Hon’ble Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme, Sikkim 2020‑21

The Hon’ble Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme (HCMMSS) is a Sikkim state scheme that pays for bright children from less-advantaged homes to study in good public schools. Its aim is free schooling for talented, deserving children, inside or outside Sikkim. The Human Resource Development Department runs it through its scholarship section. Sikkim began the scheme in 2010.

This page covers only HCMMSS. The same department’s scholarship list includes other schemes, such as the Prerna & Merit Scholarship, which have their own rules and amounts.

What you get

The official page describes the benefit as free education in an empanelled public school. It does not publish a rupee amount for HCMMSS. Chosen students are enrolled in public schools that the HRD Department has approved, in Sikkim or elsewhere. Sikkim later widened the scheme so students can carry on with higher studies up to graduation level. The page does not say what graduation-level support covers or how much it pays.

Who can apply

• The scheme is for local students. The page does not define “local” further.
• Government school pupils from Class I to V qualify.
• Applicants must be between 11 and 12½ years old.
• The student must come first in the Class V annual examination, and the Head of the School puts them forward.

If the top student does not meet the conditions, the next student in line becomes eligible. The official page does not name anyone who is excluded, and it sets no income limit or course rule for this scheme.

How to apply

The official page does not describe an online application form for HCMMSS. It describes this route:

1. Your school puts your name forward after the Class V annual result.
2. You sit the selection test run by the Examination Section of the HRD Department.
3. If you are chosen, the department places you in an empanelled public school.

The page does not list the documents you need. Ask your school or the HRD Department which papers to carry to the test.

How students are selected

Selection runs through a test that the HRD Department’s Examination Section conducts. The official page gives no syllabus, pass mark or seat count for that test.

Renewal

The official page does not describe a renewal or annual re-application process. It says the support runs through to the graduation stage.

Important dates

The official sources I could read give no dates for the 2026-27 session. The newest selection I could confirm is for 2020-21. The state announced 55 selected students on 5 March 2020 under the scheme for 2020-21. 884 students had taken advantage of the scheme by then. The department’s circular and notification list showed items only up to March 2025 when I checked, so ask the department for the current notice.