Lok Sabha Question No. 2531 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-17
Subject: National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Navaskani K, Shri C N Annadurai, Shri Arun Bharti

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2531

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2025

## National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme

2531. Shri Arun Bharti: Shri Navaskani K: Shri C N Annadurai:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  objectives  and  the  key  features  of  the  National  Means-cum-Merit  Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS);
- (b) the total number of students who have benefitted by the Scheme in the country during the last three years including Tamil Nadu;
- (c)  the  details  of  funds  allocated,  sanctioned  and  disbursed  under  the  scheme  since January 2020, year-wise and State/UT-wise including Bihar;
- (d) whether the Government has identified any challenges in the implementation of the scheme and if so, the step taken by the Government in this regard;
- (e)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  measures  to  ensure  effective  monitoring, transparency  and  timely  disbursement  of  scholarships  under  the  scheme  across  the country including Bihar and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) whether there is any plans of the Government to increase the number of scholarships, revise eligibility criteria or enhance the scholarship amount to support more meritorious students from weaker sections and if so, the details thereof;
- (g) the details of the measures taken by the Government to increase awareness about the NMMSS among eligible students in Bihar;
- (h) whether the Government is considering to increase the allocation for Bihar under the Scheme to  cater  the  rising  demand  of  scholarships  in  the  State  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (i)  whether  disbursal  of  NMMSS  in  Bihar  have  improved  access  to  education  among underprivileged students and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHOUDHARY)

- (a)  The objective of Central Sector 'National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme' is to award scholarships to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest

their  dropout  at  class  VIII  and  encourage them to  continue  their  study  at  secondary stageupto  Class  XII.  One  lakh  fresh  scholarships  @  of  Rs.12000/-  per  annum  per student is awarded to selected meritorious students of class IX every year and their continuation/renewal  in  classes  X,  XI  and  XII  for  study  in  a  State  Government, Government-aided or Local body schools. Each State/UT is allotted a fixed quota for selection  of  meritorious  students.      The  scheme  provides  reservation  to  different categories of students as per the State/UT norms. The selection of students for award of scholarships under the scheme is made through an examination conducted by the State/UT Governments. The scheme is boarded on National Scholarship Portal (NSP) for  receipt  of  applications  of  students  in  on-line  mode.  Scholarships  are  disbursed directly  by  electronic  transfer  into  the  accounts  of  students  through  Public  Financial Management System (PFMS).

- (b)  7,16,407 number of students have benefitted by the Scheme in the country during the last three years from 2021-22 to 2023-24 including Tamil Nadu.
- (c)  The  details  of  funds  allocated,  sanctioned  and  disbursed  under  the  scheme  since January  2020,  year-wise  is  given  at  Annexure  -I  and  State/UT-wise  number  of scholarships sanctioned including Bihar is given at Annexure -II.
- (d)  For  streamlining  and  fast-tracking  release  of  scholarships,  NMMSS  is  completely boarded on  National  Scholarship  Portal  (NSP)  since  2018-19to  deliver  scholarships with efficiency, transparency and reliability. Aadhaar Payment Bridge (APB) gateway is used for disbursal of scholarship through NSP in DBT mode. It is a unique payment system, which uses Aadhaar number as a central key for electronically channelizing the  scholarship  amount  in  the  Aadhaar  seeded  Bank  Account  of  the  beneficiary. Benefits  of  APB  System  include  elimination  of  delays  and  transfer  of  benefits  in  a seamless, timely manner and directly into the Aadhaar seeded Bank Account. All the eligible candidates across the country have to register themselves on NSP to avail the scholarship under NMMSS.  But technical glitches due to frequent revisions of NSP and  revised  Standard  Operating  Procedure  (SOP)  still  prevail  and  therefore,  poor students from rural areas are not able to adapt themselves to the system. Connectivity in remote areas is another major issue in implementation of scheme at ground level.
- (e)  Ministry  of  Education  continuously  engages  with  NSP  Team  and  DBT  Mission  in Cabinet Secretariat, which is directly monitoring implementation of scholarship schemes  boarded  on  NSP.  The  Ministry  is  regularly  organizing  virtual/physical orientation sessions with the State/District &Institution Nodal Officers on the modalities for  registering,  biometric  authentication and verification of applicants on the NSP for NMMS  scheme.  The  Ministry  is  also  operating  a  Helpline  No.  011-23383363  for registering and resolving thecomplaints/grievances of students, teachers, parents&Nodal Officers.  Grievance  Redressal  Mechanism  is  also  available  on  NSP, which is integrated with CPGRAMs, for resolving the complaints of students.

