NTSE Exam 2025: The National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT) has not announced any dates for releasing the NTSE application form 2025. There is no confirmation if the exam will be held for this session, officials told Shiksha.com. However, students must keep visiting this page regularly to stay updated on the release of NTSE exam dates and application form 2025. The NTSE 2025 exam date will be updated here as soon as they are out officially. The NTSE applications will be done online and offline (varying for different states).
The NTSE was not held between 2022 and 2024. NCERT may plan to conduct NTSE 2025 and may accommodate students who missed the opportunity last year to earn the scholarship.
Eligible students can download the NTSE application forms and submit them along with the NTSE application fees (if any) before the last date. The last date to apply for NTSE 2025 will vary from state to state. Candidates can click on the NTSE Application Forms 2025 link above to download the form of their respective state.
Also Read: NTSE Stage-I 2020 topper, Priyanshu Agrawal wants to crack JEE 2020
About NTSE
The National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) is a scholarship exam conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to identify talented students who want to pursue higher education in the Science and Social Studies streams. The exam is conducted for students studying in class 10th. NTSE is conducted in two stages. The stage 1 exam is conducted at the state level by all states and UTs, while NTSE stage 2 is conducted by NCERT at the national level only for those students who qualify the stage 1 exam. The students qualifying in NTSE stage 1 are eligible to appear for the Stage II exam. The NTSE scheme aims to award a scholarship to talented students, who wish to pursue higher education in Science and Social Studies stream, to help them continue their education.
Highlights of National Talent Search Examination |
|
---|---|
Exam Name |
|
Conducted by |
|
Exam Level |
National Level |
Class level |
Class 10th |
Total Scholarships |
2000 |
Scholarship amount |
|
Scholarship level |
Up to PhD level |
Exam Mode |
Offline examination |
Exam Papers |
Mental Aptitude Test (MAT) |
Test Duration |
120 minutes for each paper (MAT & SAT) at each level i.e. a total of 240 minutes. (same for both the stages) |
Total Exam Centers |
For NTSE Stage I exam - In all 28 states and 9 UTs For NTSE Stage II - 35 exam cities |
Registration dates |
Registration begins in August/September every year and the last date of application is notified by the respective State/UT separately |
Exam dates for NTSE 2025 stage 1 |
November/December* for Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Andaman and Nicobar Islands November/December* for All other states and UTs |
Exam date for NTSE 2025 stage 2 |
June, 2026* |
Exam Helpline for NTSE Stage II examination only |
Phone number - 011-26560464 e-mail - ntsexam.ncert@gov.in |
Official Website |
http://www.ncert.nic.in |
NTSE 2024 Exam Dates & Schedule
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of NTSE 2024 exam
Dates | Upcoming Exam Dates |
---|---|
Feb '25 - May '25 | NTSE Stage 1 Result 2024 TENTATIVE |
Dates | Past Exam Dates |
Nov '24 | Conduct of NTSE Stage 1 Exam 2024 for Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
Nov '24 | Conduct of NTSE Stage 1 Exam 2024 for all other States and UTs |
NTSE 2025: Important dates and other events
Candidates can find all the important events and dates related to NTSE 2025 below:
Events |
Stage I dates (Tentative) |
Stage II dates (Tentative) |
---|---|---|
NTSE application dates |
Aug/Sep |
No registration required |
NTSE Admit card releases |
October |
May 2026 |
NTSE Exam dates |
November |
June 2026 |
NTSE Result releases |
January – April 2026 |
August 2026 |
Also Read: NTSE Stage-I Topper Tips: Know how Samyak Jain secured Delhi State Rank 1
NTSE Eligibility 2025
Candidates who wish to win the NTS 2025 scholarship exam must fulfil the eligibility criteria specified by the NCERT. Also, every State and UT mentions the NTSE Eligibility Criteria 2025 such as academic qualification, age limit, and minimum qualifying marks in the previous class, that candidates must fulfil to apply for the examination. Only candidates who meet the NTSE Eligibility Criteria will be awarded the scholarship after qualifying for NTSE 2025 examinations. Check here details about NTSE eligibility 2025 for stage I as well as stage II exam –
NTSE Eligibility Criteria 2025 for stage I (state level) –
The conditions are listed below:
-
Candidates currently studying in Class 10th from any recognized Private/Government schools including Kendriya Vidyalaya, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, and Sainik Schools can apply.
