Life skills are essential psychosocial abilities that help adolescents cope effectively with everyday demands. UNICEF’s Comprehensive Life Skills Framework emphasises cognitive, personal, and interpersonal skills for adaptive behaviour and lifelong learning. Studies in India report wide variation in adolescents’ life skills. The present study aimed to assess the level of life skills among school-going adolescents in Bhopal and their association with socio-demographic variables. In this cross-sectional study, conducted among 422 school students aged 11-14 years enrolled in classes 6 to 8 in Bhopal district, schools were selected by simple random sampling and all students providing parental consent and assent, available on the day of data collection, were included. A socio-demographic proforma and the LSMT-E tool were used to collect the data. The mean total life skills score was 103.34 ± 13.64. Most adolescents demonstrated basic (47.2%) or competent (46.4%) life skills. Mean scores across cognitive, personal, and interpersonal domains reflected balanced development. Mean life skills scores differed significantly across age groups (p < 0.001). Associations were found between life skills and gender, grade, mother’s occupation, economic status, participation in household work and school activities, leadership roles, hobbies, and duration of digital device use (p < 0.05). The study reveals the scope to strengthen school-based life skills education and promote early adolescents’ involvement in school and household activities. Nurses and teachers can use LSMT-E tool to assess life skills of school going adolescents in Indian setting.