Evaluation System

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. (a) 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.
(i) For April-May Examination : 01st December to 31st December (without Late fee), from 01st January to 10th January (With Late Fee of Rs. 50 per subject) and from 11th January to 20th January with consolodated Late Fee of Rs. 800. 
(ii) For October-November Examination : 01st June to 30th June (without Late fee), from 01st July to 10th July (With Late Fee of Rs. 50 per subject) and from 11th July to 20th July with consolodated Late Fee of Rs. 800. 

Important Note:

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. (159 KB)

Details of Examination System at NIOS:

• Guidelines for establishment of Examination Centre (71 KB)
• Credit Accumulation
• Improvement of Performance
• Re-evaluation of Answer Scripts
• Issue of Certificate
• Policy on "Unfair Means" (46 KB)
• Policy on "Mass Copying"
• Public Examination Fees
• Other Miscellaneous Fees
• General and Specific Relaxations (Disability wise) During NIOS Examination

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

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, examination centre is cancelled for ever
3. Intimation to the respective Boards for disaffilliation of the institution for resorting to unethical practices.
4. Lodging of FIR with police where it is established that money exchanged hands and there is involvement of the Centre Superintendent and Invigilators in this racket.
5. Publicity in the press against the Institution involved in unethical practices during the examination indicating action taken against those 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:

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

Other Miscellaneous Fees