National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme(NMMSS)

News:Union HRD minister has said that the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme(NMMSS) has helped to reduce the drop-out rate at the secondary and senior secondary classes.

Facts:

About the Scheme:

• Aim:To award scholarships to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest their drop out at class VIII and encourage them to continue the study at secondary stage.
• The Scheme was launched in 2008 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development(HRD).

Features of the scheme:

• Under the Scheme Rs.12000 per annum per student are awarded to selected students of class IX every year and their continuation/renewal  in classes X to XII for study.
• The selection of students for award of scholarships under the scheme is made through an examination conducted by the States/UTs Governments.
• The scheme has been on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) since 2015-16.

Additional information:

About National Scholarship Portal(NSP):

• It has been developed by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY).
• The portal aims to streamline and fast track the release of Scholarships across Ministries / Departments with efficiency, transparency and reliability.

Dropout rate in Schools:

• Recently,the Union HRD minister has informed the Lok Sabha that the dropout rate in schools was highest in Assam at both primary and secondary levels.
• Reasons for dropout include: a) poverty or economic reasons b) poor health c) child too young to be attending school and d) child needed for help in domestic work.