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The candidates can appear in their respective state/UT’s for the NTSE stage I exam, as there is no domicile restriction.
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The SCERT of respective state/UTs may mention any additional criteria for the stage I exam such as minimum qualifying marks in the previous class.
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Candidates who are completing their education from Open and Distance Learning (ODL) such as the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) or State Open Boards are also eligible to apply and appear for NTSE 2024.
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The candidates studying from Open and Distance Learning must not be less than 18 years of age at the time of appearing in the scholarship exam. Moreover, they should not be employed (not even part-time jobs) and they should be appearing in the Class 10th qualifying examination for the first time.
NTSE 2025 Eligibility Criteria for NTSE Stage II exam –
For candidates studying in India:
Candidates appearing for NTSE stage II exam by NCERT need to fulfil the below-mentioned eligibility criteria -
-
They must be Indian Nationals, irrespective of where they are pursuing their Class 10th qualifying examination i.e. in India or abroad
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They should have qualified stage I exam at the state level
For candidates studying outside India:
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The Indian national candidates studying abroad can directly appear for the Stage II exam of the NTS scholarship award
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They should have scored at least 60 per cent marks in their previous qualifying examination i.e. Class 9th
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Such candidates should be planning to pursue their higher education only in India after obtaining the NTSE Scholarship
NTSE Eligibility 2025: General Requirements for awarding NTSE Scholarships
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Candidates who are awarded the scholarship are allowed to pursue the approved courses in Science, Social Sciences, Engineering and Medical streams only. They should be willing to pursue higher education in India only
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Candidates should be certified as maintaining good conduct at their school and should continue their higher education
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They should not be absent from school without proper leave or informing the school authorities
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The candidate should be a full-time student and should not be working anywhere or getting a salary/stipend
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If a candidate is getting scholarships under any other scheme as well, then he/she will have to decide which scholarship scheme he/she wants to continue with
-
If any candidate is getting any other scholarship then, his/her NTS Scholarship will be stopped for that year and can be continued only after he/she requests NCERT to resume the scholarship; they have to discontinue benefits from other scholarship schemes
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The candidates getting fee waivers/ one-time grant/fee subsidy and accommodation are eligible for NTSE Scholarship
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If any candidate drops studies or discontinues his/her education within one year of admission, the scholarship will not be awarded to him/her
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Candidates must clear all subjects of their course on the first attempt only. In case they fail to do so in any of the core subjects, their scholarship will be cancelled.
NTS Exam Procedure 2025
NTSE Application 2025: Candidates who wish to appear for the NTSE can apply from their respective state/UT in the offline/online mode or as specified by the exam authorities. Students will be required to download the form online and submit it to the School Principal for certification before the last date along with the application fee (if applicable). The offline NTSE Application Form can be obtained from the school or the listed Liaison Officers for the states/UTs only.
The notification for application form availability of NTSE state-level examination is also made available in the local/national newspapers or circulars circulated in the schools by the respective state/UT.
The NTSE admit card 2025 is attached along with the application form of NTSE and is required to be filled out by candidates. This admit card is then signed by the State Liasion officer and handed over to the candidate in October.
NTSE Admit Card 2025 - The NTSE 2024 admit card for stage 1 is made available by the exam conducting authorities at least 15 days before the exam date. Many states provide the NTSE 2025 admit card in the offline mode while some issue it online which can be downloaded by candidates. Those who apply for NTSE 2025 will be issued admit cards by their respective state/UT for state-level examination. It is mandatory to carry the admit card on the exam day failing which no candidate will be allowed to sit for the exam. Those who qualify the state level examination are issued NTSE 2024 Stage 2 admit card by NCERT in the online mode only. This can be downloaded from the official website of NCERT.
NTSE Stage 1 exam- The states/UTs are likely to conduct the NTSE exam 2025 in November/December in the offline mode at appointed exam centres only.
NTSE Stage 1 Result 2025 - The NTSE 2025 stage I result mentions the qualifying status of candidates for both papers i.e. MAT and SAT. The candidates can check the result of NTSE stage 1 exam in the online mode as it is made available on the official website of the SCERT/DGE of the respective state/UT. The NTSE stage I exam result 2023 is released in the form of a merit list, which mentions names, marks, ranks of all qualified candidates for the respective state/UT.
