Last updated: 24 October 2026. Here are clear answers to the questions parents ask most about JNVST 2027, the Navodaya Class 6 entrance test on 28 November 2026, based on the official NVS prospectus. For the full process, see the JNVST 2027 complete guide.
Admission and eligibility
Which class can my child join through JNVST 2027?
Class 6, for the 2027-28 academic session. The test is on 28 November 2026.
What is the age limit for JNVST 2027?
The child must be born between 1 May 2015 and 31 July 2017 (both dates included). There is no age relaxation for any category.
My child is in Class 5 this year. Is that enough?
The child must study Class 5 for the full 2026-27 session in a Government, Government-aided or recognised school, and must have studied and passed Classes 3 and 4 as full sessions. Children who skipped a class are not eligible.
Can my child write the test a second time?
No. A child can appear in JNVST only once. NVS checks previous years' data, and repeaters are cancelled at any stage.
We live in one district but the school is in the next district. Where do we apply?
Apply only to the JNV of the district where you live, provided the school is within 10 km of your home. NVS verifies this distance.
Is there any application fee?
No. Registration is completely free, and every JNV has a free helpdesk to help parents apply.
Can girls apply?
Yes. JNVs are co-educational with separate hostels, and at least one-third of seats are filled by girls.
Seats and reservation
How many seats are there in each JNV?
A maximum of 80 seats in Class 6 per JNV.
What is the rural quota?
At least 75% of seats in a district go to rural candidates who studied the full sessions of Classes 3, 4 and 5 in rural-area schools. The remaining seats are open to both rural and urban candidates on merit.
My child studied Class 3 in a town and Classes 4 and 5 in a village. Rural or urban?
Urban. Studying even one day of Classes 3, 4 or 5 in an urban school makes the child an urban candidate.
Which OBC certificate is accepted?
Only a Central-list OBC certificate, issued before the registration or exam date. Candidates in the state OBC list but not the central list must apply as general.
What is the SC/ST reservation?
In proportion to the district population, with at least 15% for SC and 7.5% for ST, and a maximum of 50% for both together.
Exam and preparation
What is the JNVST 2027 exam pattern?
80 objective questions for 100 marks in 2 hours: Mental Ability 20, Environmental Studies 20, Arithmetic 20 and Language 20. See the full exam pattern and syllabus.
Is there negative marking?
No. Each correct answer gives 1.25 marks. Attempt every question.
What are the qualifying marks?
14 in Mental Ability and EVS together, 7 in Arithmetic and 7 in Language.
In which language can my child write the exam?
In the medium chosen in the application form. In Andhra Pradesh the options include Telugu, English, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Oriya and Kannada; in Telangana, Telugu, English, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi and Kannada. The medium cannot be changed later.
When will the JNVST 2027 admit card be released?
NVS will release it on the admission portal before the exam. It is free to download, and no child can sit the test without it.
What should my child carry on exam day?
The admit card, the candidate's Aadhaar card (or the parent's residence certificate uploaded in the form), and blue or black ballpoint pens. Reach the centre early: candidates must be seated by 11:00 AM.
How should my child prepare in the last month?
Revise NCERT EVS (Classes 3 to 5), practise all five Mental Ability question types daily, and take full 2-hour mock tests on OMR sheets every week.
Result and admission
When is the JNVST 2027 result?
It is expected by the end of March 2027 on the NVS website, and is also displayed at the JNV, the DEO and the District Magistrate's office.
Is there a waiting list?
NVS does not publish a waiting list. If a selected child does not join or lacks certificates, the next candidate is moved up automatically on the portal.
Can we ask for re-evaluation?
No. Evaluation is fully automated, and re-evaluation or re-totalling is not allowed.
Which documents are needed for admission?
Birth certificate, parent's residence certificate from the same district, Aadhaar, the Head Master's certificate for Classes 3 to 5 with the rural or urban location, a category or disability certificate if applicable, a migration undertaking and the TC.
Can we change the JNV after selection?
No. The child is admitted only to the JNV of the district where they applied. Shifting for medium or parents' transfer is not allowed.
Life at a Navodaya Vidyalaya
Is education at JNV really free?
Yes. Education, boarding, lodging, uniform and textbooks are free. Only Classes 9 to 12 pay Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi of ₹600 per month. Girls, SC/ST, Divyang and BPL students are exempt; wards of government employees pay up to ₹1,500.
What is the migration scheme?
In Class 9, some students move for one year to a JNV in a different language region (Hindi to non-Hindi and vice versa). Refusing migration means the student cannot continue in the JNV.
Which board do JNVs follow?
CBSE. The medium is the regional language up to Class 8, then English for Maths and Science and Hindi for Social Science.
How many JNVs are there in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana?
Andhra Pradesh has 13 JNVs plus 2 additional JNVs (East Godavari and Prakasam now have two each), and Telangana has 15. Hyderabad district has no JNV.
Navodaya or Sainik School: which should we choose?
Many children write both. JNV is free and district-based; Sainik Schools prepare children for NDA and charge fees. Read our Sainik School vs Navodaya comparison and the AISSEE 2027 guide.
Related Guides
Source: NVS Prospectus cum Notification for JNVST 2027.
