Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Admissions, Eligibility And School Features
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are government-run schools for talented children, especially from rural areas.
They are residential schools, so students live and study there.
The schools teach students from Class 6 to Class 12.
Most students enter Class 6 by taking the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test.
Students can also enter Classes 9 and 11 if vacant seats are available.
Schooling, food, housing, uniforms and textbooks are provided free.
Some students in Classes 9 to 12 may have to pay Rs 600 each month for development costs.
Girls, SC/ST students, Divyang students and BPL families do not have to pay this amount.
The schools follow the CBSE curriculum and use different languages at different stages.
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are co-educational residential schools funded and administered by the Government of India.
Admission to Class 6 is mainly through the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test.
Lateral-entry admissions are offered for Classes 9 and 11 when seats are vacant.
Education, boarding, lodging, uniforms and textbooks are free, with limited VVN charges for some students.
There are 665 functional JNVs across 27 states and eight Union Territories.
- Who
- The Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, and students seeking admission.
- What
- Information about JNV eligibility, admissions, fees, school features and distribution.
- When
- Class 6 admissions take place through an annual selection test; Classes 9 and 11 have lateral entry when seats are vacant.
- Where
- JNVs operate across 27 states and eight Union Territories, usually in rural areas.
- Why
- The scheme aims to provide quality modern education to talented children, predominantly from rural areas, and promote national integration.
- School administrator
- Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, an autonomous organisation under the Government of India
- Primary admission route
- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test for Class 6
- Additional admission
- Lateral entry for Classes 9 and 11 to fill vacant seats
- Total functional schools
- 665 JNVs in 27 states and eight Union Territories
- Education costs
- Education, boarding, lodging, uniforms and textbooks are free
- Monthly contribution
- Rs 600 for Classes 9 to 12 toward Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi
- Exemptions
- SC/ST students, Divyang students, girls and students from BPL families are exempt from the monthly contribution
- Affiliation
- Central Board of Secondary Education