Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education. The Government of India has released a notification for admission into Class 6 across India. There are nearly 654 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas available nationwide. The JNVST exam will be conducted in two phases—Telugu states and other regions will have the exam on December 13, 2025, except for Jammu & Kashmir and other mountain states, where it will be held on April 11, 2026. The last date to apply for JNVST 2026 is July 29, 2025, and applications can be submitted through the official website. This blog will cover the eligibility criteria and application process for JNVST 2026.
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) were started by the Government of India in accordance with the National Policy of Education (1986).
Currently, JNVs are functioning in 27 States and 8 Union Territories.
These are co-educational residential schools, fully financed and administered by the Government of India through an autonomous organization called Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti.
What are Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas
Key Points About JNV Admission and Education:
- Admissions to JNVs are made through the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test (JNVST) for Class VI.
- Medium of instruction:
- Up to Class VIII: Mother tongue or regional language
- From Class IX onwards:
- Mathematics and Science – English
- Social Science – Hindi
- Board affiliation: Students appear for exams conducted by CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education).
Free Facilities Provided:
- Education
- Boarding and lodging
- Uniform
- Textbooks
Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi (VVN) Fee Structure:
- Rs. 600/- per month is collected from students of Classes IX to XII.
- The following students are exempted from paying VVN:
- SC/ST students
- Divyang (disabled) students
- All Girl students
- Students from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families
For Wards of Government Employees (Non-exempted Category):
However, VVN shall not be less than Rs. 600/- per student per month.
VVN will be charged at Rs. 1500/- per month or the actual Children Education Allowance (CEA) received by the parent per month, whichever is less.
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test – 2026
Exam Dates & Schedule
JNV Selection Test for admission to Class VI in the academic year 2026–27 will be held in two phases:
Phase 1 –
📅 Saturday, 13th December 2025 at 11:30 A.M.
📍 States/UTs covered:
- Andhra Pradesh
- Assam
- Arunachal Pradesh (except Dibang Valley & Tawang)
- Bihar
- Chhattisgarh
- Goa
- Gujarat
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh (except Chamba, Kinnaur, Mandi, Sirmour, Kullu, Lahaul & Spiti, Solan, Shimla)
- Jammu & Kashmir (Jammu-I, Jammu-II, Samba, Udhampur)
- Jharkhand
- Kerala
- Karnataka
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Manipur
- Odisha
- Punjab
- Rajasthan
- Tripura
- Telangana
- Uttar Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- West Bengal (except Darjeeling)
- UTs: Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Delhi, Lakshadweep, Puducherry
Phase 2 –
📅 Saturday, 11th April 2026 at 11:30 A.M.
📍 States/Districts covered:
- Jammu & Kashmir (except Jammu-I, Jammu-II, Samba, Udhampur)
- Meghalaya
- Mizoram
- Nagaland
- Sikkim
- Dibang Valley & Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh)
- Chamba, Kinnaur, Mandi, Sirmour, Kullu, Lahaul & Spiti, Solan, Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)
- Darjeeling (West Bengal)
- Leh & Kargil (Ladakh)
🗓️ Last date to apply online: 29th July 2025
Registration Process (Online & Free)
✅ Where to register:
https://navodaya.gov.in (Official NVS portal)
✅ Steps to register:
- Read the official notification/prospectus
- Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria
- Keep the following documents ready in JPG format (10–100 KB):
- Student’s photograph
- Student’s signature
- Parent’s signature
- Aadhaar/residence certificate
- Fill in basic details:
- State, District, Block
- Aadhaar Number
- APAAR ID, PEN number
- Upload photograph and signatures
- If from NIOS, provide:
- ‘B’ certificate
- Proof of residence in the same district as the JNV you’re applying to
- Use any device – desktop, mobile, laptop, or tablet – to register
- All JNVs will have help desks to assist in filling the form free of cost
Important Notes During Registration
- Provide accurate information, backed by documents
- Apply only for the JNV of the district where the student studies in Class V
- False information about study location/residence will lead to cancellation
- No edits are allowed after submission (except during the correction window)
- Correction window (for gender, area, category, disability, and medium) will be announced later
- Rural/Urban status depends on the official notification defining the area as of 29 July 2025
Category-Specific Notes
- OBC Candidates:
- Must belong to Central OBC List
- State OBC list not accepted
- Block details in the application must match your rural eligibility
(Rural open category seats are block-specific)
Admit Cards
🎫 Admit cards will be released on the portal before the test date
💸 Download is free of cost
📱 Registered mobile number will be used for communication
JNVST 2026 Result
📢 Expected result dates:
- March 2026 – Summer bound JNVs
- May 2026 – Winter bound JNVs
📍 Results will be available:
- On the NVS website: www.navodaya.gov.in
- In the offices of:
- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya
- District Education Officer
- District Magistrate
- Deputy Commissioner of the respective NVS region
📞 Selected candidates will be informed via:
- Phone call on registered mobile
- Speed post
📌 Only two waitlists will be released to fill vacancies, if any
⏳ Admission process closes by 31st December 2026
Admission After Selection (Provisional Stage)
Note: Selection is provisional until document verification.
