J.N.V.s- the schools with a

purpose

INTRODUCTION

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) are a system of alternate schools for gifted students in India. They are run by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, New Delhi, an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education, Government of India. JNVs are fully residential and co-educational schools affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi, with classes from VI to XII standard. JNVs are specifically tasked with finding talented children in rural areas of India and providing them with an education equivalent to the best residential school system, without regard to their family's socio-economic condition.

JNVs exist all over India, with the exception of Tamil Nadu. There are approximately 598 JNVs across India (one school per district) as of 2011-12 academic year.

History

The concept of opening Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in every district of India was born as a part of section 5.15 in New Policy on Education (NPE86)

In 1986, the concept of NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA SAMITI came into existence during the Prime Minister ship of Late Rajiv Gandhi. He was a great visionary. It was then decided to open a school of rural meterious students who are deprived of urban facilities. It was also decided to open one navodaya vididayala in each district . starting with two JNVS. Today there are around 600 JNVs raising the flag of good quality of modern education through learning by doing JNV provides education through playing method or we can say through non-traditional method.

MISSION AND VISION The National Policy on Education-1986 envisaged setting up of

residential schools, to be called Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas that would bring out the best of rural talent.

It was felt that children with special talent or aptitude should be provided opportunities to progress at a faster pace by making good quality education available to them irrespective of their capacity to pay for it. Such education would enable students for rural areas to compete with their urban counterparts on an equal footing.

The Navodaya Vidyalaya System which began as an unique experiment, is today 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.

OBJECTIVES OF NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA SAMITI

To establish, endow, maintain, control and manage schools(hereinafter called the ‘Navodaya Vidyalaya’)And to do all acts and things necessary for or conductive to the promotion of such schools which will have the following objectives:

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 the talented children predominantly from the rural areas without regard to their family’s socio-economic condition.

To provide facilities, at a suitable stage, for instruction through a common medium, viz., Hindi and English, all over the country.

Offer a common core-curriculum of ensuring comparability in standards and to facilitate and understanding of the common and composite heritage of our people.

To progressively bring students from one part of the country to another in each school to promote national integration and enrich the social content.

To establish, develop, maintain and manage hostels for the residence of students of Navodaya Vidyalayas.

To aid, establish and conduct other institutions a may be required for the furtherance of society’s objects in any part of India.

To do all such things as may be considered necessary, incidental or conductive to the attainment of all or any of the objects of the Society.

SALIENT FEATURES OF NAVODAYA VIDYALAYAS

JNVST: Entrance on the basis of Merit Navodaya Vidyalaya draw their student strength from talented children,

selected on the basis of a merit test, called the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Tes, designed, developed and conducted initially by NCERT and how 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 a disadvantage.

Reservation of Seats Admission in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas is primarily for children

from the rural areas, with provision of at least 75% seats for rural children. Seats are reserved for children from 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 filled by girl students.3% of the seats are for disabled children.

SALIENT FEATURES OF NAVODAYA VIDYALAYAS

Co-educational Residential Schools with Free Education Navodaya Vidyalayas are affiliated to CBSE and offer free education to

talented children from Class-VI to XII. Entry to Navodaya Vidyalaya is made in Class-VI with lateral entry in Class-IX & XI. Each Navodaya is co-educational residential institution providing free boarding and lodging, expenses on uniforms, text books, stationery, to and fro rail and bus fare to students.

However, a nominal fee @ Rs. 200/- per month is charger from students of Class- IX to Class XII as Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi. The students belonging to SC, ST categories, girls, disabled students and children of the families Below Poverty Line(BPL) are exempted from payment of this fee.

SALIENT FEATURES OF NAVODAYA VIDYALAYAS

Adherence to Three-Language Formula The Scheme of Navodaya Vidyalayas provides for implementation of the

Three Language Formula. The third language taught in Hindi speaking districts is linked with the migration of students. All Navodaya Vidyalayas follow the Three Language Formula i.e. Regional language, English and Hindi.

Medium of Instruction The medium of instruction will be mother-tongue/regional language up to VII

or VIII class. Thereafter the common medium would be Hindi/ English in all Navodaya Vidyalayas.

Promotion of National Integration Navodaya Vidyalayas aim at inculcating values of national integration through

migration scheme. Migration is an inter-regional exchange of students between Hindi and Non- Hindi speaking districts, which takes place foe one academic year in Class-IX. Efforts are made to promote better understanding of the unity is diversity and cultural heritage through various activities.

Organisational StructureThe Samiti functions through an Executive Committee under the Chairmanship of Honorable 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 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 Distribution of JNVs

Admission Admission to the JNVs requires qualifying in an entrance exam, called the JNVST,

designed, developed and conducted by NCERT earlier and now by the CBSE, except lateral admissions in the class IX and XI to the very limited seats held on annually apparently on February 2 Sunday. It is administered by the respective Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya regional center. The test encompasses reasoning/Mental ability skills, Maths, and Regional language. The school provides reservation as per mandate of Govt. of India, at least 75% selection of students from rural areas, maximum 25% from urban areas and fixed 33% to girl students. The JNV Samiti takes extensive care to make the applications available (and to communicate their availability through multiple media outlets) to far-flung rural districts, so as to properly serve this under-served population. Every year every JNV select about 80 most meritorious students. There is no admission fee and no re-admission fee however the non below poverty line and General category male students of Class IX to XII are charged 200 per month in welfare of Vidyalayas ₹called Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE In Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, all out efforts are

made to develop competencies among students in scholastic and non-scholastic areas of education leading to effective personality development of each child. Scholastic excellence can be seen in the comparison of average, pass percentage of NVS and that of other school systems like Kendriya Vidyalayas and Private schools.

