Preface

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), formerly known as the National Open School (NOS), was set up in 1979 as a pioneering project titled "Open School" under the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi. The Open School was amalgamated into National Open School which was set up in November, 1989. The NOS was vested with the authority to examine and certify students registered with it upto pre-degree level courses through a Resolution dated 14 September 1990 of the Government of India. The National Open School (NOS) was rechristened as the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) by the Government of India in July 2002 in order to extend its scope and functioning.

NIOS is an autonomous organization registered under Societies' Registration Act, 1860. The Headquarters of NIOS is located at A-24/25, Institutional Area, Sector-62 NOIDA (U.P.). Policies of NIOS are framed through its General Body headed by the Union Minister of Human Resources Development. NIOS administers its schemes through its partner institutions known as Accredited Institutions (AIs) which are placed under the jurisdiction of 17 Regional Centres and Sub Regional Centres.

Chairman, NIOS is the executive head of the organization. NIOS functions through five departments- Academic, Vocational Education, Student Support Services, Evaluation and Administration.

Vision

• To provide "Sustainable inclusive learning with universal and flexible access to quality school education and skill development."

Mission

• Providing relevant, continuing and holistic education up to pre-degree level through Open and Distance Learning System.
• Contributing to the Universalisation of School Education.
• Catering to the educational needs of the prioritized target groups for equity and social justice.

Services Provided

E-Accreditation

• To reach out to learners in different parts of India, NIOS accredits recognized schools, colleges and registered societies as well as technical institutes and NGOs.
• These Accredited Institutions provide an human interface for the learners. The AIs are also called study centres.
• These Institutions can apply online for Accreditation and can also track the status of their application forms from the NIOS website.
• The accreditation can be granted to run academic courses of Secondary and Sr. Secondary level, Vocational Education and Open Basic Education
• The Study Centres are known as Accredited Institution (AIs) for Academic Courses, Accredited Vocational Institutions (AVIs) for Vocational Education Courses and Accredited Agencies (AAs) for Open Basic Education (OBE) courses.

Integration of Academic and Vocational Courses

NIOS provides the facility to combine academic and vocational courses thus equipping learners for work and life. A list of the vocational courses that can be offered in combination with academic courses is included in the academic prospectus.

Academic Courses

To cater to the needs of diverse group of learners, NIOS has four streams of Admission courses. The admissions to these four streams are mutually exclusive.

• Admission in Stream 1 is open for all learners on-line (24 x 7) throughout the year.
  First Block: 16th March to 15th September
  Second Block: 16th September to 15th March
  The learners of Block-I are eligible to appear in the examination in April next year and learners of Block-II are eligible for examination in October next year.
• Admission in Stream 2 for learners who had appeared but could not clear the Public Examination of Secondary/Senior Secondary level from any recognized Board for the same subjects combination in which they had appeared. This stream is offered between May and July and the eligible learners are allowed to appear in October-November examination of the same year.
• Admission in Stream 3 is open throughout the year for those learners who has appeared but could not clear the Public Examination of Secondary level from any recognized Board and want to appear through the On Demand Examination System (ODES) of NIOS for the Secondary level only.
• Admission in Stream 4 is open for those learners who has appeared but could not clear the Public Examination of the Senior Secondary level from any recognized Board for the same subjects combination in which they has appeared or for those learners who have already passed the Senior Secondary or above examinations from recognized Boards/Universities and want to take part admission in one subject or upto four subjects for updating their qualifications and want to appear through the On Demand Examination System of NIOS for Senior Secondary level only.

Vocational Courses

• Vocational Education is a national concern and the RMSA framework reiterates and need for vocational education and training.
• Case studies show that distance education is a valuable means of delivering vocational education. It can provide learners with both transferable and highly specific knowledge and skills.
• The NIOS is committed to a well planned and rigorously implemented vocational education programme through the open channel. But the success of these programmes depends on its capability to anticipate the potential demand and to respond to the emerging needs and markets.

Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM)

The SPQEM is a demand driven scheme. The objective of the scheme is to encourage traditional institutes likes Madrasas and Maktabs to introduce Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Hindi and English in their curriculum (by giving them financial assistance). However, the process of modernization of traditional madrasas and maktabs will be voluntary. Maktabs/madrasas/Dar-ul-ulooms can opt to become accredited study centres with the National Institute of Open Schooling for offering the Senior Secondary level programmes as well. The scheme also seeks to provide opportunities for vocational training to children studying in madrasas opting to enter the job market and encourage entrepreneurship.

Project Hunar

NIOS is endeavouring for promotion of school education for minority communities under the Project HUNAR, free of cost skill training/upgradation is provided to girl students through socio-religious organizations. The HUNAR project was launched in 2008-09 in collaboration with the Bihar Education Project Council (BPEC). The project HUNAR was launched in Delhi during the year 2011-12.

Opportunity to Jail Inmates

• Apart from affiliated schools, NIOS is presently having Study Centres (AA's, AI's & AVI's) in Jails also. It was observed that more number of jail inmates wanted to join NIOS courses but because of their poor financial condition, they were unable to do so.
• It is in this context that NIOS appropriately thought to take proactive action to facilitate the mission of the jail inmates. Thus decision to provide following facilities to jail inmates was taken:
  • NIOS will not charge the registration free and examination fees for both academic and vocational courses.
  • No accreditation fee will be charged from the jails to become the study centres of NIOS.
  • No Transfer of Credit fees would be charged.
  • All Jail inmates would be supplied study material free of cost.
  • Even after the jail inmates are released from jail or their term of punishment is over, similar facilities would be acceded to them as provided during the term in the jail to complete their studies from NIOS.
  • Examination will be conducted in Jails only.

Regional Medium

Regional language mediums like Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Malayalam and Odia are also available at the secondary level in addition to the three national languages - Hindi, English, Urdu.

Affordable Quality Education for All

• NIOS provides "affordable quality education to all". NIOS charges Rs.1800/- for Secondary learners of general category and Rs.2000/- for general category learners at Senior Secondary level. The institute provides substantial fee concessions to women and other economically and socially disadvantaged learners.
• The one time registration fee, valid for five years, cover the cost of self learning materials and Personal Contact Programmes provided to the learners.
• Self learning instructional material is sent to the learner in packets through EPP (Express Parcel Post).
• The Examination fees of Rs. 150/- per subject can be deposited when the learners is ready to take an examination in a particular subject.
• Openness and flexibilities are interwoven in NIOS policies. While the minimum age of entry at secondary level courses remain 14years, there is no upper age limit.
• The open choice of subject allows learners to choose any combination with the proviso of a single language.
• 35 subjects are offered at the Secondary level and 41 subjects are offered at the Senior Secondary level.

Recognition

• The Senior Secondary Certificate of NIOS is recognized for admission to higher studies by the Association of Indian Universities and various Universities.
• The NIOS Certificate is recognized by employers, both Govt. and Private, for purposes of employment.

On-Line Admission

NIOS has introduced 100% on-line admission in scheme to facilitate learners to register them with it. A candidate can register on-line directly

Public Examination

The public-examinations are held twice a year in the month April-May and October-November on the dates fixed by the NIOS. A candidate is eligible to appear through On Demand Examination in those subjects only in which he has taken admission in NIOS.

On Demand Examination (ODES)

• Besides two public examinations in a year, NIOS conducts On Demand Examinations at Secondary and Sr. Secondary level from NIOS Head quarters and all Regional Centres. A learner can register online and seek a date to appear in the examination in the registered subject.
• On Demand Examinations take the stress off the learners as they can appear whenever they are ready and get unlimited chances to appear and clear a subject

Credit Accumulation

The scheme of examinations being conducted by NIOS is flexible to the extent that a student, after registration, gets nine chances within a period of five years from the time of recognition. A student can choose to appear in one or more subjects in an examination and earn credits till he/she completes all five subjects for final certification within a stipulated period of five years

Transfer of Credits (TOC)

NIOS provides to the students transfer of credit (TOC) facility in two subjects from some Boards of School Education.

