The entrance exam
JNVST: the Navodaya entrance exam
JNVST means Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test. Families also call it the Navodaya entrance exam, the JNV entrance exam, or जवाहर नवोदय विद्यालय की परीक्षा. It is the test used for admission to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas.
Reviewed 2 October 2026
Official information
What it is and who conducts it
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are co-educational residential schools financed by the Government of India and run through the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti. The Class VI prospectus says admission to Class VI is through JNVST. A separate lateral entry test fills vacant seats in Class IX.
NT Classes does not conduct the exam, accept the official form, or publish the result. Preparation resources on this site sit beside that official process.
Official information
Who it is for
Class 6 is the main intake. The child is generally in Class V, in the district of the JNV, inside the age and schooling rules of that year’s prospectus. Class 9 is for students in Class VIII, and only where a vacancy is notified. Both sets of rules change with the session. The admission page lists what to read before anyone pays for a long batch.
Class 6 and Class 9 are different papers
Class 6, in the 2027-28 prospectus, is mental ability plus environmental studies, arithmetic, and a language test of passages. Class 9 is English, Hindi, mathematics and science at Class 8 standard. Mixing the books wastes a season.
Official information
Selection, in outline
The candidate applies on the NVS portal for the correct district and class, sits the objective test, and is considered against the seats and reservation rules in the prospectus. For Class 6, at least 75 percent of district seats in the 2027-28 prospectus are filled from rural areas. For Class 9, the merit method in that prospectus uses mathematics, science and the better language, after qualifying marks in all four subjects. Document checks happen after provisional selection. None of this is decided by a coaching centre.
NT Classes guidance
Where to prepare
After the official notice is clear, use the syllabus, the exam pattern, a mock and the study kit. Guides on the blog go deeper on one skill. They do not replace the prospectus.
Questions on this topic
What is JNVST?
It is the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test, conducted under the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti for admission to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas. The large intake is Class 6. Class 9 is a lateral entry where seats are vacant.
Where do I apply?
On the official Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti portal, navodaya.gov.in, using the prospectus for your class and year. The form on the NT Classes homepage is only an enquiry for coaching.