What is the procedure for taking admission in NIOS?

Ans: NIOS has introduced 100% On-line admission at the Secondary and the Senior Secondary level in order to
facilitate learners to register.
Under this scheme, the learner have three options:
(i) He/She can register on-line directly by visiting the website of NIOS i.e., www.nios.ac.in
(ii) He/She may visit his/her nearest AI (Study Centre)/Facilitation Centre and take help for on-line registration.
(iii) He/She may visit the concerned Regional Centre of NIOS and take help for on line registration.
(iv) He/She can use the services of the Common Services Centres of the Govt. of India for Online registration
throughout the Country.

2. What is the eligibility criteria for admission to the Secondary Course?

Ans: l A learner who has passed class VIII and has valid proof of attaining 14 years of age can apply for registration
to the Secondary Course.
l The learner who gives a self certificate stating that “I have studied and able to pursue the secondary course”
is also eligible for admission to the Secondary Course.
l The learner who had studied at the Secondary level can also seek admission in NIOS either to complete his
course or to improve his performance.
l Residential proof of the learner.

3. What is the valid proof of date of birth?
Ans: The certificate of date of birth issued by a Municipal Corporation, a Municipal Body, a Village Panchayat or any
other body authorised by the Registrar, Birth and Death, Government of India, and the Aadhaar Card issued by
Govt. Agency is a valid proof of date of birth. However, in case of orphans, street children etc., a medical certificate
in respect of age issued by a Government Hospital is also acceptable as a valid proof of date of birth.
4. What is the validity period of admission?
Ans: The Admission (once registered) is valid for a period of 5 years from the date of admission.
5. Does NIOS allow any fees concession?
Ans: The fee concession is provided to females, SC/ST/Ex-Servicemen and differently abled/Divyang learners as per
NIOS norms.
6. Can any learner take direct admission in the Senior Secondary courses?
Ans: No. In order to take admission in the Senior Secondary course, the learner must have passed the Secondary
course from a recognised Board.
7. What is the Minimum age to take admission in the Senior Secondary Course?
Ans: The minimum age to take admission in the Senior Secondary Course is 15 years.
8. What are the mediums of studies available in NIOS?
Ans: The NIOS offers the Secondary course in English, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Odia, Telugu, Gujarati, Tamil and Malayalam
mediums; and the Senior Secondary course in English, Hindi, Odia, Bengali, Gujarati and Urdu mediums.
9. What are the subjects available for the Secondary Course (Class-X)?
Ans: Hindi, English, Urdu, Sanskrit, Bengali, Odia, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Kannada, Punjabi, Assamese, Nepali,
Malayalam, Arabic, Persian, Tamil, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Science, Economics, Business
Studies, Home Science; Psychology, Indian Culture and Heritage, Painting, Data Entry Operations, Accountancy,
Veda Adhyan, Sanskrit Vyakaran, Bharatiya Darshan, Sanskrit Sahitya. (32 subjects including 17 languages).
10. What are the subjects available for the Senior Secondary Course (Class-XII)?
Ans: Hindi, English, Bengali, Odia, Tamil, Urdu, Sanskrit, Gujarati, Punjabi, Parsian, Arabic, Mathematics, Physics,
Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, Business Studies, Accountancy, Home
Science, Psychology, Computer Science, Sociology, Painting, Environmental Science, Mass Communication,
Data Entry Operations, Introduction to Law, Library and Information Science, Veda Adhyan, Sanskrit Vyakaran,
Bharatiya Darshan, Sanskrit Sahitya. (36 subjects including 11 languages).

