The Gujarat State Examination Board (GSEB) has officially set the date for a crucial academic gateway for thousands of students. The Common Entrance Test (CET) for admissions to state-run residential schools and for the prestigious Chief Minister Jyansetu Merit Scholarship will be conducted on January 31, 2026.
Registration Window and Key Eligibility Criteria
Prospective candidates can now begin their application process, as online registration started on Tuesday. The board has set December 15 as the final deadline for submitting forms. This exam serves a dual purpose: securing admission to specialized residential schools and qualifying for a significant scholarship scheme.
Eligibility for the 2026-27 academic cycle is specific. For admission to Jyanshakti Residential Schools, Jyanshakti Tribal Residential Schools, and for the Jyansetu scholarship, only students who have completed Classes 1 to 5 in government or grant-in-aid schools are eligible. The Jyansetu scholarship supports studies from Class 6 all the way through Class 12.
There is a separate provision for students from private schools. They can only seek admission to Rakshashakti Schools, and that too strictly under the 25% quota, based solely on their CET merit ranking.
Exam Pattern and Subject Coverage
The entrance test will follow a multiple-choice question (MCQ) format. Students will face 120 questions carrying 120 marks, with a total duration of 150 minutes to complete the paper. To cater to the state's linguistic diversity, the question paper will be available in both Gujarati and English.
The syllabus is comprehensive, covering all major subjects from Class 5: Mathematics, Gujarati, English, Hindi, Environmental Studies, Logical Reasoning, and General Knowledge. In a significant update aligning with national educational reforms, 30% of the questions will follow the competency-based pattern prescribed under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Scale of the Exam and Application Process
The exam's importance is reflected in its scale. In the previous year, a staggering 6.28 lakh (628,000) Class 5 students appeared for this state-level test, highlighting its competitive nature. The scholarship and admission scheme, which was introduced in the academic year 2023-24, awards opportunities strictly based on CET merit, ensuring a transparent selection process.
The application mechanism is school-centric. School teachers are responsible for filling in and submitting student applications online through the dedicated Samagra Shiksha portal. This centralized system aims to streamline the process and ensure all eligible students are properly registered.
With the announcement of the date and the opening of registrations, students across Gujarat now have a clear timeline to prepare for this pivotal exam that can shape their educational journey in state-run residential institutions and secure financial scholarship support for their secondary and higher secondary education.
