NTSE or National Talent Search Examination is a national-level exam conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for granting scholarships to meritorious students studying in class 10th. NTSE is only held for 10th standard students, and the exam is conducted in two different stages – Stage I and II.
The first stage exam is a state-level exam and is conducted by all the Indian states and UTs. On the other hand, NTSE Stage II is conducted for those students who clear the first stage. Only those who qualify in NTSE Stage 1 will be eligible to write the Stage II exam. The objective of organizing NTSE is to award scholarships to potential candidates who are aspiring to pursue higher education in the field of Science or Social Studies. With these scholarships, students will be able to continue their education in their desired stream. NTSE scholarships are awarded based on the overall performance of students in both stages of the examination.
Students can download the state-wise NTSE exam question papers from the links given in the table below.
| Exam Name | National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | National Council Of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) |
| Frequency of Exam | Once a year |
| Application | Online |
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Exam Duration | 4 Hrs (2 Hrs MAT and 2 Hrs SAT) |
| Stage | Area | Tentative Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Stage – I (State) | Last Date to Submit Application Form | To be notified by the State |
| Examination in Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 15th January 2025 (Saturday) | |
| Examination in all other States and Union Territories | 16th January 2025 (Sunday) | |
| Stage – II (National) | Examination in all States and Union Territories | 12th June 2025 (Sunday) |
Around 2000 scholarships are awarded for each stage of education. These stages are:
NCERT has defined an age limit for the students to appear for the exam. Candidates should be below the age of 18 years (as of July 1, 2024).
Students who are pursuing their studies from schools in India are eligible to appear in the Stage 1 exam. Eligibility criteria are as follows:
Only the students who qualified in Stage 1 (state-level examination) are eligible to appear for Stage 2 examination. The roll number, venue, and date of examination details will be conveyed to the selected candidates by NCERT through its official website.
Indian students studying abroad in Class X or equivalent are eligible to write Stage 2 (second level examination) directly and are exempted from the Stage 1 examination.
Interested students can contact the State/UT Liaison officer for procuring the NTSE application form. The completed application form should be signed by the Principal of the school well in advance before the last date of submission. No applications will be accepted after the last date for submission of the Application Form.
Different states may have different last dates for submission. Students are advised to check the dates and confirm them from the Liaison Officer of their state. The address and contact number of the Liaison Officer of the States/UTs are available (State-wise) and can be viewed at NCERT’s website www.ncert.nic.in.
NTSE exam pattern for Stage 1 & Stage 2 is divided into two parts: SAT & MAT.
| Stage | Marking Scheme |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 1 Mark will be awarded for every correct answer. No negative marking for the wrong answer. |
| Stage 2 | 1 Mark will be awarded for every correct answer. For every wrong answer, one-third of the marks will be deducted. No negative marking for questions left unattempted. |
No, there is no negative marking in either Stage 1 or Stage 2 of the NTSE exam.
The National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) is a prestigious national-level scholarship program designed for Class X students. It assesses students' aptitude and conceptual understanding of school subjects. Every year, around 300,000 students appear for the exam, and 2,000 scholarships are awarded, with 775 being unreserved. Successful NTSE scholars gain access to scholarships and special academic opportunities.
The NTSE exam consists of two sections:
The NTSE 2025 Stage 2 exam is scheduled for June 12, 2025.
Students must appear for the NTSE 2024-25 Stage 1 exam at their designated NTSE exam centre, assigned by the respective state authorities.
Students can apply for the NTSE Stage 1 exam through their respective state education boards. Application forms are usually available on the official website of the state's SCERT (State Council of Educational Research and Training).
The NTSE exam is conducted in two stages:
Selected students receive scholarships at different educational levels:
The NTSE cut-off varies for different states and categories. The final cut-off depends on:
NTSE results are released online on the official NCERT website and respective state websites. Students can check their Stage 1 results from their state’s SCERT website and Stage 2 results from NCERT’s official website.
