Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya to get 5000 more seats: Prakash Javadekar

From the academic year 2019-20, there will be an increase of 5000 seats in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs). At present, the number of seats in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, residential schools for rural children are 46,600. The additional seats will mean availability of 51,000 seats from the academic year 2019-20, said Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar.

In the last five years, the number of seats increased in JNVs is 14,000, the government is likely to add 32,000 more seats in the coming four years. “This is a step in the right direction. This is the biggest-ever expansion of quality education for rural students. This unprecedented expansion of JNVs, nearly free of cost residential schools, will provide more opportunity for talented children from rural areas to get quality education,” HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said.

READ | Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya 2019 test: 31.10 lakh students register, exam on April 6

Navodaya is the only education system in the country where students give entrance examination for admission into Class 6.

In 2001, 5.50 lakh aspirants appeared for the entrance examination for Class 6. Over the years the number of aspirants appearing for the entrance examination has increased considerably. For the 2019 entrance test, 31.10 lakh students have registered for the entrance examination.

“This reflects the growing aspirations of rural children for acquiring quality education and the Government’s consistent effort to meet this aspiration,” the HRD Minister said adding that the government is also actively considering setting up of a Navodaya Vidyalaya each in the newly carved out districts in various States.

In the past five years Navodaya Vidyalaya have consistently recorded a pass percentage of over 97 per cent in Class 10 and Class 12, of which 86 per cent securing first division, which is far better than private schools and CBSE’s national average.