of Navodaya Vidyalayas

The Navodaya Vidyalaya System is a unique experiment unparalleled in the annals of school education in India and elsewhere. Its significance lies in the selection of talented rural children as the target group and the attempt to provide them with quality education comparable to the best in a residential school system. Such children are found in all sections of society, and in all areas including the most backward. But, so far, good quality education has been available only to well-to-do sections of society, and the poor  have  been left out. It was felt that children with special talent or aptitude should be provided opportunities to proceed at a faster pace, by making good quality education available to them, irrespective of their capacity to pay for it.These talented children otherwise would have been deprived of quality modern education traditionally available only in the urban areas. Such education would enable students from rural areas to compete with their urban counterparts on an equal footing. The National Policy on Education-1986 envisaged the setting up of residential schools, to be called Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas that would bring out the best of rural talent.

Objectives

To serve the objectives of excellence coupled with equity and social justice.

To promote national integration by providing opportunities to talented children, largely rural, from different part of the country, to live and learn together and develop their full potential.

To provide good quality modern education, including a strong component of culture, inculcation of values, awareness of the environment, adventure activities and physical education.

To ensure that all students of Navodaya Vidyalayas attain a reasonable level of competence in three language as envisaged in the Three Language Formula; and

l To serve, in each district, as focal point for  improvement in quality of school education through sharing of experiences and facilities.

Salient Features

l JNVST : Entrance on the basis of Merit

Navodaya Vidyalayas draw their student strength from talented children, selected on the basis of a merit test, called the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test, designed, developed and conducted  by NCERT initially and now, by the CBSE. The test is held annually on All India basis and at block and  district levels. It is objective, class neutral and is so designed as to ensure that rural children are not  at disadvantage.

l Reservation for Rural, S.C., S.T. and Girl Students

Admissions in Jawahar Novodaya Vidyalayas primarily for children from the rural areas, with provision of 75% seats for rural children. Seats are reserved for children from the SC and ST communities in proportion to their population in the district but not less than the national average. 1/3 of the seats are for girl students. 3% of the seats are for disabled children.

l Co-educational Residential Schools with Free Education

Navodaya Vidyalayas offer free education to talented children from Class-VI to XII. Navodaya  Vidyalayas are affiliated to the CBSE. Entry to a Navodaya Vidyalaya is in Class-VI only along with lateral entry into Class IX & XI.  Each  Navodaya Vidyalaya is a co-educational residential institution providing free  boarding and lodging, expenses on uniforms, text books, stationery, to and from rail and bus fare. However, a nominal fee @  Rs. 200/- per month is charged from students of  Class IX to XII for Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi.  The students belonging to SC, ST, categories, girls disabled students and children of the families below poverty line are exempted from this fee.

l Adherence to Three Language Formula

The Regional Language is generally the medium of instruction from Class-VI to VIII and from Class- IX onwards, it is English for Science and Mathematics and Hindi for Humanities subjects.

l Promotion of National Integration

Navodaya Vidyalayas aim at inculcating values of national integration through migration scheme though which the inter regional exchange of students between Hindi and Non-Hindi speaking States and vice-versa takes place for one academic year. Efforts are made to promote  better understanding of the unity in diversity and cultural heritage through various activities.

l Location of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas

Navodaya Vidyalayas are located  in rural areas across the country. The State Govt. is to offer cost free land and rent free temporary buildings for the setting up of a Navodaya Vidyalaya.

Academic Excellence

In Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, all out efforts are made to develop competencies among students in scholastic and non-scholastic areas of education which leads to effective personality development of each child. Indicated below in the comparison of average pass percentage of NVS that of other school systems like Kendriya Vidyalayas and independent schools wherein Navodaya’s average pass percentage is significantly higher than the national average of other schools affiliated to CBSE.

Class-X & XII Examinations

Comparision of Pass Percentage of NVS and other School Systems :

Class-X

Year                      2001     2002      2003       2004        2005     2006        2007

CBSE                 66.6      69.53      68.02      72.22      74.60    77.16        84.44

NVS 87.0         88.65     88.50     91.43 90.82   91.13        96.41

KVS                  81.0      85.47      84.64      90.35      89.62    90.63         95.64

Independent 85.4      85.63      83.39      84.83      85.87    85.94         91.81

Class-XII

Year             2001    2002         2003         2004      2005      2006         2007

CBSE            75.2      75.20         73.59         76.00      77.80      79.55         80.64

NVS 84.2     83.53        85.26        87.68     87.08     90.24        90.11

KVS              83.7              86.40 88.57         92.62      92.47      92.89           93.14

Independent 82.9      83.32         81.07         80.46      81.28      82.35           82.29

Students’ Profile

To provide a progressive and forward looking school system in the rural areas, the scheme provides for a reservation of 75% students from the rural areas. Reservation to SC, ST students is in proportion to their population subject to a minimum of national average of these categories. 33% seats are reserved for girl students.