NTSE stage 2 exam - All those candidates who qualify the stage 1 exam of NTSE at the state level are eligible to appear for national level NTSE which is conducted by NCERT. The NTS stage 2 exam 2025 will likely be held in June 2025. The exam pattern, exam details, and subjects are the same as that of NTSE stage 1.
NTSE Stage 2 Result: The final result of the NTSE stage II examination is expected to be released in August/September 2025, for all candidates. Candidates will be able to check their NTSE stage 2 result through the link provided by the NCERT where they need to enter their roll number and date of birth. The result mentions separate scores as well as the combined score for MAT and SAT papers. The disbursement of the NTSE scholarship will be based on the Merit list after the announcement of the NTSE stage 2 result only.
The NTSE state-level and national-level examination are conducted at the exam centres designated by the exam conducting authorities. For state-level examination of NTSE, the respective states/UTs allow the exam centre to candidates that are mentioned on the NTSE admit card. For NTSE stage 2, the examination is conducted at the designated test centres by NCERT. The list of NTSE Exam Centre 2025 for Stage 1 will be released by states a month before the conduct of exams while the list of exam centres for stage 2 is listed below.
NTSE Exam Centres for Stage 2
The table below lists all the exam centres for NTSE Stage 2 –
State/UT |
Exam Centre(s)/Venue |
---|---|
Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
KV No 2, Raksha Vihar, Minnie Bay |
Andhra Pradesh |
KV, Gandhi Gram Post, Malkapuram, Visakhapatnam |
Arunachal Pradesh |
KV No 2, Itanagar, Chimpu Post, Arunachal Pradesh |
Assam |
KV CRPF Mile Amerigog, Kamrup, Guwahati |
Bihar |
KV no 1, Lohiya Nagar, Near Heart Hospital, Kankarbagh, Patna |
Chandigarh |
KV, ASF High Grounds, Chandigarh |
Chhattisgarh |
KV No 2, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Nagar, Sector 4, Raipur |
Dadra & Nagar Haveli |
KV, Government High School Campus, Silvassa |
Delhi |
KV No 3, Ringroad, Near Seema Sadak Bhawan |
Goa |
KV, INS Madovi, Panjim |
Gujarat |
KV No 1, Near Police Commissioner’s Office, Shahi Baug, Ahmedabad |
Haryana |
KV No 1, AFS, Sector 14, Old Delhi Road, Gurugram |
Himachal Pradesh |
KV No 1, Dharamshala Cantt, Kangra |
Jammu and Kashmir |
KV No 1, Gandhinagar, Jammu |
Jharkhand |
KV CCL, Rajendra Nagar, Ranchi |
Karnataka |
KV, ASC Center, Victoria Road, Bangalore, Karnataka |
Kerala |
KV No 3, Port Trust, Willingdon Island, Kochi, Ernakulam |
Lakshadweep |
KV, Kavaratti |
Madhya Pradesh |
KV No 1, Opp Central India Flour Mill, Hoshangabad Road, Bhopal |
Maharashtra |
KV, Bhandup, LBS Marg, Kanjurmarg West |
Manipur |
KV No 1, Lamphelpat, Imphal |
Meghalaya |
KV, Happy Valley, Shillong |
Mizoram |
KV, Project Pushpak Zemabawk, Aizawl |
Nagaland |
KV, CRPF Camp, Lerie Hill, Kohima, Nagaland |
Odisha |
KV No 1, Unit 9, Near Ram Mandir, Bhubaneswar |
Puducherry |
KV, IIT Campus, Chennai |
Punjab |
KV, ASF High Grounds, Chandigarh |
Rajasthan |
KV No 1, Bajaj Nagar, Opp Tonk Phatak, Jaipur |
Sikkim |
KV, Post Tadong, Middil, Siyari, Gangtok |
Tamil Nadu |
KV, IIT Campus, Chennai |
Telangana |
KV No 1, Langer House, Golconda, Hyderabad |
Tripura |
KV (GC) CRPF, Adarani, Salbagan, Agartala |
Uttarakhand |
KV ONGC, Kaulagarh Road, Dehradun |
West Bengal |
KV, Ballygunge, Circular Road, Kolkata |
Uttar Pradesh |
KV, Lucknow Cantt |
Exam Day Guidelines
Here are some of the guidelines that the candidates must follow on the day of the National Talent Search Examination:
- Candidates must carry their admit cards, pencil, pen, and photo identity card to the examination hall.
