Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya's are Indian schools for talented children. They form a part of the system of gifted education. The objectives of the scheme were to provide good quality modern education to the talented children predominantly from the rural areas, without regard to their family's socio-economic condition.

First established in 1985, they are the brain child of the then Human Resources Minister, P. V. Narasimha Rao (who later became Prime Minister of India) to find and foster talented children from the rural parts of India. They were formerly named as Navodaya Vidyalayas and renamed later as ‘Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas' in the birth-centenary year of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India. Navodaya Vidyalayas are located all over the country, except Tamil Nadu. There are approximately 557 JNVs across India as of now. They offer free education to all students who get selected through the admission process which includes an All India Entrance Exam, held at district level.

Management

The chain of Navodaya Vidyalayas is managed by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti which is an autonomous organization of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Secondary Education and Higher Education. The Samiti functions through an Executive Committee under the Chairmanship of the Union Minister of Human Resource Development. Union Minister of State for Education is the Vice-Chairman of the Samiti. The Executive Committee is assisted by Finance Committee, and Academic Advisory Committee in its functions.

The Samiti has eight regional offices for administration of Vidyalayas under their respective regions. These offices are located at places in different States. 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 the Vidyalaya level committees with local educationists, public representatives and officials from the District as members. Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti headquarter is presently located in New Delhi.

Objectives

To provide a 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 from rural areas without regard to their family’s socio-economic condition.

To ensure that students attain a reasonable level of competency in three languages as envisaged in Three Language Formula; and

To serve in each district as focal point for improvement of quality of school education in general through sharing of experiences and facilities.