Delhi govt announces admission test guidelines for CM Shri schools for Class 6 to 8

NEW DELHI: An entrance test will be conducted for admissions to classes 6-8 in 33 of the 75 CM SHRI schools, the Delhi government said, releasing detailed guidelines for the process. The Directorate of Education will conduct the entrance test titled CM SHRI Schools Admission Test 2025 for the academic session 2025–26.

Designated as 'Specified Category' institutions under Section 2 of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the CM SHRI schools are aimed at creating model public schools with modern infrastructure and innovative teaching practices aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The admission test will be a "fair, transparent and merit-based selection process" and only students residing in Delhi and currently enrolled in classes 6-8 in a recognised Delhi-based school during the 2025–26 session will be eligible to apply, as per the guidelines.

At least 50 per cent of the available seats will be reserved for students currently studying in government or government-aided schools in Delhi, including those under the Directorate of Education (DoE), MCD, NDMC, Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, it stated. The guideline further mentioned that a 5 per cent relaxation in eligibility marks will be provided to students belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer) categories and Children With Special Needs (CWSN), in line with government policy.

Application and admit card dates announced

The online application window will open on July 30 and remain active until August 15 and admit cards will be available from August 23, while the test is scheduled for August 30 between 11am and 1.30 pm, it stated. As per the guideline, the results will be declared on September 10, with admissions to be completed by September 15. The test will be an OMR-based, objective-type paper with no negative marking. It will be bilingual and cover five key section -- Hindi, English, General Awareness, Mental Ability and Numerical Aptitude.

The total duration of the test will be 150 minutes, with extra time granted to CWSN candidates as per existing norms, it added. According to DoE, test centres will be set up across various schools under the Directorate to ensure geographical accessibility. The Delhi government is likely to inaugurate its newly announced CM Shri schools in September, an official said, as preparations to operationalise the institutions gather pace. The initiative, announced earlier this year, aims to offer high-quality, future-ready education in government schools.

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75 schools shortlisted under CM Shri initiative

Earlier, Education Minister Ashish Sood had said that the government had provisionally shortlisted 75 schools to be developed under the CM Shri initiative. The CM Shri schools, modelled after the Centre's PM Shri schools, will follow the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and implement the National Curriculum Framework 2023. According to officials, these institutions are being developed with a focus on sustainability, operating as zero-waste and solar-powered campuses.

Each school will be equipped with AI-enabled libraries, smart classrooms featuring augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) tools, smartboards, biometric attendance systems and robotics laboratories to promote innovation among students. The Delhi Board of School Education (DBSE) is also being phased out, and its affiliated schools will now be brought under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had allocated Rs 100 crore for the CM Shri schools in her budget speech earlier this year.