National Talent Search Examination (NTSE)

Introduction:
The National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) is a national level scholarship program in India to identify and nurture talented students. The scheme is open to students of Indian nationality. Only students studying in Class VIII are eligible to appear for the selection process. As it is organized by an official body (NCERT), it is widely regarded as the toughest and most prestigious examination at high school level in the country. It helps students to proliferate their mental level and also helps them to sharpen their minds. All subjects- Science, Social Science and Mathematics are compulsory with 40, 40 and 20 questions respectively. The scholarships under the present scheme are awarded to the candidates for pursuing courses in sciences and social sciences up to doctoral level and in professional courses like medicine and engineering up to seconddegree level subject to the fulfillment of the conditions provided. Also, an important decision was taken in the year 2008, when NTSE is open only to the students of class VIII as against class X earlier. Also, in 2011 Interview was removed from the Selection Procedure due to pressure from a stream of Right to Information applications. The National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) will be conducted for students studying at class VIII level. The examination consists of two tests namely the Mental Ability Test (MAT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Each test consists of 90 multiple choice type questions. Each question has four alternatives marked 1, 2, 3 and 4. The candidate has to select one correct answer from the given alternatives and mark its number in the answer sheet. Each correct answer carries one mark. Thus the total score of a candidate in a test is equal to the number of questions answered correctly by him/her.

Selection Procedure
Identification of talent comprises a three-stage selection process. While the individual state or union territory conducts the first stage selection (usually 2nd/3rd Sunday of November)-for NTSE 2011: 21st November 2010 for most states/UTs, 20th November for some states, the second stage selection at the national level is carried out by the NCERT, usually on the second Sunday of May (8th May 2011 for NTSE 2011). This is followed by the interview of the selected 1500-1600 students.

Eligibility
Before 2006, all students studying in Class X in any type of recognized school were eligible to appear at the state level examination from the state in which the school is located. The state could impose any other eligibility condition for appearing in the screening examination like any qualifying percentage of marks in the previous annual examination, etc. But from 2006 onwards, a separate examination for Class VIII was started. More than 1, 50, 000 students appear for the screening examination of the NTSE every year. From 2008-2009 '''National Talent Search examination'' will be held only for class VIII

State Level Examination

The state level examination has two parts for nominating the required number of candidates for the second level test to be conducted by the NCERT.

Part-I:Mental Ability Test (MAT), and Part-II: Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

National Level Examination

Candidates acquiring more than the required percentage in the state level examination and standing within a specified number of top ranks (state quota) are eligible to appear for the national level examination (about top 3000 students from the entire country). NCERT conducts the National Level NTS each year in the 2nd week of May. The national level examination has two parts for nominating the required number of candidates for the interviews to be conducted by the NCERT in July/August:

Part-I:Mental Ability Test (MAT), and Part-II: Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)(with questions on history, civics, geography, rarely economics, Maths, physics, chemistry and biology.)

It is usually conducted on 2nd Sunday in May. For NTSE 2011, National Level Exam was conducted on 8th May 2011.

Syllabus
There is no prescribed syllabus for the NTSE examination. However, the standard of items conforms to the level of CBSE Class 8 Public Examinations. Also, parts of classes IX and X are also included especially in Sciences and mathematics, wherein one is expected to have a sound knowledge of the things already learnt at lower classes. Since many of the things learnt at class VIII level are also included in class IX/X syllabus, therefore such concepts may be evaluated. Several guides are also published by various publishers to aid NTSE aspirants. It has also been noticed that questions come from NCERT 6th-8th too. Some states put higher class questions like Orissa.

Scheme of Testing
The scheme of testing for second stage of NTSE is given below: Note: Qualifying marks do not imply that any student securing above the cut-off will qualify for the next level. It simply means that this is the minimum qualifying marks NCERT is looking for. Selection will depend upon the rank of the candidate. In NTSE first stage, there are 90 questions in 90 minutes in SAT and MAT each. In first stage there is no interview. However, the pattern varies from state to state. NTSE 2009 final results, the cut-off marks for general category stood at 155/225 (200 for written test+25 for interview), for SC-122/225, for ST-118/225 and for PC/disabled-72/225.NTSE 2010 results: Final cutoff 163 for General, 133 for SC and 125 for ST The students who qualify all the stages of NTSE successfully are eligible for scholarship. The amount of scholarship has been enhanced to Rs. 500/- per monthfor all the students studying in Class VIII onwards except for Ph.D., wherein it is paid according to UGC norms. The older system of book grant has been removed. The criterion of parental income for deciding payment of scholarship has also been discontinued. From 2011 no interview will be held in NTSE.

PaperPattern
Test Mental Ability Test (MAT) Duration 90 minutes No. of Items Maximum Marks 100 Qualifying Marks(General) 40 Qualifying Marks(SC/ST/PC) 32

100 MCQ since 2011

Scholastic 90 Aptitude Test minutes (SAT)

100 MCQs , i.e. with 4 options-40 MCQs on Science, 100 20 MCQs on Mathematics, 40 MCQs on Social Science)

40

32

NTSE preparation at PACE:

We prepare our students for NTSE through our Target IIT course for standard 8th, 9th & 10th. The syllabus for this program has been designed to lay a strong foundation and conceptual clarity of the basic concepts in Physics, Chemistry & Maths of the respective standard. Conceptual clarity makes the child strong in the subject and generates interest and liking for the subject. Therefore, our students would have a dual advantage over other students in terms of their enhanced performance at the respective school exams as well as a better performance in various competitive exams such as National Talent Search Examinations (NTSE), State Talent Search Examinations (STSE) and Olympiads. Please click here for course schedule and admission details