NIOS Admission 2026: Start date, 10th, 11th, 12th, Eligibility Criteria, Last date, & Fees

NIOS Admission 2026: The National Institute of Open Schooling is one of the largest open schooling systems in the world, providing distance education for class 10th, 11th or 12th at very affordable fees and with flexible learning options. The October session admission process has started on the official site. The last date for submitting the NIOS Admission 2026 registration form without a late fee last date is 31 January 2026. Interested Students can visit the official site and fill out the application form as soon as possible. The registration fees are INR 1890/- to INR 2600/- for 5 subjects.

This article provides complete information about NIOS Admission 2026, including important dates, eligibility, fee structure, NIOS 10th and 12th admission, Start date, last date, online application process, etc.

About National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) 

 NIOS stands for the National Institute of Open Schooling and was created by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, in November 1989. This open distance school was created primarily for those students who could not complete any of their secondary (10th) and senior secondary (12th) classes, and can get affordable fees and flexible study time. 

The aim of NIOS is that any student, irrespective of who has completed 10th or 12th, be it a school dropout, working professional, person with disability or those unable to go to traditional schools, can get a secondary/senior secondary pass degree. NIOS is recognised globally as the largest open schooling system. It enrols millions of students each year in distance learning mode at more than 11,000 study centres.

• In the last 5 years, NIOS has provided admission and degrees to 23.56 lakh students across the world.
• In the year 2023-24, 5.92 lakh students have taken admission across India.

NIOS: Key Highlights

NIOS Admission 2026: Latest updates

• The 10th or 12th class registration process has started for the Stream 1 block 2 (2025), and the NIOS admission for submission last date is 31 January 2026, without a late fee. Apply Here
• NIOS admission 2025-26 has started from 16 September 2025 for the October session, and the application form submission last date is 31 January 2026. 
• NIOS has started the OBE (Open Basic Education) registration form on the official site, and the last date is 31 January 2026. Apply Here
• The last date to submit the application form for the Six-Month Bridge Course is January 19, 2026. Interested candidates should apply as soon as possible. Apply 
• National Institute of Open Schooling admission portal.
• NIOS Admission Students login Portal 

NIOS 11th class admission, NIOS does not provide admission in class 11th, students study NIOS combined subjects of class 11th or 12th

NIOS Admission 2026

The NIOS Admission 2026 process has started for all students who wish to complete class 10th, 11th, or 12th through Distance and Open Schooling mode. The registration for Stream 1 Block 2 -2025 link is available on the official site, and 31 January 2026 is the last date for the National Institute of Open Schooling application form submission without a late fee. The admission process is fully online; offline applications are not accepted by the NIOS.  Interested candidates can visit the official site and fill out the admission form at https://sdmis.nios.ac.in/.  

For admission, students must have passed 8th class for admission in 10th class, and students must have passed 10th class to be admitted to 12th class. 

NIOS follows a different open schooling approach to admit students like 

• No age limit for admission
• No regular classroom requirement
• Multiple exam attempts
• Wide subject choice
• Learning through study centres & digital material
• A student must be at least 14 years old to take admission in class 10th and at least 15 years old for class 12th.

NIOS OBE Admission 2026

OBE (Open Basic Education) is provided by a national open schooling institution. It offers primary education to adult learners and school dropouts. The minimum age for admission is 14 years. This course is offered at three levels: Level A (equivalent to Grade 3), Level B (equivalent to Grade 5), and Level C (equivalent to Grade 8), providing quality education through open and distance learning (ODL). The application process for OBE is currently underway, and interested candidates can apply for the application form until 31 January 2026.

NIOS admission 2026 Important dates

NIOS admission 2026 exam date

The National Institute of Open Schooling exam date has not been announced, but every year the institute conducts the exam in the month of April to May, so this year also in 2026, the exam will also be conducted in the same month.

NIOS Bridge Course For B.Ed. Primary Teachers

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) offers a six-month Certificate (Bridge) Course in Elementary Teachers. This program is designed for candidates who are in-service primary teachers (classes 1-5) and have a B.Ed. degree. This program was started following the Supreme Court directives and NCTE guidelines, which bridge the gap between B.Ed.  NIOS Bridge Course For B.Ed. Primary Teachers registration link is open at bridge.nios.ac.in. This program is Fee INR 25000, which is a non-refundable or one-time payment. NIOS Bridge Course application form in avable on the official site till 19 January 2026 for the January session. 

NIOS Admission 10th Class 2026

National Institute of Open Schooling admission has commenced for the 10th class in Block-2, October session. Students must have passed 8th grade for admission; there is no minimum percentage of marks required, only that the student must have passed. In class 10th, students have the option to choose more subjects apart from the 5 subjects. In this class, students have many options to choose from, subjects such as Hindi, English, Mathematics, Science, Home Science, Economics, Business Studies, Psychology, etc. NIOS admission form submission last date is 31 January 2026 for the 10th class without a late fee. Interested students can apply for application form as soon as possible. 

Registration Fees Structure

NIOS Secondary course (10th class) is ideal for:

• Students who have left school and now want to continue.
• You say completing the 10th class along with the job.
• Those looking for flexible study modes and affordable fees
• preparing for sports, arts, or other fields
• failed in CBSE/State Boards
• medical or personal challenges
  

Eligibility Criteria (10th Class Admission)

• The student must be at least 14 years old
• Must have completed Class 8 from any board 
• There is no maximum age limit

NIOS Admission 12th Class 2026

The 12th class admission process has started now, and the registration process is complete on 31 January 2026 for NIOS Admission. There is no need to pass any exam for admission, only student must be a 10th pass. In class 12th open and distance learning, students have many subjects to study under Arts, Science or Commerce courses like Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Accountancy, Sociology, Geography, History, etc. The 12th class registration form submission last date is 31 January 2026 for the NIOS admission.

12th Class Registration Fees Structure

NIOS Admission 12th Ideal for:

• Students who have failed in class 11th
• Students who want to complete their 12th class along with a job
• Preparing for any exam like Government, Colleges, Arts, Sports and more
• flexible education or affordable fees

Eligibility Criteria (12th Class)

• Must be at least 15 years old.
• Must have completed 10th class from a recognised board
• No upper age limit

NIOS Admission Required Documents

• Passport photo
• Own Signature
• Birth certificate
• 8th class certificate (for 10th)
• 10th marksheet (for 12th)
• Address proof (Aadhar Card/Vote/PAN/passport/etc)
• Caste certificate (only for the reserved category)

NIOS Admission Online registration process

Step 1: Students should visit the official website of NIOS at sdmis.nios.ac.in

Step 2: Click on “Admission” and select “Stream 1 (Oct 2026)” in the Academic Section

Step 3: Open the form and choose your state.

Step 4: Fill up your basic details like Name, year, Phone no, Mother’s name, Father’s name and more.

Step 5: Then the student chooses their subject

Step 6: Upload all the important documents.

Step 7: Students (he/she) should pay their registration amount and download the slip.

Step 8: Your registration form will be checked by NIOS, and students can check its status on the official website.

FAQs for NIOS Admission 2026-27

Question: In which month does NIOS admission start?

Answer: NIOS admission has started from 16th September 2025. Please fill up the application form as soon as possible.

Question: What is the last date for NIOS admission for the 12th class?

Answer: The last date for submission of the application form for class 12th is 31 January 2026.

Questions: What is the last date for NIOS 2025 admission?

Answers: The NIOS 2025 block 2 (2025) application form submission last date is 31 January 2026 without a late fee. 

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