Navodaya Vidyalaya Class 9, 11: Apply by Sep 30, 2026

The Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) has initiated the online registration process for Class 9 and Class 11 lateral entry admissions to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) for the upcoming 2027-28 academic session. Prospective candidates have until September 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM to submit their applications.

These admissions aim to fill vacant seats in JNVs, which are co-educational, fully residential schools operated by the NVS under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. The selection will be based on the Lateral Entry Selection Test (LEST) 2027, scheduled for April 10, 2027.

Application Process and Key Dates

Online registration for the lateral entry admissions commenced on September 2, 2026. Interested candidates must complete their applications by the September 30, 2026 deadline. Following the application period, a correction window will be available on October 1 and 2, 2026, for applicants to rectify any errors in their submissions.

The LEST 2027 for both Class 9 and Class 11 will be held on April 10, 2027. The results for this selection test are tentatively expected to be announced by May or June 2027. There is no application fee for any candidate.

Eligibility Criteria for Class 9 and 11 Admissions

For admission to Class 9, candidates must be bonafide residents of the concerned district and currently studying Class 8 in a government-recognized school within that district during the 2026-27 academic session. The district of residence and the district where Class 7 was studied must be the same. Candidates born between May 1, 2012, and July 31, 2014 (both dates inclusive) are eligible. Students who have already passed Class 7 or Class 8 in previous academic sessions are not eligible.

For Class 11, only Indian nationals who are studying in Class 10 during the 2026-27 academic session in a government-recognized school in India are eligible. Candidates must have been born between June 1, 2010, and July 31, 2012 (both dates inclusive). Those who passed Class 10 before the 2026-27 session are not eligible. Admission to Class 11 is against vacant seats and is stream-wise, covering Science, Commerce, and Humanities.

Examination Pattern and Facilities

The LEST 2027 will be an offline, OMR-based examination with a duration of 2.5 hours. The test comprises 100 questions for a total of 100 marks, and there is no negative marking. The medium of the examination is bilingual, available in both Hindi and English.

For Class 9, the question paper is based on the Class 8 syllabus and includes sections on English, Hindi, Mathematics, and General Science. For Class 11, the paper is based on the Class 10 syllabus, covering Mental Ability, English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Science.

JNVs, affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), provide education, boarding, lodging, uniform, and textbooks free of cost. However, a sum of Rs 600 per month is collected from students of Classes 9 to 12 towards the Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi (VVN). This VVN fee is waived for SC/ST students, Divyang students, all girl students, and students from BPL families. A total of 665 seats are available across JNVs in 27 states and 8 Union Territories, excluding Tamil Nadu.

Further reading

• RIMC Entrance Exam 2026 registration ends September 30, apply for Class 8 admission
• CBSE 2027: Apply for Class 12 private candidate admission by Oct 14

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

View all posts →