National Institute of Open Schooling

It is recognized as the largest open schooling system in the world, with a cumulative enrolment of over 4.13 million learners during the last five years. Between 2004 and 2009, NIOS recorded a cumulative enrolment of about 1.5 million students at the secondary and senior secondary levels, and it continues to enrol around 350,000 learners annually. NIOS functions as an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, similar in status to other national educational boards such as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

• Name — National Institute of Open Schooling • Native Name — राष्ट्रीय मुक्त विद्यालयी शिक्षा संस्थान • Abbreviation — NIOS • Former Name — National Open School • Founder — Government of India • Type — National, Open Schooling • Status — Active • Headquarters — Noida, Uttar Pradesh • Language — *Hindi • English • Leader Title — Chairman • Leader Name — Dr. Akhilesh Mishra • Leader Title2 — Director • Leader Name2 — Dr. Rajiv Kumar Singh • Parent Organisation — Ministry of Education (India) • Num Students — 112,000+ (2024)

The NIOS collaborates with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and UNESCO. It also has study centres for Indian expatriates in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Nepal, Canada, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States of America.

NIOS offer the following courses: • Open Basic Education (OBE) Programme for 14+ years age group (adolescents and adults) that are equivalent to classes of the formal school system • Level A - Equivalent to Class III • Level B - Equivalent to Class V • Level C - Equivalent to Class VIII • Secondary Course—Equivalent to class X • Senior Secondary Course—Equivalent to class XII • Vocational Education Courses • Life enrichment programmes • D.EL.ED. course • Secondary and Senior Secondary Courses for students at the Industrial Training Institute • Indian Sign Language as a subject at the Secondary Level for Children with Hearing Impairment (Deafness), since 2021.

The public examinations are held twice a year in April–May and October–November on dates fixed by the NIOS. However, one is also eligible (If he/she is registered under Stream 1,3 and 4) to appear through the On-Demand Examinations at Secondary (10th) and Senior Secondary (12th). On Demand Exams are held through the year except for April–May and Oct–Nov i.e. when public exams are going on, ODE isn't held. Results of the public examinations and on demand are usually announced seven weeks after the last date of examinations.

The NIOS is organized as an autonomous education board under the Ministry of Education. The organization is overseen by an Executive Board including staff from the MoE, Directors responsible for sectors of the NIOS mission (Academic, Vocational, Student Support Services and Evaluation), as well as a Secretary and Chairman. The current Chairman is Dr. Akhilesh Mishra. Programs are delivered through a network of centres across India, including: • regional centres in Allahabad, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kochi, Patna, Pune, Dehradun, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, Raipur, Chennai, Ranchi, Dhramshala, Vishakapatnam, Sikkim, Amethi. • sub-regional centres in Darbhanga and Kota • 3,530 Accredited Institutions (AIs) for academic courses • 1,379 Accredited Vocational Institutions (AVIs) for vocational education courses • 1,313 Accredited Agencies (AAs) for Open Basic Education

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