What is the difference between NIOS public exam and on demand exam?

NIOS offers two type of examinations; Public exam and On Demand Exams. Public exams are for students enrolled with NIOS board for competing their Secondary or Senior Secondary certifications while On Demand examinations are open to students of all recognised boards including NIOS. 

Public exams for secondary and senior secondary learners take place two times in an year in the months of April/May and October/November every year. The students enrolled in Stream 1 of NIOS can appear for public exams in the months mentioned above. The students have to write and clear all the subjects chosen by them. The learners have the flexibility to write the exams as per their level of preparation in NIOS Class in the months mentioned above. They get 9 attempts in 5 years to clear their subjects.

NIOS On Demand Exam is open for students of all recognized boards in India. Also, the students have to register under the On Demand Examination System (ODES) for NIOS Secondary level in Stream-3 and for Sr. Secondary level in Stream-4. The on demand exams held throughout the year except for the months in which public exams are conducted as mentioned above. 

On demand exams are a great help for students who want to either improve their marks, failed in the exams or could not appear in the board exams due to some exigencies. Moreover, the students can write upto 4 subjects in on demand exams. The choice of change of subjects is also available with NIOS board. On demand system offers students a unique opportunity to transfer the marks of two subjects from their previous marksheet in NIOS marksheet under Transfer of Credit. This helps students to prepare and write exams for select subject and not all.