- All the candidates should reach the exam centre at least 45 minutes prior to the commencement of the examination.
- Any candidate who is late beyond 15 minutes of the commencement of the exam, will not be allowed to write it.
- Electronic gadgets are not allowed in the examination centre.
For information on NTSE preparation, students can refer to the NTSE preparation tips provided by Shiksha.
Major Changes in NTSE over the past years
How it began
The programme was started in 1963 as National Science Talent Search Scheme (NSTSS) as an initiative to help talented students with scholarships. The students who applied for NTSE scholarships were selected on the basis of qualification in the written test, project report, and interview. The written test included Science Aptitude Test (SAT) and an essay based on a scientific theme only. The project report also needed to be submitted at the time of the written test. The scholarships were awarded to only those students who wanted to pursue higher education in Basic Sciences from Class 11th to Doctoral level.
All about NTSE over the years:
Over the years since it was started, the exam conducting authority made drastic changes in the NTSE examination pattern, subject, class level, scholarship numbers and amount, etc. Check below the major changes made in the NTSE scholarship scheme –
NTS Exam over the years
Feature |
Years |
Changes made in NTSE |
---|---|---|
Number of Scholarships
|
1964 |
350 from 10 |
1976 |
From 350 to 500 |
|
1981 |
From 500 to 550 (out of which 50 scholarships were reserved for SC and ST categories) |
|
1983 |
From 550 to 750 inclusive of 70 scholarships reserved for SC and ST students only |
|
2000 |
From 750 to 1000 with reservation as under – 15% for Scheduled Caste students 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes students |
|
2019 |
From 1000 to 2000 with reservation as under – 27% for Other Backward Class students 15% for Scheduled Caste students 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes students 4% for Physically Disabled students |
|
2020 |
2000 scholarships with reservation as under – 27% for Other Backward Class students 15% for Scheduled Caste students 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes students 4% for Physically Disabled students 10% reservation added for Economically Weaker Sections |
|
Scholarship amount |
2006-2007 |
The scholarship amount was raised up to Rs. 500. However, the students pursuing Ph.D. courses were given scholarship amount as per the UGC norms only. |
2014-2015 till present |
The scholarship amount of Rs. 500 was increased for students at different levels as under – Class 11th and Class 12th: Rs. 1250 per month At Bachelor degree and Post-Graduate degree levels: Rs. 2000 per month Students pursuing Ph.D. degree – As per UGC norms |
|
Subjects Specialization/Stream of higher education |
1976 (after the introduction of 10+2+3 education pattern) |
From Basic Sciences to Engineering, Social Sciences and Medicine streams |
2019 |
|
|
Change in Name |
1976 |
From the National Science Talent Search Scheme (NSTSS) to the National Talent Search Scheme (NTSS) |
Class level (initially only Class 10th students could apply and appear for the NTSE Scholarship examination) |
1976 |
The exam was extended up to Class 10th, Class 11th and Class 12th Students and separate examinations were conducted for each level. |
1985 |
The class level was returned back to Class 10th only. However, the centralized examination process of the national level for students from all over India was decentralized i.e. Tiers were introduced and now, students were required to appear for Tier I at their own state level and then for Tier II for the national level. |
|
2006-2007 |
NTSE was now conducted for Class 8th students from Class 10th earlier. However, NCERT conducted 2 more exams for Class 10th students in 2007-2008 for providing an opportunity to students studying in Class 9th and Class 10th at that time. |
|
2013 till present |
The Class level was again set only for Class 10th. |
|
Selection Procedure |
1976 |
|
2013 |
|
|
2018 and onward |
LAT paper removed from the selection procedure |
|
Exam Pattern |
1985 |
A uniform exam pattern was designed for MAT and SAT for all states and UTs conducted Tier 1 exam of NTSE. The exam pattern of NTSE Stage 1 exam now included – For MAT: 100 MCQs For SAT: 200 MCQs divided into 25 for each subject as under -
However, candidates were provided with a choice of selecting any four of the eight sections and therefore, only need to answer 100 questions. |
1995 |