11. Whether a learner can I change his/her subjects during the validity period of his/her admission?
Ans: Yes. A learner has the option to change in one or more subjects, provided the total number of subjects does not
exceed seven. However, such a change is permissible within four years of registration, so that learner can appear
in the Public Examination within the validity period of admission. No change/addition of subjects is allowed in the
first examination. Subjects already passed cannot be changed.
12. How many subjects are required to be taken for obtaining the pass certificate ?
Ans: For obtaining a pass certificate at the Secondary level, a learner is required to pass in minimum five subjects
including one or maximum two languages.
13. Can the learner seek admission in additional subjects also?
Ans: Yes. A learner can opt upto two additional subjects. Thus, in all, a learner can choose maximum of seven subjects.
14. What is the admission fee for registration and the examination fee?
Ans: The latest fee structure for registration and examination is given on NIOS website as also in the Prospectus.
15. Can a learner take admission in Secondary/Senior Secondary Course of NIOS after passing the Secondary/Senior Secondary course from a formal Board of School Education?
Ans: Yes. In case the learner has completed the Secondary/Senior Secondary Course from any National/State Board
of School Education and wish to seek admission in NIOS for the same course, he/she will be allowed to take
admission in NIOS in upto four subjects. On successful completion, the learner will get only the Mark Sheet. No
Certificate is issued under the Dual/Part Admission Scheme.
16. How do the learner get confirmation of his/her admission?
Ans: The admission to a particular course is normally confirmed by NIOS by issuing an Identity Card having his/her
admission particulars as per the records available with NIOS. On confirmation of admission, Enrolment Number is
also informed to the learner.
17. How does the learner get the self-instructional material?
Ans: The specially designed printed Self Instructional Material for different subjects alongwith other support material is
provided to learner through post at his/her home address. A learner is, therefore, expected to give his/her correct
and complete home address.
18. How can a learner procure his/her study material in case parcel is not delivered?
Ans: In case of undelivered parcel of study material, the learner is required to pay Rs. 100/- (Rupees one hundred only)
through a Demand Draft in favour of Secretary, NIOS, payable at Delhi for re-despatch of study material at his/her
residence to the Deputy Director, Material Distribution Unit, C/o CWC, G.T. Karnal Road, Rana Pratap Bagh,
Delhi-110033
19. Is there any provision for correction in admission records?
Ans: Since the admission is 100% online, the learners are requested to be careful while making entries in their
application form. However, the correction will be done as per the Guidelines displayed on NIOS website.
20. Whether NIOS issues Duplicate Identity Card?
Ans: Yes, In case of loss of Identity Card, a Duplicate Identity Card can be issued only after lodging an FIR with the
concerned Police Station by the learner. Apply on plain paper to the concerned Regional Centre of NIOS along
with the original copy of FIR, the bank draft of Rs. 100/- and two photographs. Detailed guidelines can be seen on
NIOS website in this regard.
21. Can a learner choose any subject combination?
Ans: Yes, a learner has the option to choose subjects of his/her choice from the list provided at NIOS website and
prospectus keeping in view the Passing Criteria and Certification Criteria, as also the requirement of other Boards/
Universities for further education.
22. Whether learner has the option to take vocational subjects along with academic courses at the Secondary and the Senior Secondary levels?
Ans: Yes, in order to make NIOS courses more meaningful, Vocational Education Courses are offered independently
and also in combination with academic subjects at the Secondary and the Senior Secondary levels.
23. Are the Common Services Centres of the Government of India authorised to act as NIOS Facilitation Centres?
Ans: Yes, NIOS has entered into an MoU with CSC e-Governance India Ltd., Ministry of Information and Technology,
Government of India. All the Common Services Centres throughout the country act as Facilitation Centres of NIOS
where any prospective learner can avail various online facilities of NIOS at the prescribed rates. These rates are
given at pages 15 to 16 of the Handbook. A list of the CSCs is at Appendix-C.
The amount as per these rates is to be paid by the learner and will be in addition to the registration fee of NIOS.

Note : As far as certificates issued by NIOS is concerned, these are accepted for higher education, Govt. jobs and all other purposes. The certificates issued by NIOS are accepted by all the National/State Boards and all the Universities. However, in certain cases, various Boards/ Universities have fixed an eligibility criteria based on their specific requirements. Hence, the candidates seeking admission in NIOS may go through the latest eligibility criteria of different Boards/Universities.