Wherever your service goes,
your school comes with you.
Founded in 1963 to give the children of transferable central-government employees an unbroken education across postings, KVS today runs 1,304 CBSE schools — across every Indian state and three diplomatic outposts abroad. Modest, predictable, and the only Indian school network that follows your transfers.
Find what applies to you in 30 seconds
The KVS admission system uses a six-category priority order. Pick the one that describes your family — we'll show what it means for your odds and process.
Important dates
KV Class 1 / Balvatika online admissions begin 20 March 2026. Class 2-12 are offline year-round against vacancies. Verify the latest schedule at admission.kvs.gov.in.
- Provisional priority list (indicative)31 Mar 2026
- Document verification (indicative)14 Apr 2026
- Class 2-11 against-vacancy registrations begin30 Apr 2026
- AY 2025-26 Class 1 admission completed31 Mar 2025
Six categories, in admission order
Class 1 / Balvatika seats are filled top-to-bottom. Within each category, allotment is by lottery. Higher categories almost always fill before lower ones reach the table.
Central Govt transferable & non-transferable service
Children of central-government employees — Indian Railways, defence civilian, AIIMS, central PSUs, etc. Mid-session transfers preserve the seat.
Central Govt autonomous bodies / PSUs / IIM-IIT-AIIMS-type institutes
Wards of employees of central-government autonomous bodies, PSUs, and institutes of higher learning.
State Government employees
Children of state-government employees — admitted after Categories 1 and 2 are filled.
State Govt autonomous bodies / PSUs
Wards of state-government autonomous bodies and PSUs.
Any other category
Includes foreign nationals on transferable jobs in India and other special categories defined by KVS.
General public
Open admission. Seats only when prior categories are filled — competitive in central locations, easier in tier-2 cities.
Verify exact wording in the current 2026-27 KVS Admission Guidelines PDF on kvsangathan.nic.in.
Why families pick KV when they have a choice
It is not because KVs are the absolute best in any one dimension. It is because they are *consistent* across 1,300+ campuses — and that consistency, for the kind of family that gets transferred every two or three years, is irreplaceable.
Portability, not premium
A child moving from KV Pune to KV Guwahati continues mid-session, same syllabus, same NCERT textbooks, same Hindi and English papers. No re-admission, no curriculum gap, no readjustment year. Single most-cited reason transferable-service families choose KV over private CBSE.
Affordable by design, not promotion
Tuition is free for Class 1 to 8. From Class 9, fees are centrally fixed and modest — typically under ₹2,500 per month including all funds. Significant waivers for SC/ST, single girl child, BPL, and KVS staff wards mean some children pay nothing at all.
Predictable academic quality
Class 10 and 12 board pass percentages are consistently above the national average. Teachers are recruited centrally through a uniform exam and posting process. The student you send to Class 11 in Bhopal is graded on the same paper as one in Bengaluru.
“It is not the prestige of one school that makes Kendriya Vidyalaya valuable. It is the predictability of all of them.”
— A reading of why KVs work
What KV actually costs
KVS centrally fixes the fee structure. Class 1-8 tuition is free under RTE alignment. Significant waivers apply across categories. Refer to the latest Fee Structure circular on kvsangathan.nic.in for current rupee figures.
- Tuition fee₹0RTE-aligned
- Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi (VVN)₹500–₹1,500/moIndicative — verify current circular
- Computer Fund (Class 3+)₹100/moWhere computer education is imparted
- Admission fee (one-time)₹25
- Tuition fee (Class 9-10)₹200–₹400/moIndicative
- Tuition fee (Class 11-12 Science)₹400–₹600/moHigher for Science stream
- VVN (development fund)₹500–₹1,500/mo
- Computer + Science Fund₹100/mo eachWhere applicable
- Single Girl Child (Class 6+)Tuition + VVN waivedSubject to terms
- SC / ST studentsTuition waived
- Cat 1 + girls (Class 1-12)Tuition + VVN waived
- KVS staff wardsVVN waived
- BPL familiesTuition waivedIncome certificate required
- •All amounts indicative based on the most recent published circular. Verify current rates at kvsangathan.nic.in/fee-structure before relying on them for budgeting.
- •PwD (Divyang) students are exempt from tuition fee per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
What you need at admission
Same checklist applies to Class 1 / Balvatika and to Classes 2-11. Class 11 also requires the Class 10 board mark sheet.
Required for every applicant
- Birth certificate of the child (Municipal Authority / Registrar issued)
- Aadhaar of the child and at least one parent
- Proof of residence (electricity bill / passport / rent agreement / Aadhaar address)
- Service certificate from current employer (mandatory for Cat 1-4 priority claim) showing transfer count over the last 7 years
- Two recent passport-size photographs of the child
If applicable to your case
- Caste certificate (SC / ST / OBC-NCL) — if claiming reservation
- Disability certificate from competent medical authority — if claiming PwD reservation (3%)
- Single-girl-child affidavit — if claiming the benefit
- BPL ration card or income certificate — if claiming BPL waiver
- Latest transfer / posting order — if claiming Cat 1 mid-session transfer
- Previous school transfer certificate (TC) and last annual report card — for Class 2 and above
- KVS staff dependency certificate — if a parent is a KVS employee
Locate a Kendriya Vidyalaya
Search by name, code, or KVS region. Each result links to its complete UDISE profile — staff strength, infrastructure, recent results.
Where Kendriya Vidyalayas are
Top 12 states by KV count, derived from school pincode. KVS administers schools through 25 regional offices, with three KVs also abroad (Moscow, Kathmandu, Tehran). Click any state.
