NTSE or National Talent Search examination is one of the well-known scholarship exam which is conducted at National level to evaluate the intellectual level of the students. It measures the intellectual percentage of candidates in order to recognize the crème de la crème i.e. the cream of the crop. Launched in the year 1963 with an aim to identify the meritorious students and nurture their talent, the exam is considered as one of the most difficult yet prestigious exam across the nation. The article tries to answer the commonly asked questions regarding the scholarship. With the information presented below candidates along with parents will get a clear picture about the exam.
About NTSE
NCERT is the official conducting body of NTSE. Under the scholarship program earlier 1000 scholarships were awarded. But from the year 2015-16 onwards 2000 scholarships will be awarded. The announcement was made by the Union Minister of HRD while addressing the gathering on the auspicious occasion of NCERT Foundation Day. The NTSE Exam is taken by the students of Class 10 irrespective of State and Board to which their school is recognized to. The NTSE exam is conducted in two tier system.
- NTSE Stage 1: It is conducted by the respective state in the schools located within their territory somewhere in the month of November every year and the results are also declared by the respective states individually.
- NTSE Stage 2: The stage 2 exam is taken by the candidate who clears stage 1. Moreover NCERT conducts the Stage 2 exam usually in the month of February.
Reward: After going through rigorous selection procedure, candidates who are selected are paid the scholarship amount on the monthly basis. Students of Class 11 and 12 are paid Rs. 1250 per month. Students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies are offered Rs. 2000 per month and Ph.D. fellows are paid the amount as per the guidelines laid down by UGC. Moreover, the scholarship amount is paid from Class 11 onwards.
Selection Process: Candidates have to take a Pen and Paper based test which is divided into three sections: Mental Ability Test, Scholastic Aptitude Test and language Test. In MAT and SAT the total questions asked are 50 each and in the Language section total question are 100. Every question carries 1 mark each. MAT and SAT time duration is 45 minutes each while for Language Test it is 90 minutes. There is a negative marking of 1/3 marks for every wrong answer given. Medium of the question paper is: Assamese, Bangla, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu
Application Procedure: To appear in NTSE Stage 1 candidates have to fill in the Application for either via their school or through the Liaison officer of their respective state. The duly filled in application form has to be signed by the principal of the school. As stage 1 exam is conducted by the individual states so students are required to pay some nominal amount that too also to the state whereas for appearing in NTSE Stage 2 no fee is to be paid as it is conducted by NCERT.