What is NTSE ?

The National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) is a national-level scholarship program in India that started in the year 1963. The purpose of the scheme is to identify talented students and encourage their talent. It is organized by NCERT and honors talented students by providing financial assistance in the form of a monthly scholarship up to Ph.D. level whereas for professional courses like Engineering, Medicine, Management and Law this assistance is given only up to Post Graduation.
anil ntse

NTSE Eligibility Criteria

Only Indian Students studying in class 10th from recognized schools are eligible to appear in NTSE stage 1 exam. Students Who undergoing the distance learning are also eligible provided the student is below the age of 18 years and are not employed and appearing the class 10th examination for the first time.


Note: Candidates have to take the examination in the following Parts:

  • The questions in MAT and SAT are multiple choice-based questions.

  • Candidates are required to answer all the questions in separate Answer sheet.

  • Each question has four alternatives, and the candidate has to select one correct answer from the given alternatives and mark in the answer-sheet as per the instructions Each question in both papers shall carry one mark each.

  • A student shall get one mark for correct response.

  • There is no negative marking in either of the test papers.
     

NTSE Exam Pattern

NTSE exam consists of two Stage-I & Stage-II. 
Stage - I examination will be at the States/UTs level 
Stage - II examination at the National level.

Paper Test Timings No.of Questions No. of Marks Time Duration
Paper-I Mental Ability Test (MAT) 2 Hours  100 100 120 minutes
Paper-II Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) 2 Hours, 2 and Half Hours for visually challenged candidates 100(Science-40, Mathematics-20, Social Science-40) 100 120 minutes

NTSE Mental Ability Test (MAT):

This test is given to the candidates to judge their power of reasoning, ability to think, ability to judge, evaluate or discriminate, ability to visualize in the space, spatial orientation, etc. A variety of questions, for example.

Verbal Reasoning Non-verbal Reasoning
Analog Classification
Puzzle Test Transparent paper folding
Alphabet Test Analogy
Classification Incomplete Figures
Logical Venn diagrams Series
Blood relations Embedded figure
Series Water images
Logical sequence of words Folding, Paper cutting
Verification of truth of the statement Problems on cubes and dice
Coding-Decoding Dot fixing situation
Problems on clocks
Analytical Reasoning
Direction 
Series completion test
Inserting a missing character 
Mathematical operations

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

The Scholastic Aptitude Test will consist of 100 multiple-choice questions of one mark each. Each question shall have four alternatives, out of which only one will be the correct answer. There shall be 40 questions from science, 40 from Social Science, and 20 from Mathematics. Candidates are required to answer the questions on a separate OMR sheet.
 

Science

Physics Syllabus    
 
 Chemistry Syllabus   Biology Syllabus
Magnetism and Electricity Acid, Bases, Salt Air, Water, Soil
Measurements Periodic Classification of Elements Micro-organisms
Motion and Force Metals and Non-Metals Reproduction
Work and Energy Structure of Atom Life Processes
Light and Sound Physical and Chemical Changes Heredity and Evolution
The Universe Carbon and its Compounds Food Production and Management
Source of Energy Fibers and Plastics Diversity in Living Organisms
Plant and Animal Nutrition & Human Body
Cellular Level of Organisation
Some Common Diseases & Our Environment

Social

History Syllabus Geography Syllabus Civics Syllabus
French Revolution Water Resources Indian Constitution
Industrial Revolution Biosphere Local and State Government
British Raj Atmosphere Judiciary
Mughal Empire Agriculture Indian Government
Maurya Empire Resources and Development -
Early Medieval Period Diversity and Livelihood -
Medieval Architecture and Culture Internal Structure of the Earth and Rocks -
Indian Freedom Struggle Maps and Globe -
Early States Natural Vegetation -
Indus Valley Civilization Our Country – India -
Jainism and Buddhism India and its Neighbors -
Conquerors from Distant Lands The motion of the Earth -
Popular Movements and Social Reforms Climate – India and World -
Nationalism in Various Countries Indian Physiographic Division -
Introduction and Sources of Ancient Indian History Drainage in India -
Vedic Period Solar System -
World War I and II Major Domains and landforms -
New Empires and Kingdoms Population -
World History - -
UN and International Agencies - -

Math

Arithmetic Progressions Number Systems
Polynomials Real Numbers
Quadratic Equations Rational Numbers
Square Roots and Cube Roots Direct and Inverse Variation
Mensuration Percentage
Surface Areas and Volumes Trigonometry
Circles Simple and Compound Interest
Triangles Arithmetic
Coordinate Geometry Linear Equations in Two Variables
Introduction to Euclid’s Geometry Statistics and Probability
Quadrilateral Parallelogram

Weightage

Below are the weightage of the MAT and SAT Papers by comparing previous year papers. However, the weightage will differ based on the Examiner.

MAT topic-wise weightage

Subject-Verbal Reasoning No of Marks Subject-Non-Verbal Reasoning No of Marks
Analog 3 Classification 3
Puzzle Test 2 Transparent paper folding -
Alphabet Test 2 Analogy 3
Classification 2 Incomplete Figures 7
Logical Venn diagrams 4 Series 4
Blood relations 4 Embedded figure 1
Series 3 Water images -
Logical sequence of words 5 Folding, Paper cutting 2
Verification of truth of the statement 4 Problems on cubes and dice 4
Coding-Decoding 2 Dot fixing situation -
Problems on clocks 4 Matrix Test 2
Arrangements 4 - -
Direction  4 - -
Ranking 3 - -
Inserting a missing character 6 - -
Mathematical operations 7 - -

SAT Topic-wise Weightage

Subject No of Marks Total
Science Physics 40
Chemistry
Biology
Mathematics 20 20
Social Geography 40
Civics
Economics
History