National Scholarship Portal for National Means cum Merit Scholarship scheme

Why is in news? A National level Workshop held with States/UTs on National Scholarship Portal for National Means cum Merit Scholarship scheme

• The National Means cum Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) is boarded on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) - a one stop platform for scholarship schemes given to students.
• NMMSS scholarships are disbursed directly into the bank accounts of selected students by electronic transfer through Public Financial Management System (PFMS) following DBT mode.
• This is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme.
• Under the ‘National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme’ scholarships are awarded to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest their drop out at class VIII and encourage them to continue their education at secondary stage.
• Students whose parental income from all sources is not more than Rs. 3,50,000/- per annum are eligible to avail the scholarships.
• The students must have minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade in Class VII examination for appearing in the selection test for award of scholarship (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST students).