JNVST Class 11th Lateral Entry (2026-2027): Notification, Eligibility, Exam pattern, Important dates

Admission to Class 11 at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) is offered through a Lateral Entry Selection Test (LEST). The admissions are for vacant seats in JNVs across various states and union territories.

The Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Class 11 Entrance Exam, also known as the Lateral Entry Selection Test (LEST), is a selection test for admission to vacant seats in Class 11 at JNVs. The exam is conducted in an offline, OMR-based format.

Selection is based on the candidate's performance in the LEST, with merit lists prepared for each district. To be considered for selection, a candidate must secure a minimum qualifying score in each of the five subjects.

The merit list is prepared based on the marks obtained in Mental Ability, Science, and Mathematics for the Science stream.

For the Commerce stream, the merit list considers marks from Mental Ability, Social Science, and Mathematics.

For the Humanities stream, it's based on Mental Ability, Social Science, and one other subject with the highest score.

After provisional selection, candidates must undergo a document verification process, submitting original certificates like their birth certificate, residence proof, and study details certificate from their previous school. 

Residence: The candidate must be a resident of the same district where the JNV is located.

Academics: The candidate must be studying in Class 10 in a government or government-recognized school in the same district during the current academic year. Students who passed Class 10 in a previous academic year are not eligible.

Age Limit: The candidate's date of birth must fall within a specific range, which is announced in the official prospectus. For example, for the 2026-27 session, the date of birth must be between June 1, 2009, and July 31, 2011 (both dates inclusive).

Nationality: The candidate must be an Indian national.

Who is not Eligible:

Candidates who have passed class X prior to the session 2025-26 are not eligible.

Candidates who are studying in class X during the session 2025-26 only are eligible to apply.

The LEST is a 2.5-hour objective-type test with a total of 100 questions and 100 marks.

There is no negative marking. The question paper is bilingual (English and Hindi).

The exam is divided into five sections, with the syllabus based on the Class 10 CBSE curriculum.

Mental Ability: 20 questions, 20 marks

English: 20 questions, 20 marks

Science: 20 questions, 20 marks

Social Science: 20 questions, 20 marks

Mathematics: 20 questions, 20 marks

The Mental Ability section includes topics like pattern completion, mirror imaging, and coding-decoding. The remaining sections cover the core subjects studied in Class 10. 

The application process is exclusively online. Candidates can apply through the official NVS website, www.navodaya.gov.in. Key steps include:

Registration: Fill out the online application form with personal and academic details.

Document Upload: Upload scanned copies of the candidate's photograph, signature, and the parent's signature. The file size for these documents must be between 10 KB and 100 KB in JPG/JPEG format.

Submission: Review the filled-out form and submit it. There is typically no application fee.