Exam guide for parents

JNV Entrance (JNVST) Guide

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) are free, fully residential CBSE schools run by the Government of India — free education, boarding, food and uniforms. Entry is through the JNV Selection Test (JNVST).

Who can apply?

• Class 6 entry: the main gate — students studying in Class 5 in the same district as the JNV
• Class 9 lateral entry: limited seats for students in Class 8
• At least 75% seats are for rural-area students; forms are free, apply on the official NVS website (usually June–September)

JNVST pattern (Class 6 entry)

• Mental Ability Test: 40 questions, 50 marks — patterns, figures, series (the section that decides selection)
• Arithmetic: 20 questions, 25 marks — Class 5 level
• Language: 20 questions, 25 marks — reading comprehension
• 2 hours, OMR sheet, available in Hindi and other regional languages, no negative marking

Check the current-year NVS prospectus for exact dates and any pattern changes.

How to prepare

Mental ability is a skill, not a school subject — daily 20 minutes of figure-series practice for 3–4 months beats any crash course. Arithmetic must be quick and error-free at Class 5 NCERT level. Practice with OMR-style timed mocks so the exam format feels familiar.

Start here

1️⃣ Free worksheets and mock PDF
2️⃣ JNVST-pattern online mocks (launching soon)
3️⃣ Free demo class

More exam guides: Tallentex Guide · Olympiad (IMO/NSO) Guide · NMMS Scholarship Guide · All guides + exam calendar

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