Overview: What Are Navodaya Vidyalayas?
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), run by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) under the Ministry of Education, are fully residential, co-educational schools in India for students from Class VI to XII. Their primary aim is to identify and nurture talented children, especially from rural areas, and give them high-quality modern education.
Established under the National Policy on Education in 1986, the Navodaya scheme reflects India’s commitment to educational equity, providing free or highly subsidized education and boarding for students selected via the JNV Selection Test (JNVST).
Key Features of Navodaya Vidyalayas
Here are some of the defining features of JNVs:
- Free Residential Education: Students from Class VI to VIII generally study free of cost; modest charges apply for Classes IX–XII, with many exemptions.
- Merit-Based Entry: Admission via JNVST, a highly competitive test emphasizing mental ability, mathematics, and language.
- Three-Language Formula: Emphasis on multilingual competency through study of regional language, Hindi/English, and a third modern Indian language.
- Smart Classrooms & Digital Labs: To bridge the digital divide, many JNVs now have smart classrooms and digital language labs.
- Residential Facilities: Hostels, boarding, and school infrastructure ensure students live on campus, often in rural districts.
- National Integration: A migration scheme allows about 30% of Class IX students to study in JNVs of other linguistic regions, promoting cross-cultural understanding.
Purpose of Navodaya Vidyalayas
The core objectives of JNVs include:
- Promoting rural talent: By offering free, high-quality education to students from rural areas, JNVs aim to reduce the rural-urban education gap.
- Equity and inclusion: Tuition, boarding, and other costs are subsidized or waived for girls, SC/ST, and economically weaker students.
- Improving district education standards: A JNV in each district acts as a focal point for educational excellence, sharing infrastructure and pedagogical practices.
- National integration: Through migration and language programs, JNVs foster a sense of unity among diverse linguistic regions.
Operational Status: How Many JNVs Are There?
- According to a PIB press release (Nov 2025), there are 662 Navodaya Vidyalayas operational in India.
- The same source notes that 689 JNVs are sanctioned (one per district), fully residential.
- Student Capacity: As of 30 September 2025, JNVs accommodate 3,10,517 students.
These numbers reflect the scale and reach of the Navodaya system.
Urban vs Rural Status, Conditions, and Effects
- Geographical Spread: JNVs are primarily located in rural interiors, often in remote districts.
- Infrastructure: These schools are well-equipped with hostels, labs, sports facilities, and digital classrooms, helping bridge resource gaps in rural education.
- Impact on Rural Communities: By bringing quality education to rural students, JNVs help in social mobility, reducing dropout rates, and nurturing leadership from underrepresented areas.
- Challenges: While infrastructure is generally good, some JNVs may still face issues such as staffing shortages, maintenance in remote areas, or connectivity problems.
Highlights of Navodaya Vidyalayas
- Fully residential and co-educational.
- Merit-based selection ensures fair access.
- Encourages linguistic plurality and national integration through migration.
- Strong academic record: JNV students often perform very well in CBSE board exams.
- Digital and infrastructure growth under the PM SHRI scheme (many JNVs are being upgraded).
Navodaya Vidyalayas in India – State-Wise / UT-Wise List
Below is a state-wise breakdown of JNVs, along with some district-level examples. (Note: this is not a full list of all 600+ schools, but highlights by state.)
Based on publicly available data – for example, aggregated from StaffNews and other sources.
