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 with Scanned photograph of the learners.
• 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 AIs as well as Online admission under Stream 1 To appear for the NIOS examination, you must register yourself by filling up the Examination Form and paying requisite examination fee as per schedule given.

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

• Learners admitted to Senior Secondary Course must ensure that 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 do not have the requisite gap of two years, you can appear in a maximum of four subjects only in the forthcoming April-May examination and subsequent October-November Examination. You 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, your examination fee will be adjusted for the first four opted subjects and the remaining fee, if paid for other subjects, will be forfeited.
• No examination fee will be accepted at NIOS Headquarters.
• In case, your AI stands cancelled/ non functional, you may pay your fee in the prescribed form at the concerned Regional Centre of the area as listed in "Appendix-D" within the prescribed dates in person or by post along with the bank draft. The Bank Draft is to be drawn in favour of "Secretary, National Institute of Open Schooling," payable at the concerned Regional Centre.
• Contact your AI or log on to NIOS website about two weeks prior to commencement of examination for finding out details regarding your Examination Centre and date sheet.
• Fixation of Examination Centre is the prerogative of NIOS. However, the Examination Centres are normally fixed in District Headquarters, Sub-Divisional Headquarters and other available places nearest to the AIs.
• You have to appear in the Examination Centre allotted to you by NIOS. The decision of NIOS with regard to allotment of Examination Centre will be final. l In case, you appear in an Examination Centre other than allotted by NIOS, your result will not be declared and your case will be treated as having resorted to unfair means.

Please, follow the links below for the details on :

• For the list of Boards which have recognised the NIOS Examinations. (141 KB)
• For the list of Universities / Institutions which have recognised the NIOS Examinations. (158 KB)

Details of Examination System at NIOS:

• Notification-49/2024 dt. 14/10/2024 regarding revision of rates related to Spot Evaluation & ODE.
• Notification-36/2024 dt. 25/07/2024 by regarding revision in rates of remuneration in respect of various activities of examination for Secondary, Sr. Secondary, Vocational and ODE examination of NIOS.
• Guidelines for Centre Superintendent for Theory Examination April-2024.
• Guideline for Centre Superintendent  for April 2024 (Practical) exam.
• Guidelines for Centre Superintendent for Theory Examination Oct-2023.
• Practical Guidelines of Academic and Vocational course  April-May-2023. 
• Guidelines for the Practical Examination and Internal Assignments for Yoga Asstt Course (667).
• Guideline for Centre Superintendent for Practical Examination.
• Guideline for Centre Superintendent - Practical (Revised)  
• Bye-laws Governing Examinations and Certification 2012 (Revised and Amended upto 2021) 
• Guideline for Centre Superintendent - Theory (404 KB)
• Guidelines for Spot Evaluation (3 MB)
• Evaluation - Departmental Advisory Committee
• Credit Accumulation
• Improvement of Performance
• Re-evaluation of Answer Scripts
• Issue of Certificate
• Policy on "Unfair Means" (45.7 KB)
• Policy on "Mass Copying"
• Public Examination Fees
• Other Miscellaneous Fees
• General and Specific Relaxations (Disability wise) During NIOS Examination
• Notification-04/2024 dt. 17/01/2024 regarding ammendments in Bye-Laws Governing Examinations & Certification-2012.

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. Migration Certificate will be issued to successful candidates only. 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

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:

• The fees paid for examination cannot be refunded or adjusted under any circumstances.

Duplicate Copy of Documents and Other Miscellaneous Fees