- (f)  The Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) had approved continuation of the scheme after enhancing the amount of scholarship from Rs.6000/- to Rs.12000/- per annum in 2017-18  upto  2020-21.  The  Cabinet  Committee  on  Economic  Affairs  (CCEA)  has approved continuation of the scheme from 2021-22upto 2025-26.
- (g)  The Ministry of Education conducts workshops and virtual orientation sessions with all States/UTs,  including  Bihar,  to  take  suitable  measures  for  promoting  awareness among eligible students. Besides the forum of PIB Vartalap, social media is used for dissemination about the scheme features and NSP operations.
- (h)    Any  modification  in  allocation  for  scheme  is  considered  after  due  deliberation  with State/UT.  There  is  no  proposal  at  present  to  increase  the  number  of  students  for scholarships for Bihar.
- (i)   Based on the Third-Party Evaluation of NMMSS conducted by Institute of Economic Growth  in  2020,  it  was  observed  that  the  scheme  has  been  received  well  by  the meritorious students from the economically disadvantaged sections of the society in all States/UTs  including  Bihar.  This  scholarship  helps  eligible  students  to  pursue  their secondary  and  senior  secondary  education  without  any  economic  hindrance.The meritorious children from economically backward sections of remote and rural areas are  not  only  benefited  during  their  secondary  and  senior  secondary  stages  of education,  but  also  feel  motivated  and  inspired  to  compete  academics  without burdening their parents.

*****

## Annexure-I

Annexure referred to in Part  (c) of the reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2531 asked by Shri Arun Bharti, Shri  Navaskani  K., Shri C N Annadurai, Hon'ble Member of Parliament to be answered on 17.03.2025 regarding 'National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme"

Statement  showing  funds  allocation  and  year-wise  number  of  scholarships  and  funds sanctioned  under  the  National  Means-cum-Merit  Scholarship  Scheme  (NMMSS)  during theyears 2020-21 to 2023-24.

Scholarships

|   S.No. | Financial Year   |   Budget Allocation (Rs. in crore) R.E. |   Amount Sanctioned on Scholarships (Rs. in crore) |   Number of Scholarships (Fresh +Renewals) |
|---------|------------------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
|       1 | 2020-21          |                                  350    |                                             319.09 |                                     267503 |
|       2 | 2021-22          |                                  284.2  |                                             248.15 |                                     206794 |
|       3 | 2022-23          |                                  307.45 |                                             299.91 |                                     259524 |
|       4 | 2023-24          |                                  358    |                                             300.1  |                                     250089 |

Note : Funds under the scheme are not allocated to States/UTs but transferred directly to bank accounts of the beneficiaries

## Annexure-II

Annexure referred to in Part  (c) of the reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2531  asked by Shri Arun Bharti, Shri  Navaskani  K., Shri C N Annadurai, Hon'ble Member of Parliament to be answered on 17.03.2025 regarding 'National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme"

Statement showing State wise and year-wise number of scholarships and funds sanctioned under the National Meanscum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) during the years 2020-21 to 2023-24.