| State / UT |
Number of JNVs |
Example Districts / Schools |
Comments / Year of Establishment |
| Andhra Pradesh |
~15 |
Anantapur, Chittoor, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, etc. |
Many in rural districts; JNVs in AP were among early expansions. |
| Arunachal Pradesh |
~17 |
Tawang, Changlang, Lower Subansiri, etc. |
Remote hills; JNVs help bring education to far-flung areas. |
| Assam |
~26–28 (some sources vary) |
Dibrugarh, Kokrajhar, Goalpara, etc. |
Mix of riverine and hilly areas. |
| Bihar |
~38–39 |
Patna, Araria, Jehanabad, etc. |
High rural population; strong demand for Navodaya seats. |
| Chhattisgarh |
~28 |
Raipur, Bastar, Janjgir-Champa, etc. |
JNVs also serve tribal and remote areas. |
| Goa |
2 |
North Goa, South Goa |
Unique case: Goa has small number given its districts. |
| Gujarat |
~33–34 |
Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, etc. |
Both rural and semi-urban coverage. |
| Haryana |
~21 |
Hisar, Karnal, etc. |
Richer infrastructure, but still merit-based admission. |
| Himachal Pradesh |
~12 |
Shimla, Sirmaur, etc. |
Mountainous terrain; JNVs help rural students access quality education. |
| Jammu & Kashmir |
~21 |
Srinagar, Budgam, etc. |
Also includes Ladakh (2 JNVs). |
| Jharkhand |
~26 |
Ranchi, Palamu, etc. |
Focus on backward and tribal districts. |
| Karnataka |
~31 |
Kolar, Mysore, etc. |
Spread across south India; regional language integration. |
| Kerala |
~14 |
Trivandrum, Kozhikode, etc. |
Good education infrastructure; JNVs contribute to quality schooling. |
| Lakshadweep (UT) |
1 |
Kavaratti |
Very remote island; JNV helps provide structured education. |
| Madhya Pradesh |
~51–54 |
Bhopal, Indore, Alirajpur, etc. |
One of the states with high number of JNVs. |
| Maharashtra |
~33–34 |
Pune, Thane, etc. |
Includes both tribal and urban districts. |
| Manipur |
~11 |
Imphal, Thoubal, etc. |
Important for tribal and remote region education. |
| Meghalaya |
~11–12 |
Shillong, West Khasi Hills, etc. |
Hilly terrain – JNVs support rural talent. |
| Mizoram |
~8 |
Aizawl, Mamit, etc. |
Remote, hilly – JNVs critical for rural access. |
| Nagaland |
~11 |
Kohima, Dimapur, etc. |
Center of regional integration. |
| Odisha |
~30–31 |
Bhubaneswar, Koraput, etc. |
Tribal districts also have JNVs. |
| Punjab |
~22–23 |
Patiala, Jalandhar, etc. |
Strong infrastructure, but still reserved seats for rural kids. |
| Rajasthan |
~33–35 |
Jaipur (e.g., JNV Paota), Udaipur, etc. |
Desert districts also covered. JNV Paota was established in 1986. |
| Sikkim |
~4 |
Gangtok, etc. |
Small but strategic coverage. |
| Telangana |
~9 |
Nizamabad, Warangal, etc. |
Rural districts prioritized. |
| Tripura |
~8 |
Agartala, etc. |
Northeastern integration. |
| Uttar Pradesh |
~76 |
Lucknow, Varanasi, etc. |
Very large rural population; many JNVs. |
| Uttarakhand |
~13 |
Dehradun, etc. |
Hill states covered. |
| West Bengal |
~18–20 |
Kolkata, Purba Bardhaman, etc. |
Both rural and semi-urban presence. |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
3 |
Car Nicobar, Middle Andaman, South Andaman |
Remote island coverage. |
| Chandigarh (UT) |
1 |
Chandigarh |
Urban UT has 1 JNV. |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu (UT) |
~3 |
Various districts |
Small UT but JNV presence. |
| Delhi (UT) |
~5 (note: admission-year wise differs) |
New Delhi, etc. |
Urban, but with merit-based rural reservations. |
| Jammu & Kashmir & Ladakh |
~21 + 2 Ladakh |
Srinagar, Leh, etc. |
Important for regional inclusion. |
| Puducherry (UT) |
4 |
Puducherry-located districts |
Strategic southern UT coverage. |
**Note: Year of establishment varies by school; some JNVs like Paota (Jaipur) started in 1986.
Region-Wise Breakdown of Navodaya Vidyalayas
NVS divides its administration into eight regional offices, each overseeing certain states/UTs.
| Region |
Number of JNVs |
States/UTs under It |
| Bhopal Region |
113 |
Chhattisgarh (28), Madhya Pradesh (54), Odisha (31) |
| Chandigarh Region |
59 |
Chandigarh (1), Himachal Pradesh (12), Punjab (23), J&K (21), Ladakh (2) |
| Hyderabad Region |
77 |
Andhra Pradesh (15), Karnataka (31), Kerala (14), Telangana (9), Lakshadweep (1), Puducherry (4), A & N Islands (3) |
| Jaipur Region |
65 |
Delhi (9), Haryana (21), Rajasthan (35) |
| Lucknow Region |
89 |
Uttar Pradesh (76), Uttarakhand (13) |
| Patna Region |
85 |
Bihar (39), Jharkhand (26), West Bengal (20) |
| Pune Region |
73 |
Gujarat (34), Maharashtra (34), Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu (3), Goa (2) |
| Shillong Region |
100 |
Arunachal Pradesh (18), Assam (28), Manipur (11), Meghalaya (12), Mizoram (8), Nagaland (11), Sikkim (4), Tripura (8) |
Top 10 Navodaya Vidyalayas in India (with Details)
Here are 10 Navodaya Vidyalayas often regarded among the best, along with their full location and year of establishment. These are selected based on a mix of academic reputation, history, infrastructure, and regional representation.
1- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Paota (Jaipur), Rajasthan
- Location: Paota, Jaipur district, Rajasthan
- Year established: 1986.
- Highlights: One of the earliest JNVs, very well-known. The campus is fully residential, with smart-school status. Its migration scheme sends 30% of Class IX students to a JNV in Gujarat (Gujarati-speaking region).
2- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Kanpur Nagar (Uttar Pradesh)
- Location: Sarsaul, Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.
- Year established: 1987.
- Highlights: Large, well-developed campus (~35 acres), strong academic performance, and migration links to Kannada-speaking regions.
3- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Jaffarpur Kalan (Delhi)
- Location: Jaffarpur Kalan, South-West District, NCT Delhi.
- Year established: 1991.
- Highlights: Despite being in the national capital region, it maintains its rural-residential ethos. It’s well-known for academic discipline and close community feeling.
4- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Koraput (Odisha)
- Location: Koraput district, Odisha
- Year established: 2001.
- Highlights: Serves tribal and remote communities. It stands out for bringing modern education infrastructure to underrepresented rural regions.
5- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Raipur (Chhattisgarh)
- Location: Raipur district, Chhattisgarh.
- Year established: 1986.
- Highlights: One of the oldest JNVs in Chhattisgarh, located in an important district; strong performance, good facilities.
6- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Imphal East (Manipur)
- Location: Imphal East, Manipur. (From the general list; for year, many JNVs in Manipur were early establishments.)
- Year established: (From list) many Manipur JNVs were among the early ones; e.g., special JNVs in Manipur were sanctioned.
- Highlights: Strategic JNV for the North-East, promoting education in a region with challenging geography and fewer elite school options.
7- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Aizawl (Mizoram)
- Location: Aizawl, Mizoram.
- Year established: (From the list) such JNVs in Mizoram also date from early to mid-1990s.
- Highlights: Provides high-quality residential education in a hilly, relatively remote terrain; helps rural students in North-East access national-level education.
8- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh)
- Location: Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh.
- Year established: (From list) JNVs in Arunachal include those founded in early phases; exact year for Tawang can be found in the detailed list.
- Highlights: Very remote border region; JNV here is critical for giving quality education in isolated districts, promoting national integration.
9- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Shillong (Meghalaya)
- Location: Shillong, Meghalaya region. (Part of Shillong-region JNVs)
- Year established: Several JNVs in Shillong region date from early 1990s; detailed list shows establishment years.
- Highlights: One of the flagship JNVs in the North-East; often noted for its balanced academics, culture, and emphasis on national integration through language and migration programs.
10- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, North 24 Parganas (West Bengal)
- Location: Banipur, Habra, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
- Year established: 2003.
- Highlights: Quite unique for being in a peri-urban/rural district near Kolkata; good academic results and stable infrastructure.
(These are indicative; prospective students should check recent performance, infrastructure, and peer reviews.)
Why Take Admission in Navodaya Vidyalayas?
Here are compelling reasons why students and parents aim for JNVs:
- High-Quality Education for Free / Low Cost: The residential system ensures that students from underprivileged or rural backgrounds can access top quality schooling.
- Merit-Based & Fair: Admission is via selection test, rewarding talent, not wealth.
- Holistic Development: With smart classrooms, labs, sports facilities, and migration, students get a well-rounded education.
- National Integration: The migration scheme exposes students to different cultures and languages, broadening their worldview.
- Strong Alumni Network: Many JNV graduates go on to excel in engineering, medicine, civil services, and more.
- Equity & Inclusion: Special exemptions and scholarships make JNVs accessible to girls, SC/ST, and economically weaker students.
- Long-Term Value: Living in a residential school develops responsibility, self-reliance, and independence early on.
Conclusion
Navodaya Vidyalayas represent one of India's most ambitious and progressive educational experiments. With their strong rural reach, merit-based admissions, co-educational residential model, and focus on national integration, JNVs continue to play a vital role in democratizing high-quality education. While currently ~662 are operational (with 689 sanctioned), the government is further expanding the network to underserved districts. For students from rural or marginalized backgrounds, a Navodaya Vidyalaya is not just a school – it’s a gateway to opportunity, growth, and a brighter future.
