JNVST Syllabus 2027: Class 6 Exam Pattern With New EVS Section, Marking Scheme

Five weeks. That is how much time Class 5 children have before they sit the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test (JNVST) on Saturday, 28 November 2026, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. And this year the paper is not the one older siblings or coaching books describe. The Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) has added an Environmental Studies (EVS) section to the Class 6 test for the 2027-28 session, so 20 of the 80 questions now come from a subject that was not there before.

Below is the JNVST Navodaya syllabus 2027 as the NVS prospectus describes it: the four sections, how the 120 minutes are split, the topics in each section, the minimum marks a child must get in every part, and a realistic plan for the weeks left.

JNVST 2027 Exam Pattern at a Glance

Two details in this table trip people up. First, Mental Ability is no longer a 40-question section. It now has 20 questions, and the other 20 have gone to EVS, with the two sections sharing one 60-minute block. Many guidebooks and old sample papers still follow the earlier pattern, so check the year on anything you buy. Second, every question carries the same 1.25 marks, so a Mental Ability question is worth exactly as much as an Arithmetic one.

All questions are objective and are answered on a separate OMR sheet with a blue or black ball-point pen. There is no negative marking, so a child should attempt every question. Divyang candidates get 40 minutes extra.

Section-Wise Syllabus

Mental Ability Test (non-verbal)

These questions use figures, not words, so the medium of the paper hardly matters here. The prospectus lists these areas:

• Pattern completion and figure series
• Geometrical figure completion
• Mirror images and water images
• Embedded figures (spotting a figure hidden inside a larger one)

Environmental Studies (new section)

EVS checks what a Class 5 child knows about the world around them. The prospectus groups it into the natural world, the human body, science in everyday life, and the social surroundings, which includes India, states and capitals, festivals, seasons, forests and crops. These are the same broad themes children meet in EVS at primary school, so the child’s own Class 3 to 5 EVS textbooks are the natural place to start revision.

Arithmetic Test

• Number system and the four operations on whole numbers
• Factors and multiples
• Fractions (like fractions)
• Measurement of length, mass, capacity and time
• Simplification
• Perimeter and area
• Angles and directions
• Data analysis from tables, bar diagrams and pictographs

Language Test

The Language Test has four reading passages with five questions each. The questions check whether the child understood the passage, can work out the meaning of words in context, and can follow how ideas and events in the passage connect.

Minimum Marks: Every Section Counts

A high total is not enough. The prospectus requires a child to score at least 14 marks in Mental Ability and EVS together, 7 marks in Arithmetic and 7 marks in Language. Missing the minimum in any one of these three parts can keep a child out of the merit list even if the overall score is good. In practice this means not skipping the Language passages, which some children leave for the end and then rush.

Who Is Writing JNVST 2027

The test is for children studying in Class 5 in 2026-27 in a recognised school in the district where they seek admission, born between 1 May 2015 and 31 July 2017 (both days inclusive). They must have studied full sessions of Classes 3, 4 and 5. Children who have taken JNVST before cannot apply again.

At least 75% of seats in each district go to rural children, who must have studied Classes 3 to 5 in rural schools, and at least one-third of seats go to girls. SC, ST and OBC seats follow the rules in the prospectus.

Key Dates for JNVST 2027

Applications are closed. If you applied, keep the registration number and password safe; you will need them to download the admit card from the NVS admission portal.

A Five-Week Plan Before 28 November

1. Week 1: Take one full mock paper in the new pattern to see where the child stands. Note the section with the lowest score.
2. Week 2: Mental Ability every day, 20 questions at a time, with mirror and water images and embedded figures given extra time.
3. Week 3: EVS from the Class 3 to 5 school textbooks, plus states and capitals and seasonal crops. Arithmetic on alternate days.
4. Week 4: Two reading passages a day for the Language Test, timed at about seven minutes per passage.
5. Week 5: Two full mock papers in 2 hours with an OMR sheet, then rest. Avoid new topics in the last three days.

Parents should check one thing now: the medium of the question paper chosen in the form cannot be changed, so the child should practise reading passages in that language.

Families looking at other school admissions for 2027-28 can read our MVM admission 2027-28 guide and the Maharishi Vidya Mandir school list. Older students preparing for scholarships can see the NMMS scholarship 2026-27 explainer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Official Links: JNVST 2027

About the author

Ishlin Mittal

Ishlin Mittal is a Senior Editor at MVM Times with six years of writing behind her. She edits our coverage of board and competitive exams, government schemes and the economy. Read full profile →

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