| S.N   |                                      | F.Y. 2020-21                            | F.Y. 2020-21         | F.Y. 2021-22                            | F.Y. 2021-22         | F.Y. 2022-23                            | F.Y. 2022-23         | F.Y. 2023-24                            | F.Y. 2023-24         |
|-------|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------|
| o.    | Name of State/UTs                    | Number of Scholarships (Fresh+Rene wal) | Amoun t (Rs in lakh) | Number of Scholarships (Fresh+Rene wal) | Amoun t (Rs in lakh) | Number of Scholarships (Fresh+Rene wal) | Amoun t (Rs in lakh) | Number of Scholarships (Fresh+Rene wal) | Amoun t (Rs in lakh) |
| 1     | Andaman & Nicobar Islands            | 129                                     | 15.48                | 129                                     | 15.48                | 141                                     | 16.92                | 143                                     | 17.16                |
| 2     | Andhra Pradesh                       | 9063                                    | 1087.5 6             | 7451                                    | 894.12               | 7366                                    | 883.92               | 9900                                    | 1188.0 0             |
| 3     | Telangana                            | 5112                                    | 613.44               | 4315                                    | 517.80               | 4373                                    | 524.76               | 3672                                    | 440.64               |
| 4     | Arunachal Pradesh                    | 117                                     | 14.04                | 112                                     | 13.44                | 303                                     | 27.96                | 144                                     | 17.28                |
| 5     | Assam                                | 2291                                    | 273.48               | 2403                                    | 288.36               | 3813                                    | 457.56               | 4931                                    | 591.72               |
| 6     | Bihar                                | 15670                                   | 1862.7 6             | 10029                                   | 1203.4 8             | 14140                                   | 1676.7 0             | 12749                                   | 1529.8 8             |
| 7     | Chandigar h                          | 322                                     | 38.64                | 173                                     | 20.76                | 204                                     | 24.48                | 234                                     | 28.08                |
| 8     | Chhattisga rh                        | 919                                     | 110.28               | 1434                                    | 172.08               | 25070                                   | 2029.7 4             | 3190                                    | 382.80               |
| 9     | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | 67                                      | 8.04                 | 78                                      | 9.36                 | 144                                     | 14.04                | 107                                     | 12.84                |
| 10    | Delhi                                | 8102                                    | 972.24               | 2368                                    | 284.16               | 2367                                    | 284.04               | 2718                                    | 326.16               |
| 11    | Goa                                  | 90                                      | 10.80                | 77                                      | 9.24                 | 79                                      | 9.48                 | 178                                     | 21.36                |
| 12    | Gujarat                              | 15899                                   | 1907.8 8             | 13027                                   | 1563.2 4             | 13536                                   | 1624.2 6             | 14307                                   | 1716.8 4             |
| 13    | Haryana                              | 10540                                   | 1264.8 0             | 6806                                    | 816.72               | 7200                                    | 864.00               | 7256                                    | 870.72               |
| 14    | Himachal Pradesh                     | 3356                                    | 402.72               | 2973                                    | 356.76               | 3068                                    | 368.16               | 3003                                    | 360.36               |
| 15    | Jammu & Kashmir                      | 3135                                    | 376.20               | 2462                                    | 295.44               | 2794                                    | 335.28               | 2221                                    | 266.52               |
| 16    | Jharkhand                            | 1339                                    | 160.68               | 1588                                    | 190.56               | 2166                                    | 259.92               | 2466                                    | 295.92               |
| 17    | Karnataka                            | 13298                                   | 1595.7 6             | 12242                                   | 1469.0 4             | 13075                                   | 1569.0 0             | 14183                                   | 1701.9 6             |
| 18    | Kerala                               | 13031                                   | 1563.7 2             | 12810                                   | 1537.2 0             | 13321                                   | 1598.5 2             | 13574                                   | 1628.8 8             |
| 19    | Ladakh                               | #                                       | #                    | #                                       | #                    | #                                       | #                    | 112                                     | 13.44                |
| 20    | Lakshadw eep                         | -                                       | *                    | -                                       | *                    | -                                       | *                    | 8                                       | 0.96                 |

| 21    | Madhya Pradesh   |   14511 | 1595.7 1   | 15521   | 1862.5 2   | 17459   | 1981.9 8   |   16585 | 1990.2 0   |
|-------|------------------|---------|------------|---------|------------|---------|------------|---------|------------|
| 22    | Maharasht ra     |   59152 | 7090.2 0   | 36424   | 4370.8 8   | 37730   | 4527.6 0   |   37953 | 4554.3 6   |
| 23    | Manipur          |     130 | 15.60      | 105     | 12.60      | 154     | 18.48      |     291 | 34.92      |
| 24    | Meghalaya        |     304 | 36.48      | 85      | 10.20      | 122     | 14.64      |     155 | 18.60      |
| 25    | Mizoram          |     277 | 33.24      | 219     | 26.28      | 728     | 59.64      |     291 | 34.92      |
| 26    | Nagaland         |     659 | 79.08      | -       | *          | -       | *          |      65 | 7.80       |
| 27    | Odisha           |   13978 | 1677.3 6   | 8713    | 1045.5 6   | 9354    | 1122.4 8   |   10267 | 1232.0 4   |
| 28    | Puducherr y      |     398 | 47.76      | 370     | 44.40      | 375     | 45.00      |     381 | 45.72      |
| 29    | Punjab           |    5010 | 596.70     | 4556    | 546.72     | 5124    | 614.88     |    5729 | 687.48     |
| 30    | Rajasthan        |   11198 | 1329.7 2   | 9964    | 1195.6 8   | 16035   | 1924.2 0   |   14407 | 1728.8 4   |
| 31    | Sikkim           |      98 | 11.76      | 92      | 11.04      | 137     | 16.44      |     157 | 18.84      |
| 32    | Tamil Nadu       |   26932 | 3231.8 4   | 22215   | 2665.8 0   | 22801   | 2736.1 2   |   23183 | 2781.9 6   |
| 33    | Tripura          |     464 | 55.62      | 458     | 54.96      | 729     | 87.48      |     962 | 115.44     |
| 34    | Uttar Pradesh    |    5141 | 616.86     | 5772    | 692.64     | 9837    | 1180.4 4   |   16528 | 1983.3 6   |
| 35    | Uttarakhan d     |    3637 | 436.44     | 1386    | 166.32     | 1730    | 207.60     |    2123 | 254.76     |
| 36    | West Bengal      |   23134 | 2776.0 8   | 20437   | 2452.4 4   | 24049   | 2885.8 8   |   25916 | 3109.9 2   |
| Total | Total            |  267503 | 31908. 97  | 206794  | 24815. 28  | 259524  | 29991. 60  |  250089 | 30010. 68  |

*  Proposal not received from State/UT Governments.

# Laddakh included in Jammu & Kashmir State.