Statistics showing academic excellence of JNVs

Cultural activitiesCultural activities are a key part of the JNV program. Each school has a music hall where the students are taught to play different musical instruments. Inter-school competitions are held at all India level.

Sports JNVs give great emphasis to sports. Every JNV provides

facilities for handball, football, volleyball, basketball, kho-kho, badminton, kabaddi, hockey, and cricket. The daily schedule allots at least two hours a day toward sports or other play activities. The campuses also provide a gymnasium and multi-purpose room for indoor games.

Inter-school competitions are also yearly once at cluster, regional, national, and SGFI (School Games Federation of India) level.

Scouting, Guiding and NCC

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti is recognised as a state for Scouting and Guiding activities by the Bharat Scouts and Guides. Navodaya students regularly and actively participate in programmes of BSG. NCC is being introduced in JNVs in a phased manner. Samiti had a total cadet strength of 9420 during 2003-2004. As part of NCC training, students of the JNVs attended several camps and excelled themselves.

Migration One of the important features of the JNV scheme is an

exchange programme wherein students visit JNVs in different linguistic regions . The aim of the exchange program is focused on national integration. According to the scheme, selected 30% of 9th class students are exchanged between JNVs of non-Hindi speaking region and Hindi speaking region, for one year and students of two collaborated navodayas are taught language of their associated state as third language for four years, from class 6th-9th. s.

Importance of JNVsJawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya is a totally residential school which admits children at the young age of 10-11 and teaches them for around 7 years till they finish high school. Though at first all of us Navodayans feel bad for being away from home and not with their family, it imbibes in us lot of qualities. Here are some of those.

Self EmpowermentFrom a very small age we are own our own and are taught to take care of ourselves. We do our our laundry, dishes all on our own, which teaches us to be responsible from the very childhood. You can always expect a Navodayan to do his own chores or help others throughout life.

Importance of JNVs An open mind

We are given a new family once we get in there. We get friends from all walks of life. We learn to respect and love people irrespective of their religion, caste, gender or color. This we carry forward throughout our life. We don't judge or discriminate people on these grounds anytime.

A good educational structureNavodaya follows one of the best curriculum in the country proposed by NCERT. We were taught all the essential things needed to follow any stream of our choice once we are out of the school.  The teachers stay in campus, so are accessible during any fair amount of time for extra help. The mandatory study time instill in us a good education on time management and a discipline from a very small age.

Importance of JNVs Chance to mingle and learn with students of other states and culture.

Every Navodaya is associated with a sister Navodaya from another part of the country, between which a small amount of pupils are transferred to study for 1 year (9th standard, earlier it used to be both 9th and 10th). This provides a good chance for some children to travel to the distant part of the country and learn there and understand the culture. Those who opt not to go are also not under any disadvantage as a group of students from that school comes to this school.

We are good at sportsMandatory physical exercise routine during mornings and an hour of games in the evening keeps most of us fit. And we know how to play most of the games at least to a decent level. Some of us go on to make good sports persons. Most of us are drafted to a sports team in college in the very first try itself. We have annual sports competitions from which talented sports persons can go up til national levels.

Importance of JNVs We love reading

Television or internet (at least during the time I studied, 1993-2000) was not a normal thing in our daily schedule. We were allowed screening of a movie during Sundays and other national holidays. Other than that most of our entertainment came from reading books. Most of us generate an affinity towards reading and some of us go on to become good writers. All of our schools are equipped with good libraries.

We develop thick friendshipsSince we lived for seven years under the same roof, we develop thick friendships which last for a lifetime. I remember all my classmates including their roll numbers even after 15 years. We keep in touch even now.

Importance of JNVs Lots of cultural and technical competitions

We are given ample platform to develop the dancer, singer, orator, painter, dancer, dramatists, playwrights etc in us.. We used to make satires on some of the things we didn't like in our school. We were not reprimanded or punished heavily for those. The teachers and staff took it in the spirit.The art and SUPW (Socially useful productive work) classes taught us usefull skills outside normal curriculum too. I once hardbound all my textbooks using a class took on book binding at an SUPW class.There is also technical exhibitions conducted every year at various schools.

Importance of JNVs We volunteer for social work.

The Swatch Bharat Abhiyan, was a normal thing long before it was announced. We as children used to go clean the surroundings on every October 2. All the other normal weeks we were grouped into teams which clean the dormitories and our toilets on a regular people. We were taught "Cleanliness is Godliness".

We are patrioticAs a school of mixed culture there is only theme that binds us all together. That is India. We celebrate all Independence days and Republic days with pride. We are taught about patriotism with great effect. We love our country.

A few disadvantages too. There is no religious education.

It is not such a bad thing. I am myself an atheist (or moreover a mind inclined towards scientific reasoning). The seeds of this were sown in the school. I am not telling anyone forcefully fed me the ideals of atheism at school. If you wanted to visit a church or temple, the school allowed it under the supervision of a teacher. But I never felt the need to do it. If I lived with my parents, they would have forced me to attend the mass every Sunday. So if you really want your child to be religious, you have a slight disadvantage here.

A few disadvantages too. Navodayas are not talking part in state sports meet.

Navodaya Vidyalayas doesn’t directly participate in state level sports competition as it has its own sports activities which are of cluster, regional and national levels. But when some individual extraordinary talents are encountered JNVs just doesn’t allows the talents to grow but also helps its students physically and financially.

But all together it is a nice experience and education which if possible you should take up. 99% of the time it makes a person a self reliant, all round, well mannered and disciplined citizen of the world.

THANK YOU