1,80,391 students were on the rolls of Navodaya Vidyalayas at the end of the academic session.

The percentage of students belonging to SC/ST categories, in the Navodaya Vidyalayas is well above the national norms (15% SC & 7.5% ST) e.g.

Thus the JNVs are serving rural students, specially girls, SC & ST students in the excess of national average. This has also been appreciated by the Standing Committee of Parliament of the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Samiti

Navodaya Vidyalayas are run by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti which is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Secondary & Higher Education, Govt of India. The Chairman of the Samiti is the Hon’ble Minister of Human Resource Development. Hon’ble Minister of State for Education in the Ministry of H.R.D. is the Vice Chairman of the Samiti.

The Samiti functions through an Executive  Committee under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble  Minister of HRD. It is responsible for the management of all affairs including allocation of funds to the Samiti and has the authority to exercise all powers of the Samiti. The Executive Committee is assisted by two Sub-Committees, i.e. Finance Committee and Academic Advisory Committee, in its functions.

The executive head of the administrative pyramid is the Commissioner who executes the policies laid down by the Samiti’s Executive Committee. He/she is assisted at the Headquarters level by Joint Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Asstt. Commissioners. At the Regional level, he/she is assisted by the Deputy Commissioners and Asstt. Commissioners. The Organisational Chart of the Samiti is given at Appendix-III.

The Samiti has established 8 Regional Offices for the administration and monitoring of Navodaya Vidyalayas under their  jurisdiction. For each Vidyalaya, there is a Vidyalaya Advisory Committee and a Vidyalaya Management Committee for the general supervision of the Vidyalaya. District Magistrate of the concerned district is the Chairman of Vidyalaya level Committee with local educationists, public representatives and officers from the District as members. The Vidyalaya Management Committee has two sub-committees i.e. Vidyalaya Purchase Advisory Sub-Committee and Vidyalaya Appointments Sub-Committee.

Regional Offices of NVS

Eight Regional Offices are established at Bhopal, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Patna, Pune & Shillong with jurisdiction over different States and UTs.

1. Bhopal          94    Madhya Pradesh (48), Chhattisgarh (16),  Orissa (30).

2. Chandigarh  45    Punjab  (18), Himachal Pradesh (12), J&K (14) & Chandigarh U.T. (1).

3. Hyderabad   70    Andhra Pradesh (22), Karnataka (27),  Kerala (14), Pondicherry (4), A.&N. Islands (2)  & Lakshadweep (1).

4. Jaipur           54    Rajasthan (32), Haryana (20), Delhi(2).

5. Lucknow       82    Uttar Pradesh (69),Uttaranchal (13).

6. Patna            75 Bihar (38), Jharkhand (22), West Bengal (15).

7. Pune             60 Maharashtra (32), Gujarat(23), Goa(2), Daman & Diu (2), Dadra & Nagar Haveli (1).

8. Shillong        85    Meghalaya(7), Manipur(9), Mizoram (8), Arunachal Pradesh (16),  Nagaland (11),  Tripura(4), Sikkim(4),  Assam (26).

Total             565 JNVs  As on 31.03.2007

CItizen Charter

Charter

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are co-educational
residential schools primarily for the children from rural areas which aim at :

l To provide good quality modern education including a strong component of culture, inculcation of values, awareness of the environment, adventure and physical education to the talented children from the rural areas. Students in the Navodaya Vidyalayas are admitted in Class-VI and provided education upto Class-XII. Now provision is made for lateral entry of students in Class-IX & XI also.

l To ensure that all students of Navodaya Vidyalayas attain a reasonable level of competency in three languages as envisaged in Three Language Formula.

l To serve in each district as focal point for improvement in the quality of school education through sharing of experience and facilities.

Our Mission

l We envisage identification and development of talented bright and gifted children predominantly from rural areas who are denied good educational opportunities.

l Objectives of quality education are sought to be
fulfilled through effective academic, co-curricular
and adventure activities, physical education,
reasonable level of competency in three languages.

l We aim at the respective districts as focal points for improving quality of education through sharing of experience and facilities with continuous interaction with local community and helping these institutions to develop as centres of academic excellence.