Improvement of Performance

• NIOS allows a candidate to apply again in a subject which he / she has already passed for improvement of performance but only once in Public Examination.
• For subjects involving practical the candidate is required to appear in both theory and practical examinations.
• Better of the two results in considered and indicated in the marksheet issued by NIOS.
• In case of ODES a learner can appear for improvement of performance till his/her satisfaction. However, the learner cannot appear in the ODE in a particular subject twice in the same month.

Re-checking of Answer Scripts

In case a learner has appeared in one of the Public Examinations and he/she are not satisfied with his/her result, NIOS provides his/her an opportunity for re-checking of answer scripts in which re-totaling of marks is done. It is also ensured that no question is left unevaluated. Please note that the answers are not re-evaluated during re-checking. A learner may apply for re-checking of the Answer Script in any subject within 15 days from the date of declaration of the result. Application may be made online for re-checking of the Answer Script. The learner has to pay the prescribed fee of Rs. 300/- (Rupees Three Hundred only) per subject to the NIOS through Credit Card/Debit Card/Net Banking. The re-checking will be completed within 30 days from the last date of application. This facility is available in theory marks only.

Re-evaluation of Answer Scripts at the Senior Secondary level

For re-evaluation of Answer Scripts at the Senior Secondary level, a learner may apply for Re-evaluation of the Answer Script in any subject within 15 days from the date of declaration of the NIOS Public Examination result. Application may be made online. The learner has to pay the prescribed fee of Rs. 800/- (Rupees Eight Hundred only) per subject to the NIOS through Credit Card/Debit Card/Net Banking. The Re-evaluation will be completed within 45 days from the last date of application. This facility is available in theory marks only. Re-evaluation of Answer Scripts of On Demand Examination at the Senior Secondary level: The learner may apply for re-evaluation of the Answer Script in any subject within 15 days from the date of declaration of the NIOS On Demand Examination result. Application may be made online. For re-evaluation of ODES Answer Scripts at the Senior Secondary level, the learner has to pay the prescribed fee of Rs. 1000/- (Rupees One Thousand only) per subject to NIOS through Credit Card/Debit Card/Net Banking. The Re-evaluation will be completed within 45 days from the last date of application.

Examination Abroad

NIOS also conducts examinations in other countries like UAE, Kuwait and Nepal.

State Open Schools

In order to promote the Open Schooling Programme in the country, NIOS has been persuading the states to set up State Open Schools (SOSs). For promotion of Open Schooling and for exchange of ideas and experience among NIOS and SOSs, the National Consortium for Open Schooling (NCOS) has been set up with its Secretariat in NIOS. Seventeen states have already set up State Open School (SOS)s. NIOS organizes advocacy and consultancy programmes and national and regional level meetings for setting up new SOSs and for upscaling of the open schooling programme of existing new SOSs.

COMOSA

• In the era of globalization, collaborations play a very important role. For the last many years NIOS has been collaborating with various like minded national and international organizations for achieving its goal and objectives. Commonwealth of Learning (COL), UNDP and UNESCO are some of the collaborators with whom NIOS is continuously working.
• The COMOSA is a non-profit, democratic, collaborative and futuristic organization based on mutual respect and committed to support the efforts of open schooling institutions. The basic objective of the association is to cooperate and collaborate in development, promotion and introduction of innovative, high quality, relevant, equitable, gender-sensitive and cost-effective programmes of school education for sustainable development in commonwealth countries through Open and Distance Learning Mode, and thereby targeting to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of the United Nations.

Diploma in Elementary Education (D. El. Ed.)

NIOS has launched the D. El. Ed. Programme for training of untrained teachers at the Elementary Education level to support the commitment under the Right to Education Act.