📂 Documents required at the time of admission:
- Original certificates proving:
- Age
- District of residence and study
- Category (SC/ST/OBC/Divyang)
- Rural/Urban status
- Birth Certificate
- Migration approval (if applicable)
📍 Students must study Class V in the same district where the JNV is located
🚫 No admissions will be allowed:
- Into other JNVs
- Based on changes in parental location, medium of instruction, etc.
📝 Apply for TC only after admission is confirmed
Additional Guidelines
- 🧾 SC/ST/OBC: Need to provide caste certificate (OBC as per Central List)
- 🏫 Rural Candidates: Must show certificate proving that classes III, IV & V were studied in rural schools
- ♿ Divyang Candidates: Submit certificate from District CMO for:
- Orthopedic disability
- Visual or hearing impairment
- Acid attack victims
- Dwarfism
- ⚧ Transgender Candidates:
- Submit valid certificate from competent State Govt. authority
- Note: No reservation applicable
Eligibility Creteria for JNVST 2026
FOR ALL CANDIDATES:
4.1 (a)
Admission to Class VI in a JNV is district specific. The student must be studying Class V in the same district where the JNV is located. Only bonafide resident candidates of that district are eligible. Valid residential proof of the parent must be submitted at the time of admission. If a district is later bifurcated, the old district boundaries will be considered for eligibility, unless a new JNV is opened in the bifurcated area.
(b)
The student must reside in the same district as the JNV.
Bonafide residence certificate of the parent must be shown during document verification.
(c)
The student must be studying Class V in Govt. or Govt.-recognized schools in the same district in 2025-26.
(d)
Candidates who passed Class V before 2025-26 or repeated candidates are not allowed.
NVS will compare application data from previous years to detect repeaters.
If found, admission will be denied.
4.2
Date of birth must be between 01-05-2014 and 31-07-2016 (inclusive).
Copy of birth certificate from a government authority is required.
Applicable for all categories: SC, ST, OBC, Divyang.
If age is in doubt, candidate may be referred to a Medical Board.
The board’s decision will be final.
4.3
The student must be studying full academic session 2025-26 in Class V in a recognized school or under NIOS ‘B’ certificate course.
Candidate must be promoted to Class V before 31st July 2025.
Candidates who passed/studied Class V in previous years are not eligible.
School must be recognized by Govt. or authorized agency.
NIOS schools must be accredited.
Candidate must successfully complete Class V in 2025-26.
Admission to Class VI in 2026-27 will be subject to meeting all conditions.
4.4
Candidate must have studied and passed Classes III, IV & V in Govt./Govt.-aided/recognized schools.
One full academic session per class is required.
4.5
NIOS ‘B’ certificate course candidates are eligible if they pass on or before 15th September 2025.
They must be in the prescribed age group.
Students residing in Urban/Notified areas are not eligible for rural quota.
Rural/Urban status for NIOS students will depend on parent’s residence.
4.6
No candidate can appear for the selection test more than once.
Application data will be validated.
Repeaters will be rejected.
Admit cards may not be issued for such cases.
Candidature will be cancelled at any stage.
- 4.7
- Under Aadhaar rules, a child must furnish Aadhaar number or go through Aadhaar authentication.
- JNVs are authorized for Aadhaar enrolment.
- If not enrolled, apply for Aadhaar with parental consent before registering.
- Visit an enrolment center (check www.uidai.gov.in).
- JNVs can also help with enrolment.
- Candidate/Parent data will be verified against Aadhaar.
- Any mismatch should be corrected in Aadhaar.
- Until Aadhaar is assigned, upload residence certificate of the parent.
- Registration will be provisional until Aadhaar is submitted at test/admission time.
FOR RURAL CANDIDATES
A)
At least 75% of seats are reserved for rural area candidates.
Remaining seats filled on merit from both rural and urban areas.
B)
Candidate must have studied Classes III, IV & V in Govt./Govt.-aided/recognized rural schools.
Class V must be studied in the same district where admission is being sought.
C)
NIOS students must submit rural status certificate issued by District Magistrate/Tehsildar/Block Development Officer.
Certificate must confirm residence and study in rural areas for 3 years.
FOR URBAN CANDIDATES
A candidate who studied even one day in an urban school during Classes III, IV or V will be treated as urban.
Urban areas = those notified by Govt. on the last date of application.
All others are considered rural.
FOR TRANSGENDER CANDIDATES
No separate reservation.
Included under Boys category for reservation.
Applicable across Rural, Urban, OBC, SC, ST, Divyang categories.