We are

l Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti is a registered Society under Registration of Societies Act, 1860. The  Society is an autonomous body under the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Human Resouce Development, Govt. of India, Hon’ble Minister of Human Resource Development is the Chairman and Hon’ble Minister of State of Human Resource Development (Education) is the Vice-Chairman of the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti.

l JNVs are functioning at the district level through the Vidyalaya Management Committee under the Chairmanship of District Collector, in all the participating States & Union Territories of the country.

What we do

l Navodaya Vidyalayas are affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

l We provide free education including boarding and
lodging as well as expenses on Uniform, Text Books, Stationery etc. However, a nominal fee @ Rs. 200/- per month is charged from students of Class-IX to XII as Navodaya Vikas Nidhi. The students belonging to SC, ST categories, girls, disabled and children of the families below poverty line are exempted from the payment of fee.

l Reservation of seats-Rural at least 75%, Urban
Utmost 25%.

l Provision of reservation of seats for girls – 33%.

l Establish and run fully residential co-educational schools from Class-VI to XII.

l Extend medical and health facilities to all the
students free of cost.

l Organise Parent Teacher Council and conduct
their periodical meetings.

l Provide admission in Class-VI only through
objective type test designed and conducted by
CBSE in the concerned district. Provision is also made for lateral entry of students of Class-IX & XI level.

l 30% of students in Class-IX from a Vidyalaya located in one linguistic area spend one academic year in a Vidyalaya of a different linguistic region to promote national integration through understanding of the diversity and plurality of country’s cultures and people.

l Organise Computer Literacy and Computer Aided Education Programmes.

l Organise National Integration Meet for its students in order to create a climate for better understanding and communication in the Navodaya fraternity.

We aim at

l Providing quality education to the children.

l Developing harmonious growth of the personality of the children through variety of co-curricular activities.

l Creating the environment to bring out the best
among the teachers and students.

l Adopt modern education techniques – external and internal accountability, effective leadership, linkages with the local community.

l Art in Education programmes to provide opportunities for students to inculcate nationalistic values through sharing and learning traditional skills and art with the help of renowned traditional artists.

l Built-in-mechanism of self-reliance, self-evaluation, character, rigour and discipline in academic pursuit.

l Freedom of experimentation and innovation.

admission

l Admission in Navodaya Vidyalayas are made at
the level of Class-VI through a test conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on all India basis. However, provision is also made for lateral entry of students in Class-IX & XI.

l The medium of the test is in 20 Indian languages. It is non-verbal and objective in nature and is so designed that talented children from rural areas are able to compete without suffering from any disadvantage.

l All the children who have studied and passed
Class-V from any Govt. School/Govt. recognised School of that district and are between 9 and 13
years of age are eligible to appear in entrance test for Class-VI.

Location

l We envisage establishment of a Navodaya
Vidyalaya in each district of the country.

l Started with 2 experimental schools in 1985-86. They have now grown up to 551 JNVs  as on (March, 2006) covering as many districts in 34 States/UTs with over 1.80 lakh students on rolls.

l The Samiti has its Headquarters at New Delhi and eight Regional Offices located at Bhopal, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Patna, Pune and  Shillong for the administration of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas under their jurisdiction.

Access to Information

l Annual Report of Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti and its publications.

l Copies of Scheme and Memorandum of Association.

l Website of NVS : www.navodaya.nic.in

l Publicity of Scheme through TV, Radio, Newspapers, Information brochures, posters etc.

Grievance Redressal

Director of Grievances, NVS Hqrs. can be approached for redressal of grievances which are not settled at Vidyalaya and Regional office level.

Director, Public Grievances

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti

A-28, Kailash Colony, New Delhi-110048

E-mail : navodaya@ren02.nic.in

navodaya@nda.vsnl.net.in

Expectations From Our Clients (States/UTs)

l Providing assistance to good quality education from Class-VI to XII in the Navodaya Vidyalayas in all the participating State/UTs.

l Providing suitable land free of cost for establishment of Navodaya Vidyalayas.

l Sufficient temporary accommodation free of rent for running the Navodaya Vidyalaya for a period of 3-4 years.

l Providing basic civic amenities like electricity, water, transport and communication etc. at the site.

l Support and co-operation in education endeavours.

Criteria For Establishment of JNVs.

The opening of a Navodaya Vidyalaya is based on the proposal received from the concerned State/UT alongwith the following :

30 acres of suitable land free of cost in relaxation to the extent of at least 10 acres on case to case basis.

Sufficient space in the building and other infrastructure free of rent for at least three to four years which could accommodate 240 students and staff for running the Vidyalaya till the Samiti constructs its new building at the permanent site.