The Mukta Vidya Vani

The Mukta Vidya Vani, an internet or web based platform where audio service from NIOS audio studio is streamed 24x7 via the internet, was launched by Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon'ble Minister of Human Resource Development on 19th July, 2012. The audio service / programmes can be easily accessed by listeners. All one needs is a computer with external speakers and a broadband internet connection to log on and follow the link-Mukt Vidya Vani, given on the Home page on NIOS website. Currently Live Interactive Personal Contact programmes (from 2.30 p.m. to 5.00p.m.) are also being conducted through the Mukt Vidya Vani. A detailed programme schedule is displayed on the Mukta Vidya Vani web page.

Delivery of Audio-Video Programmes of NIOS

A modern Standard High Definition Recording Studio has been set up in the Media Unit of NIOS for inhouse production of audio-video material. The video programmes of NIOS are being telecast on the National Channel of Doordarshan (DD-I) every Friday from 5.02 a.m. to 5.25 a.m. and on the Educational Channel Gyandarshan everyday from 6.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. The audio programme are being broadcase on Gyan Vani (FM) Channel at 106.5 MHz every Friday. Saturday and Sunday from 8.30 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. there is a repeat broadcast from 4.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Mobile Technology (M-Support)

• NIOS uses the mobile technology for dissemination of various information to the learners. The information is sent through SMS. SMS facility is also used for promotion of various advocacy programmes.
• Automated Information through SMS : Under this system, a learner gets automatic information through SMS regarding his/her online admission.
  • Submission of online admissions
  • Confirmation and allotment of enrolment number and study centre.
• The NIOS learners have been provided with M-support facility. The information about the examination centre, examination date sheet and results of all individual learners were provided on mobile phones through SMS.

Grievances Redressal Mechanism

Access to Information

NIOS is covered under the Right To Information Act, 2005 and has allowed access to information under provision of the said Act The details of P.I.O. and Appellate Authorities at NIOS Headquarter are given here below

The contact details of the Chief Grievance Officer is:

Assistant Director (Admin.)
Room No. 107
NIOS Headquarter
A-24/25 Sector-62
Noida
Gautam Budh Nagar-Distt.
Uttar Pradesh-201309
PhoneNo. 0120-4089807,0120-4089806

NIOS has endeavoured to redress grievances and queries related to the entire functioning of NIOS on-line by Learner-Support Centre (LSC). The LSC functions on the pattern of a call centre.
LSC is user friendly, simple, convenient and efficient just with a toll free call at 18001809393 by learner.

At Regional Centres, the Regional Director of the concerned region shall act as CPIO

List of Stakeholders

• Learners at large
• Accrediated Institutions viz. A.I.s, AVI's, A.As, SAIEDs
• Examination Centres
• State Open Schools.

List of Responsibility Centres

• Study Centres (AIs, AVIs, AAs and SAIEDs)
  The study centres provide the human interface for the learners. The accrediated institutions are responsible for ensuring quality, credibility and substance in conducting the learning programmes.
• Examination Centres
  Mostly the study centres are fixed as venues of examination. However, NIOS has to fix examination centres in some other institutions also. All the schools fixed as examination centres are fully responsible for ensuring the credibility of examination with all fairness decorum.
• Regional Centres
  The Regional Centres and Sub-Regional Centres of NIOS are located in different parts of the country. These centres are responsible for operationalising the Vision and Mission of NIOS. The programmes and activities of research, training of ODL functionaries and monitoring of implementation of the open schooling programmes in the study centres are within the purview of responsibilities of Regional Centres.

Indicative Expectations from Service Recipients/Stakeholders

• Submit the grievance application duly completed in all respect.
• NIOS rules and regulations to be followed as per norms.
• Please show courtesy to the grievance officer's office and any office superior to CGO/GO office.
• Always keep proper records of your communication with NIOS.
• If you have an appointment with CGO/GO, please arrive 15 minutes prior to appointment.
• If you want to cancel an appointment, please give a written notice via fax or e-mail one day in advance.