National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme

Introduction

• National Means-cum-merit Scholarship Scheme is Central Scheme of Department of School Education & Literacy.
• It was launched in May, 2008.
• The Scheme is available for the students belongs to economically weaker sections.
• Scholarship amount of Rs. 1000/- per month will be paid to the selected students.
• The scheme is available for the period of 4 years from Class 9th to Class 12th.
• Every year scholarship will be provided to 1,00,000 students.
• Students will be selected through a test.
• Disbursement of the scholarship amount will be paid through Direct Benefit Transfer.
• State Bank of India is the implementing bank for the scheme.

Eligibility Conditions

• Parent income of the student should be below Rs. 3,50,000/- per annum.
• Students will have to secure minimum of 55 % marks in Class VIII examination.
• For SC and ST students minimum marks percent required is 50 %.
• Only those students are eligible who are studying in :-
  • Government Schools.
  • Government-aided Schools.
  • Local Body School.
• Students studying in Kendriya Vidyalaya and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya are not eligible for scholarship.
• Students studying in private school are also not eligible.

Selection Procedure

• Every State and Union Territory conducts a separate test at the stage of Class VIII for selection.
• Exam consist two test:-
  1. Mental Ability Test (MAT).
     • It consist 90 multiple-choice questions
     • Questions asked on verbal and non-verbal meta-cognitive abilities.
     • The questions are based on :-
       • Reasoning.
       • Critical Thinking.
       • Analogy.
       • Classification.
       • Numerical Series.
       • Pattern Perception.
       • Hidden Figure etc.
  2. Scholastic Aptitude Test.
     • It also consist 90 multiple-choice questions
     • Questions are based on subjects covering :-
       • Science.
       • Social Studies.
       • Mathematics.
• Duration of test is 90 minutes.
• Children with disability given extra time as mandated by the respective State Governments.
• It is mandatory to pass in both the test.
• Cut off is 40% marks aggregate for both the test.
• The cut off for students belongs to Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe is 32% marks.
• Students qualified in the MAT and SAT then register themselves on National Scholarship Portal.
• Applications subject to verify on the portal.
• After verification final list of eligible candidates uploaded on the National Scholarship Portal.
• Ministry then sanction the fund and releases to SBI for allocation.
• State Bank of India disburse the scholarship amount directly to the bank account of the students under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Feature of the Scheme.

• The operational time period of the scheme is from 2021-22 to 2025-26, i.e. for the period of 5 years.
• This scheme is only for the students who studying in Government or Government aided schools.
• The amount of scholarship is increased from Rs. 6000/- to Rs. 12,000/- on 1st of April 2017.
• Student can avail only one scholarship of any Central Scholarship Scheme.
• Students required to open bank account preferably in SBI or any public sector bank.
• No scholarship shall be awarded for studying abroad for any course under this scheme.
• In case, student leave his/her course of study within 1 month, then no scholarship shall be paid to him/her.
• It is mandatory for the student to join the next class within 3 months after the result of the previous class.
• Scholarship will get discontinue if student take gap for any reason in single academic session.
• Once the scholarship discontinued by the government then it cannot be revived under no circumstances.

Renewal Criteria of the Scheme.

• From Class 9th to Class 10th, student required to get clearly passed the exam in first attempt.
• Minimum 60% marks in Class 10th is mandatory to secure by the student for renewal of the scheme.
• For Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe students minimum marks required for renewal is 55%.
• From Class 11th to Class 12th, student must clear the final exams in first attempt.
• If students fulfill these above criteria then the scholarship will renew every year.

Seat Allocation to the States/UTs.

Important Links

• Department of School Education & Literacy.
• National Scholarship Portal.
• National Scholarship Portal App.
• Fresh Registration on NSP.
• Guidelines of the Scheme.
• Nodal Officer Details.
• Telephone Directory

Contact Details

• National Scholarship Portal Help Desk :- 0120-6619540.
• Nodal Officer :- 0112-3383363
• Email :- helpdesk@nsp.gov.in.
• Address :- Department of School education & Literacy, Ministry of Education
  Shastri Bhawan, Dr Rajendra Prasad Rd, Rajpath Area, Central Secretariat
  New Delhi-110001.