Evaluation System

Evaluation and Assessment is an integral component of any teaching-learning system. The Government of India in 1990 vested NIOS with the authority to examine and certify students up to pre-degree level, and thus, NIOS became one of the National Boards of Examination. It is the only Board which conducts two full-fledged examinations every year during April/May and October/Novermber. NIOS has been conducting its public examinations since 1991.

Unique Features of the NIOS Examination System

  • NIOS does not have the infrastructure of its own. It shares the infrastructure and human resources of the institutions established by the public sector and private sector to conduct its examinations without disturbing their academic schedule.
  • NIOS gives a lot of flexibility to the students in matters related to examination such as (no compulsion of appearing in all the subjects at the same examination) appearing in one or more subjects in the examination as per the convenience, credit accumulation of the passed subjects, nine chances to appear in the public examinations over a period of five years, and transfer of credit of two subjects passed from other selected boards and up to four subjects in the case of ex-NIOS learners.
  • A student is allowed to write answers in the examination in any of the scheduled languages of India except language papers even if he/she has not opted for that medium.
  • A student can appear in On Demand Examination at Secondary level and Senior Secondary level examination any number of times as per his/her convenience.

The National Institute of Open Schooling has the following features Innovations in its Evaluation System:

The National Institute of Open Schooling has certain features in its evaluation system such as freedom to answer the questions in Public Examinations in any one of the scheduled regional languages, although the Question Papers supplied would generally be in English and Hindi available Regional mediums only. Intimation letter and Certificate have scanned photographs of the learners; and the information about Examination Centres and results are made available online. Besides, NIOS has been doing innovations in the evaluation system to maintain its credibility and standards. The On Demand Examination System at Secondary and Senior Secondary level for the registered canditates is one such innovation.

  • Freedom to answer the question in Public Examinations in any one of the scheduled regional Languages, although the Question Papers supplied would generally be in English and Hindi/available Regional medium only.
  • Hall Tickets available online at Student Dashboard
  • Information about examination centres and results are made available online.

The NIOS is a National Board for Secondary and Senior Secondary Examinations similar to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE).

The Public Examinations are held twice a year in the months of April-May and October-November on dates fixed by the NIOS. However, you are also eligible to appear through On Demand Examination at Secondary Level and Senior Secondary level in those subjects only in which you have admission in NIOS. Registration for Public Examination for admission through Online under Stream-1 and unsuccessful learners from Stream-2. For appearing in NIOS examination, the learner must register himself/herself by filling up the Examination Form online by paying requisite examination fee as per schedule given.

  1. For April-May Examination : 21st Nov to 20th December (without late Fee) or as per the notification
  2. For April-May Examination : 21st Dec to 31st Dec (with late fee of Rs. 100 per subject) or as per the notification
  3. For April-May Examination : 01st Jan to 10th January (with consolidated Late Fee of Rs. 1500) or as per the notification
  4. For October-November Examination : 21st May to 20th June (without late Fee)or as per the notification
  5. For October-November Examination : 21st June to 30th June (with late Fee of Rs. 100 per subject) or as per the notification
  6. For October-November Examination : 01st July to 10th July (with consolidated late Fee of Rs. 1500) or as per the notification

The learner can register for Public Examinations through only online. The examination fee can be paid through Credit Card/Debit Card/Net Banking only.

IMPORTANT NOTE

  • The learner admitted to the Senior Secondary Course must ensure essential gap of two years from the year of passing the Secondary examination for the purpose of obtaining a certificate at the Senior Secondary level. If learner does not have the requisite gap of two years, he/she can appear in a maximum of four subjects only in the forthcoming April- May examination and subsequent October-November Examination. In case a learner is registered for more than 4 subjects, then first 4 subject shall be considered for appearing in the examination. He/she will be eligible to appear in the remaining subjects only on completion of the two years gap. In the absence of the two years gap, his/her examination fee will be adjusted for the first four opted subjects and the remaining fee, if paid for other subjects, will be forfeited.
  • Fixation of Examination Centre is the prerogative of NIOS. However, the Examination Centres are normally fixed at District Headquarters, Sub-Divisional Headquarters and other available places near to the AIs.
  • Please contact the concerned AI or log on to NIOS website about two weeks prior to commencement of examination for finding out details regarding Examination Centre and Date Sheet.
  • Intimation letters and Certificates have scanned photographs of the learners. The information about Examination Centres and result are made available on the NIOS website.
  • The learner has to appear in the Examination Centre allotted to him/her by NIOS. The decision of NIOS with regard to allotment of the Examination Centre will be final.
  • In case a learner appears in an Examination Centre other than the one allotted by NIOS, his/her result will not be declared and his/her case will be treated as having resorted to unfair means.

Please, follow the links below for the details on:

Details of Examination System at NIOS:

 

Credit Accumulation

You can avail as many as nine chances to appear in the public examinations spread over a period of five years. NIOS holds external examinations twice a year.NIOS will keep and accumulate your passes (Credit) in particular subjects in its computer till you clear all the required subjects for a certification. Avail this flexible scheme of examination to learn well and to get better results.

It may, however, become necessary for the NIOS to revise the syllabus of different courses from time to time.

If a Senior Secondary candidate passes in Practicals but fails in the Theory of a subject, his/her Practical awards are retained and he/she can appear in Theory examinations. However, if he/she re-appears in practicals again, then better of the two results will be taken into account.

Likewise the part credit of passing in the Theory but failing in Practicals is retained. But the examination fee of both Theory and Practicals has to be paid even if the candidates does not intend to appear in Theory or Practicals.

