Disclaimer: Easy Education Tips is an independent educational website. We are not connected to the Government of Tamil Nadu, the Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE) or the National Scholarship Portal. Dates, eligibility rules and amounts in this post are taken from published reports and may change. Please confirm everything with your school headmaster and the official DGE notification at dge.tn.gov.in before you apply.
If your child is in Class 8 in a government school, the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) is one of the most valuable scholarship exams to try. This guide explains who can apply, how the exam works, and how to prepare in the weeks that remain, with 10 practice questions we wrote ourselves and solved step by step.
Important dates (as reported)
| Event | Reported date |
|---|---|
| Application through school | 26 October to 3 November 2026 |
| Exam | 12 December 2026 |
| Result | Expected February 2027 |
Please verify these dates. Applications are reported to be handled through schools, so speak to your class teacher or headmaster immediately. Do not wait for the last day.
What is NMMS?
NMMS is a scholarship scheme for talented students from families with limited income. Students who qualify in the state-level exam in Class 8 and are selected are reported to receive ₹12,000 per year, which is about ₹1,000 a month, to support their studies in Classes 9 to 12. Renewal each year depends on the scheme's conditions, so ask your school for the current rules.
Who can apply?
According to published reports, a student must:
- Study in Class 8 in a government, government-aided or local body school.
- Have scored at least 55% in Class 7 (50% for SC/ST students).
- Come from a family whose total annual income is not more than ₹3.5 lakh.
Students in private schools, and those in schools such as Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas and Sainik schools, are reported as not eligible. You will usually need an income certificate and your Class 7 marksheet. Your school will tell you the exact documents.
Exam pattern
The exam has two papers. Both are multiple choice and are reported to have no negative marking.
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | What it tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAT (Mental Ability Test) | 90 | 90 | 90 minutes | Reasoning: series, analogies, classification, coding-decoding, directions, blood relations |
| SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) | 90 | 90 | 90 minutes | Mathematics, Science and Social Science from Classes 7 and 8 |
Reports state that you must reach at least 40% to qualify (32% for SC/ST students). Some sources say this applies to each paper and others say it applies to the two papers added together. Check the official notification for the exact rule. Qualifying does not guarantee selection, because seats are limited and allotted from the merit list.
A 6-week preparation plan
With the exam reported for 12 December, you have about six weeks. This is our suggested plan, not an official one.
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | MAT: number series, analogies, odd-one-out. Practise 15 questions a day. |
| 2 | MAT: coding-decoding, directions, blood relations. Review mistakes. |
| 3 | SAT Mathematics from Classes 7 and 8: fractions, percentages, equations, area, speed. |
| 4 | SAT Science: read each chapter summary, then answer the textbook questions from memory. |
| 5 | SAT Social Science: maps, timelines, key terms. Revise weak Maths and Science topics. |
| 6 | Two full timed papers (90 minutes each). Correct them and revise only your weak areas. |
10 practice questions with solutions
We wrote these questions ourselves for practice. They show the style of the exam but are not from any past paper.
Part A: MAT (reasoning)
Q1. Find the next number: 4, 9, 19, 39, 79, ?
Solution: Each number is double the previous number plus 1. 4×2+1 = 9, 9×2+1 = 19, 19×2+1 = 39, 39×2+1 = 79. So next = 79×2+1 = 159.
Q2. Find the next number: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ?
Solution: The differences are 4, 6, 8, 10, so the next difference is 12. 30 + 12 = 42.
Q3. Which number does not belong: 8, 27, 64, 100, 125?
Solution: 8 = 2³, 27 = 3³, 64 = 4³, 125 = 5³ are all cubes. 100 is not a cube. Answer: 100.
Q4. In a code, CAT is written as ECV. How is DOG written in that code?
Solution: Each letter moves 2 places forward: C→E, A→C, T→V. So D→F, O→Q, G→I. Answer: FQI.
Q5. Ravi's mother's only brother has a daughter, Meena. How is Meena related to Ravi?
Solution: Ravi's mother's brother is his maternal uncle. His uncle's daughter is Ravi's cousin.
Q6. A boy walks 5 m north, turns right and walks 3 m, then turns right again and walks 5 m. How far is he from the starting point, and in which direction?
Solution: North 5 m, then east 3 m, then south 5 m. The north and south walks cancel, so he is 3 m east of the start.
Part B: SAT (Maths and Science)
Q7. A shirt is marked ₹800. A shop gives a 15% discount. What is the selling price?
Solution: Discount = 15% of 800 = ₹120. Selling price = 800 − 120 = ₹680.
Q8. The perimeter of a rectangle is 36 cm and its length is 11 cm. Find its area.
Solution: Perimeter = 2(length + breadth) = 36, so length + breadth = 18. Breadth = 18 − 11 = 7 cm. Area = 11 × 7 = 77 cm².
Q9. A bus travels 150 km in 3 hours. What is its average speed?
Solution: Speed = distance ÷ time = 150 ÷ 3 = 50 km/h.
Q10. Which of these is a chemical change? (a) melting of ice (b) rusting of iron (c) dissolving sugar in water (d) boiling water
Solution: In melting, dissolving and boiling, no new substance forms. In rusting, iron reacts with oxygen and water to form a new substance, rust. Answer: (b) rusting of iron.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the application to the last day. Schools need time to collect certificates and submit the forms.
- Studying only for SAT. MAT carries the same marks, and its question types are learnable with practice.
- Not practising with a timer. 90 questions in 90 minutes gives you about one minute per question.
- Skipping Class 7. The exam covers Classes 7 and 8.
- Spending too long on one hard question. Mark it and return later.
Frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in NMMS?
Reports say there is no negative marking, so attempt every question. Confirm this in the official notice.
Which syllabus does the exam follow?
Reports say the questions are based on the Class 7 and Class 8 syllabus.
Can private school students apply?
No, according to the published eligibility rules. The scheme is for government, government-aided and local body school students.
How do I apply?
Reports say the TN application is submitted through the student's school. Contact your headmaster or class teacher.
Key takeaways
- Confirm the application deadline with your school today. It was reported as 3 November 2026.
- The exam has two papers, MAT and SAT, with 90 questions each.
- Reasoning questions improve with regular timed practice.
- Always rely on the official DGE notification for final rules and dates.
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