The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Union Ministry of Education, organised a one-day regional Orientation-cum-Review Workshop on the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, on Wednesday (October 14, 2026).

The Workshop focused on reviewing the progress of implementation of the Scheme, orienting officials on its mode of operation through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), and discussing issues raised by States regarding the verification of student applications at the levels of Institute Nodal Officers (INOs) and District Nodal Officers (DNOs).

The Workshop included detailed presentations and interactive technical sessions covering the implementation of NMMSS for the academic year 2026–27, including:

• Registration of fresh students
• Status of onboarding
• Application verification process
• Live demonstration of NSP processes for INOs and DNOs and
• Feedback and experiences shared by NMMSS student awardees.

The Workshop was led by Economic Adviser, DoSEL, Ms. A. Srija. Officials responsible for the implementation of the Scheme at the State, district and institute levels participated in the Workshop. Joint Director, Rashtriya Shiksha Kendra-cum-State Nodal Officer (NMMSS), Madhya Pradesh, along with approximately 40 District Nodal Officers (DNOs) and 5 Institute Nodal Officers (INOs) from Bhopal district attended the Workshop. Selected student beneficiaries of the Scheme and their guardians also participated in the programme.

The Ministry emphasised the important role of State Nodal Officers (SNOs), DNOs and INOs in ensuring accurate and timely verification of applications submitted by beneficiary students on the NSP for the academic year 2026–27. The last date for registration of applications for the academic year 2026–27 is October 31, 2026. The last dates for verification of applications at the INO and DNO levels are 15 November 2026 and 30 November 2026, respectively.

The interaction provided an opportunity for States/UTs to share their experiences in implementing the Scheme, identify operational and technical challenges, and discuss measures to improve the efficiency of registration, verification and scholarship delivery.

The Workshop also aimed to establish clear responsibilities at the State, district and institute levels and strengthen coordination among all stakeholders involved in the implementation of the scheme. The Ministry reiterated its commitment to ensuring 100% scholarship saturation and zero dropouts among eligible beneficiaries under NMMSS.

The NMMSS is a Central Sector Scheme aimed at providing financial support to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections, with the objective of reducing dropouts after Class VIII and encouraging students to continue their education up to Class XII. Under the scheme, eligible students receive a scholarship of ₹12,000 per annum. The selection examination is conducted by the respective States/UTs, while registration, authentication and scholarship disbursement are undertaken through the NSP.*****

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