For Secondary examinations, theory and practicals are considered as one unit and a candidate has to pass in aggregate of the two. Hence, a candidate reappearing in a subject is required to appear in both theory and practicals.

For the purpose of obtaining a certificate at the Senior Secondary level, a two-year gap is essential from the year of passing the Secondary examination. If you don not have the requisite gap of two years, you can appear in a maximum of four subjects only in the forth coming March-May and subsequent September-November Examinations. You will be eligible to appear in the remaining subjects only on completion of the two years gap. If a candidate with less than two years gap applies for examination in more than four subjects, then the registration for examination will be done only for the first four subjects. The remaining subjects will not be considered and the fee will be forfeited.

 

Improvement of Performance

NIOS allows you to apply again in a subject, which you have already passed, for improvement of performance but only once.

You have to apply for improvement in the same manner as for appearing at the first chance examination and pay the required fee. This chance can be availed only once within the five years of admission.

For subjects involving Practicals you have to appear in both Theory and practicals for improvement in the performance.

Better of the two results would be considered and indicated in the marksheet.

 

Issue of Mark sheet and Certificate

You shall receive a Mark-Sheet on declaration of result through your AI. Provisional and Migration Certificate will be issued to successful candidates. The passing certificate will be issued about six months after declaration of Results.

NIOS does not issue any Bonafide/Transfer/School Leaving/ Character/Date of Birth Certificate separately to its learners.

In case of your passing in additional subjects(s) or improvement of performance in one or more than one subject, no fresh certificate will be issued; you shall be issued only a Marksheet.

No migration Certificate will be issued to the learners unless they complete their course

The stress in NIOS is to bring out the best in you. Every subject is not equally difficult for you. You can learn some subjects very well, may be in six months, whereas some requires more than a year. Keeping this in mind, NIOS allows you to appear in or two subjects, so to build confidence in you of doing well in the examination. You can take some more subjects in the next examination, but do well in each. As soon as you complete the required number of subjects, you get your certificate.

Pass and Certification Criteria

Course Pass Criteria Certification Criteria
Secondary Course A minimum of 33% marks in the aggregate (Theory plus Practicals where applicable) in the public examination. Pass in 5 subjects including at least one but not more than two languages
Senior Secondary Course A minimum of 33% marks (separately in theory and Practicals in subjects having both and also in aggregate) in the public examination. Pass in 5 subjects including at least one but not more than two languages
 

Policy on "Mass Copying"

Penalities for resorting to Mass Copying in examinations in NIOS :-

Following penalities are levied against the examination centres booked under Mass copying :-

  1. Disaccreditation of A.I
  2. In the case of institution other than A.Is, the institution shall be black listed as recommended by UFM Committee.
  3. Respective Boards for disaffilliation of the institution for resorting to unethical practices.
  4. Publicity in the press against the Institution involved in unethical practices during the examination indicating action taken against these institution/s.
 

Public Examination Fees

The examination fee is payable by all. It is same for both Secondary and Senior Secondary courses as shown in the Table below:

Examination Fees Fee
Examination fees both for Secondary and Sr. Secondary (Public Exam) Rs. 250/- per subject
Additional fees for practicals in subjects having both theory and practicals (Public Exam) Rs. 120/- per subject
Late fee for examination (for First 10 days) (Public Exam) Rs. 100/- per subject
Consolidate late fee to be received at Regional Centres only (Public Exam)
(for next 10 days)
Rs. 1500/- consolidated
Examination fees both for Secondary and Sr. Secondary (On Demand Examination) Rs. 500/- per subject
Additional fees for practicals in subjects having practical components (On Demand Examination) Rs. 200/- per subject
Processing fees for Re-evaluation of answer sheet for Sr. Secondary Public Examination Rs. 800/- per subject
Processing fees for Re-evaluation of answer sheet for Sr. Secondary of On Demand Examination Rs. 1000/- per subject
Examination Fees for Vocational Courses (including theory,practical and internal examination Rs. 300/- per subject
Verification of NIOS documents (for Private Organisation and individual learners) Rs. 500/- per document
 

Duplicate Copy of Documents and Other Miscellaneous Fees

Other charges Fee
Duplicate copy of the Pass Certificate Rs. 200.00
Duplicate copy of the Provisional Certificate Rs. 200.00
Duplicate copy of the Migration Certificate Rs. 200.00
Duplicate copy of the Marksheet Rs. 200.00
Issue of urgent duplicate provisional Certificate/Migration Certificate and Marks Statement Rs. 400.00
Revised Mark statement, Provisional, Migration and Pass Certificate after correction (Secondary, Senior Secondary and other courses) Rs. 200.00 per document
Scrutiny of Marks/Re-checking of answer scripts for Public/On Demand Examination (Secondary, Senior Secondary and other courses) Rs. 300.00 per subject
Duplicate Copy of the Certificate (Vocational Courses) Rs. 200.00
Duplicate Marks Statement (Vocational Courses) Rs. 200.00
Scrutiny of Marks/Re-checking of answer scripts (Vocational Courses) Rs. 300.00 per subject
Issue of urgent duplicate provisional Certificate/Migration Certificate and Marks Statement (vocational Courses) Rs. 400.00
Revised Mark statement, Provisional, Migration and Pass Certificate after correction (Vocational Courses) Rs. 200.00 per document
Verification of NIOS documents (for Private Organisation and individual learners) - Vocational courses Rs. 500/- per document
Processing Fees for Issue of Photocopy of answer Scripts to learner (secondary, Sr. Secondary or equivalent courses) Rs. 700/- per Answer Script
Transcription/Verification for foreign Institutions/Universities (Abroad) for NIOS Certificates Rs. 5000/-
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