Lok Sabha Question No. 60 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme in UP
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Pushpendra Saroj

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 60. ANSWERED ON 01/12/2025

## National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme in UP

60.     Shri Pushpendra Saroj:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  total  number  of  students  in  the  country  including  Uttar  Pradesh  who  have  been  awarded scholarships under the  National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) year and social category-wise (Gen, OBC, SC, ST);
- (b) the details of funds allocated, sanctioned, and utilized under the schemes during the last five years, with specific mention of disbursement delays, State/UT-wise;
- (c)  the  total  number  of  eligible  students  who  cleared  the  selection  test  but  did  not  receive  the scholarship due to procedural or verification delays if any in the country, State/UT/district-wise and social category-wise (Gen, OBC, SC, ST) for Uttar Pradesh; and
- (d) whether the Government has any plans to increase the number of scholarships awarded every year; if so, the details thereof?

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

- (a) to (d) The total number of category-wise (Gen, OBC, SC, ST) students who have been awarded scholarships in the country including UP state during the last five years, along with the details of funds allocated, sanctioned, and utilized under the scheme is tabulated below:

| S. No.   | Financial Year   | Funds allocation (Rs. in crore)   | Actual Expenditure (Rs. in crore)   | No. of scholarship (Fresh +Renewals)   | No. of scholarship (Fresh +Renewals)   | No. of scholarship (Fresh +Renewals)   | No. of scholarship (Fresh +Renewals)   |
|----------|------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | Financial Year   | Funds allocation (Rs. in crore)   | Actual Expenditure (Rs. in crore)   | General/OBC                            | SC                                     | ST                                     | Total                                  |
| 1        | 2020-21          | 350.00                            | 321.11                              | 186634                                 | 58307                                  | 22562                                  | 267503                                 |
| 2        | 2021-22          | 284.20                            | 251.98                              | 142218                                 | 48116                                  | 16460                                  | 206794                                 |
| 3        | 2022-23          | 307.45                            | 306.49                              | 169425                                 | 60404                                  | 29695                                  | 259524                                 |
| 4        | 2023-24          | 358.00                            | 313.10                              | 169624                                 | 60080                                  | 20385                                  | 250089                                 |
| 5        | 2024-25          | 352.60                            | 352.49                              | 187276                                 | 66961                                  | 23523                                  | 277760                                 |

Each State/UT conducts its own test for selection of students for the award of the National Meanscum-Merit Scholarship. The selected students register on National Scholarship Portal (NSP) wherein their application is verified by Institute Nodal Officer and District Nodal Officer. The final verified applications  are  considered  for  sanction  and  disbursal  of  scholarship.  NSP  aims  at  providing  a Simplified, Mission-oriented, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent 'SMART' System for faster and effective disbursal of Scholarship to eligible applicants directly into their account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) without any leakages. NSP is open for a definite time frame every year for registration of students and verification by Nodal Officers, during which students complete their fresh registration  /renewal  of  applications  and  Institute  Nodal  officers  (INOs)  &  District  Nodal  officers (DNOs) complete their verification process. Therefore, there are no procedural or verification delays.

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