PM SHRI vs Kendriya Vidyalaya vs Navodaya vs Army Public School
Different networks solve different problems. This is what each one actually offers, in a glance.
| PM SHRI | Kendriya Vidyalaya You are here | Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya | Army Public School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Same as base school | ₹500–2,500/mo (varies by class & category) | ₹0 Class 6–8 · ₹600/mo VVN Class 9–12 (with waivers) | Cat 1 (Army wards) subsidised · Cat 6 civilian higher |
| Type | Quality stamp on existing schools | Day school · ~1,253 across India + 3 abroad | Fully residential · 662 functional | 137 schools · 132 day + 5 residential |
| Who can apply | Inherited (school applies, not student) | Open to all (priority order Cat 1–6) | Class 5 student, same district as JNV (75% rural quota) | Six categories — Cat 1 (serving Army wards) → Cat 6 (civilian) |
| Admission process | Inherited from base school | Class 1: lottery within priority categories | JNVST entrance exam (Mental Ability + Arithmetic + Language) | Direct (school-level) for most; entrance for residentials |
| Board | Inherited | CBSE | CBSE | CBSE |
| Next cycle | Phase 1–4 sanctioned by 2024 | Class 1 registration: 20 Mar 2026 onwards | JNVST 2027 cycle: registrations from Jun 2026 | Year-round; residentials publish own schedules |
Common questions about Kendriya Vidyalayas
When does KV admission for 2026-27 open?+
Online registration for Class 1 / Balvatika opens 20 March 2026 at 10:00 AM at admission.kvs.gov.in. Closing date, lottery date, and document-verification window are published in the official admission notification PDF on kvsangathan.nic.in.
Are KVs only for central-government employees' children?+
No. The priority order favours Cat 1 (transferable central-govt service), but Cat 6 (general public) is open. Seats are limited but available, especially in less-central locations and at higher classes.
Is there an entrance test for Class 1?+
No. Class 1 admission is by lottery within priority categories. From Class 2 onwards, admissions are against vacancies and may include a placement test.
What's the age criterion for Class 1?+
Six years to less than eight years as on 31 March of the admission year — born on or after 1 April 2018 and before 1 April 2020 for AY 2026-27, with a one-month relaxation at the discretion of the Principal.
What is the official fee structure?+
Tuition is free for Class 1-8. From Class 9, tuition + Vidyalaya Vikas Nidhi + Computer/Science Funds apply, all centrally fixed. Waivers: Cat 1 girls; SC/ST; single girl child; BPL families; KVS staff wards.
How do the six priority categories work?+
Allotment follows: (1) central-govt transferable & non-transferable service; (2) central-govt autonomous bodies / PSUs / institutes of higher learning; (3) state-govt employees; (4) state-govt autonomous bodies / PSUs; (5) any other category; (6) foreign nationals on transferable jobs in India. Within each category, allotment is by lottery.
What documents are needed at admission?+
Birth certificate, Aadhaar of child and parent, residence proof, and (for Cat 1-4) employer service certificate showing transfer count. Caste / disability / single-girl-child / BPL / staff certificates as applicable.
Are KVs covered under the RTE 25% reservation?+
No. KVs are run by an autonomous body of the Government of India and are outside the RTE Section 12(1)(c) 25% private-school reservation. KVS has its own SC (15%), ST (7.5%), OBC-NCL (27%), and 3% horizontal Divyang quotas.
How does KV differ from a Navodaya school?+
KVs are day schools, open across categories, located mostly in urban / cantonment areas, admission by priority + lottery. JNVs are fully residential, one per district, admission only via JNVST entrance exam, primarily rural-talent focused.
How are KVs and PM SHRI related?+
About 912 of 1,304 KVs (70%) are also sanctioned as PM SHRI schools. They receive additional NEP-2020-aligned upgrades on top of standard KV programmes.
Where are the three KVs abroad?+
Moscow (Russia), Kathmandu (Nepal), and Tehran (Iran). They serve children of Indian diplomatic and other transferable government staff abroad.
Can I transfer my child from one KV to another mid-session?+
Yes. KVS specifically supports transfer-driven mid-session admissions for Cat 1 (children of transferable central-govt service). The receiving KV must accept against any available vacancy.
What is Balvatika and which KVs offer it?+
Balvatika is the pre-primary stage introduced under NEP 2020 (Balvatika 1, 2, 3 corresponding to ages 4, 5, 6). KVS offers Balvatika at select KVs — the list is published with each year's admission notification.
How are KV teachers recruited?+
Centrally, by KVS, through written exam + interview process for various cadres (PRT, TGT, PGT, Principal). Vacancies are advertised on kvsangathan.nic.in/recruitment.
How can I verify a school is a genuine Kendriya Vidyalaya?+
Cross-check on kvsangathan.nic.in or this directory. Look for the official KV code (e.g., "Code-1232"), CBSE affiliation, and management type "Kendriya Vidyalaya / Central School" in UDISE+.
KVs by city & topic
You might also be looking for
PM SHRI Schools
12,175 schools showcasing NEP 2020 in practice — across all government networks.
Explore →Free residentialJawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya
657 schools · Free residential · Merit entry via JNVST · 75% rural quota.
Explore →Defence-priorityArmy Public Schools
137 schools across cantonments · CBSE · Run by AWES.
Explore →getschoolsinfo.com is an independent education information portal. We are not affiliated with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), the Ministry of Education, or the Government of India, or with the KVS network. Names are used here purely to identify schools based on publicly available UDISE+ data. For authoritative information, visit kvsangathan.nic.in.