC, ST).
• Exam dates vary widely — what’s November in one state may be December in another.
• Some states may restrict certain schools (KVs, JNVs) from eligibility.

So always check:

• Your State SCERT / education department website
• Your school’s notice board
• The National Scholarship Portal (NSP)

Official Links You Should Remember

These links will help:

• National Scholarship Portal (NSP) — where you’ll register and apply
• Your State SCERT / Education Department website — to see state notifications
• State NMMS / SCERT portals for application forms, exam updates

These are the places where official, latest updates come first.

Final Thoughts

Filling the NMMS application form 2025-26 state-wise is not too difficult, but you need to be careful. Miss a date, upload a wrong file, or have a mismatch in proofs, and your form might be rejected.

If you’re eligible (class 8, meets marks, family income, etc.), don’t wait till the last day. Collect your documents, bookmark your state’s SCERT site, use NSP properly, and submit early.