About NTSE

NTSE National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) is an exam to award scholarship to students studying at the Class X level. around 500,000 students appear in this scholarship exam every year, and 1000 scholarships are awarded, of which 225 are reserved and 775 are unreserved.

The scheme is open to students of Indian nationality.

Scholarships are awarded up to Ph.D. in Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, Languages, Commerce, Vocational Studies and Fine arts.

And up to second degree level for professional courses in medicines, engineering, technology, management and law. NTSE is a two-tier examination conducted in two stages.

NTS stage-I is conducted by States and Union Territories.

NCERT conducts stage-II examination.

NTSE consists of

  • Mental Ability Test (MAT)
  • Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

All are multiple choice questions with negative marking deducting 1/3 marks.

Exam Pattern

Exam

There are 3 papers in both stages

  • Mental Ability Test (MAT)
  • Language Test and
  • Scholastic Ability Test (SAT)
    • The tests are available in Asamiya, Bangla, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Malyalam, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
    • Language test is available in two languages – English & Hindi.

What is Eligibility

Eligibility

All student studying in Class X in any recognized school is eligible to appear in Stage-I NTS exam.

Additionally, State/UT can impose any eligibility criteria to appear in Stage-I.

For stage-II, there is a reservation quota for each State and Union Territory based on Student enrollment at secondary level.

Students with Indian Nationality studying abroad need to secure 60% marks in previous examination to apply for NTS exam.

(Such students, if selected, need to appear for Stage-II NTSE directly.)

Test No. of Questions Maximum Marks Time
Mental Ability Test (MAT) 50 50 45 minutes
Language Test 50 50 45 minutes
Scholastic Ability Test (SAT) 100 100 90 minutes

How to apply

Apply

Candidates need to

  • Candidates need to apply for NTSE Stage-I as per the advertisement or circular issued by the respective State/UT Government.
  • Applications and form fees need to be submitted to Liaison officer of State/UT as and when mentioned in the advertisement.
  • NCERT will send the examination details and roll numbers directly to the selected candidates through speed post. No separate application or fee is required NTSE Stage-II.
  • Students with Indian Nationality studying abroad need to apply through the Head of the Institution where they are presently studying. These applications need to be sent to Head Educational Survey Division, NCERT, Delhi – 16 with the attested copy of Class IX.

What is Syllabus

Syllabus

MATHS: ENGLISH GENERAL KNOWLEDGE Mental ability Science Social Science
  • Algebraic Expressions
  • Arithmetic
  • Arithmetic Progressions
  • Basic Geometry
  • Circles
  • Coordinate Geometry
  • Direct & inverse variation
  • Exponent
  • Linear Equation
  • Mensuration
  • Number System
  • Percentage & its Application
  • Playing with Numbers
  • Probability
  • Quadratic Equations
  • Rational Numbers
  • Simple interest & Compound interest
  • Square Root & Cube Root
  • Statistics
  • Surface Areas and Volumes
  • Triangles
  • Trigonometry
  • Antonyms
  • English Grammar
  • One word substitution
  • Paragraph Completion
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Rearrangement of Jumbled Words
  • Sentence Completion
  • Synonyms
  • Abbreviations
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Books and Authors
  • India
  • Sports
  • World
  • Alphabet and Number Test
  • Analogy (Non Verbal)
  • Analogy (Verbal)
  • Blood Relations
  • Calendar, Time and Clock
  • Classification
  • Coding-Decoding
  • Direction Sense
  • Embedded Figure
  • Figure Partition and Dot Situation
  • Mathematical Operations
  • Missing Character
  • Ranking and Arrangements
  • Series (Non - Verbal)
  • Series (Verbal)
  • Venn Diagrams
  • Water and Mirror Images
  • Word Problems
  • Acid Bases and Salt
  • Air
  • Carbon and its Compounds
  • Cellular Level of Organisation
  • Diversity in Living Organisms
  • Fibres and Plastics
  • Food Production & Management
  • Heredity and Evolution
  • Human Body
  • Life Processes
  • Light
  • Magnetism & Electricity at Work
  • Measurement
  • Metals & Non Metals
  • Micro-organisms
  • Motion and Force
  • Our Environment
  • Periodic Classification of Elements
  • Physical and Chemical Changes
  • Plant and Animal Nutrition
  • Reproduction
  • Soil
  • Some Common Diseases
  • Sound
  • Source of Energy
  • Structure of Atom
  • The Universe
  • Water
  • Agriculture
  • Atmosphere
  • Biosphere
  • British Raj
  • Culture, Science and Literature
  • Democracy and Elections
  • Diversity and Livelihood
  • Early Medieval Period
  • Early States
  • Eighteenth Century Political Formation
  • French Revolution
  • India and its Neighbors
  • Indian Constitution
  • Indian Economics
  • Indian Freedom Struggle
  • Indus Valley Civilization
  • Industrial Revolution
  • Industries
  • Internal Structure of the Earth and Rocks
  • Introduction and Sources of Ancient Indian History
  • Jainism, Budhism and Conquerors from Distant Lands
  • Local and State Government
  • Major Domains and Landforms
  • Maps and Globe
  • Medieval Architecture and Culture
  • Motion of the Earth
  • Nationalism in Various Countries
  • Natural Vegetation
  • New Empires and Kingdoms
  • Our Country – India
  • Popular Movements and Social Reforms
  • Population
  • Resources and Development
  • Solar System
  • The Delhi Sultanate
  • The Judiciary
  • The Mauryas
  • The Mughal Empire
  • UN and International Agencies
  • Union Government
  • Vedic Period
  • Water Resources
  • World History