The choice to select sections in SAT paper was terminated. The SAT paper was now based on Science, Social Science, and Mathematics. Science and Social Sciences section 40 MCQs each and the remaining 20 were for Mathematics. |
|
2006-2007 |
The Class VIII NTSE exam pattern was based on 90 questions for each paper i.e. MAT and SAT. SAT included 35 questions each for Science and Social Science and, 20 MCQs for Mathematics. |
|
2014 |
|
|
2018 onward |
For MAT paper: 9:30 am to 11:30 am (12:30 am for VC candidates) For SAT paper: 1:30 pm to 03:30 pm (4:00 pm for VC candidates)
Earlier, MAT and LAT paper carried 50 marks each. The MAT paper now carries a total of 100 questions. |
|
Other relevant features |
2006-2007 |
|
2008 |
A reservation of 3% of scholarships from total scholarships was decided for Physically Challenged students. |
|
2015 |
The minimum qualifying marks for qualifying NTSE were increased from 32% to 35% for SC/ST/PH candidates. |
|
2017 |
4% reservation in scholarships made for Physical Challenged Category |
|
2018 |
The minimum qualifying marks for NTSE qualification have been revised as under – 40% for General Category Candidates 32% for SC/ST/PH candidates in both tests separately. |
|
2019 |
Reservation of 27% is introduced for OBC category candidates |
|
2020 |
Reservation of 10% added for EWS candidates |
|
Non-conduct of the exam |
2022 & 2024 |
NTSE was not held from the year 2022 till 2024, marking the first such omission in its 60-year history |
NTSE - Contact Information
For NTSE stage I exam – Candidates can contact the State Council of Research and Technology (NCERT) or listed Liaison Officer of their respective State/UT.
For NTSE stage 2 exam –
Official Address –
Educational Survey Division,
National Council of Educational Research and Training
Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi 110 016
Phone Numbers – +91-11-26560464, +91-11-26562704
E-mail Address – deme.ncert@nic.in, esdhead@gmail.com, esdhead.ncert@gov.in, ntse2@yahoo.co.in
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FAQs related to NTSE 2024
Q: When will the Stage 1 of NTSE 2026 be conducted?
A. Stage 1 of NTSE 2026 will likely be held in November 2025. The official dates are yet to be announced.
Q: Does NCERT conduct any interviews after conducting the Stage 2 examination?
A. No, to qualify for the NTSE scholarship, a candidate is just required to qualify in Stage 1 and 2 examinations.
Q. I am reappearing for my class 10 exams this year. Can I apply for NTSE?
A. No, one can apply for NTSE only once during the first attempt in class 10.
Q. Will I qualify for the NTSE stage 2 if I manage to score the minimum qualifying marks in MAT and SAT?
A. You will be required to achieve the total NTSE cutoff score released by the state. If you manage to achieve the cutoff marks of NTSE stage 1, you would find your name on the merit list. The qualifying cutoff of 40 per cent (32 per cent for SC/ST) and the ones released by states is different.
Q. Do I need to apply again for the NTSE stage 2 exam?
A. NTSE application is a one-step process. You will qualify to appear for stage 2 only if you clear the stage 1 exam.
Q. When will NTSE 2025 stage 1 result be announced?
A: Stage 1 NTSE result 2025 is expected to be out between February and April 2026.
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NTSE Exam
Student Forum
Answered 3 weeks ago
Hii, The NTSE 2024-25 application forms for Class 10 can be obtained through the SCERT (State Council of Educational Research and Training) websites of respective states or offline from schools and liaison offices. The process varies slightly across states, and submission is typically routed via sch
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
They can download the form directly from the website of State Council of Educational Research and Training or Directorate of Education depending upon the state they belong to. The form may be downloaded from the internet or can be obtained from the school since the school must be registered with SCE
K
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a month ago
NTSE or the National Talent Search Examination is given to the students to support them in their higher studies. The NTSE scholarship is given to all the 10th class students of Indian nationality residing in India and abroad.
S
Beginner-Level 5
Answered a month ago
No, The NTSE 2024-25 exam is not cancelled. The exam is scheduled
For Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Andaman & Nicobar: Exam date is 4th November 2024 ( Tentative )
For other states and union territories: Date is 5th November 2024 (Tentative)
For Stage 2 - Dates will be announced later.
Answered 2 months ago
Yes,it was last conducted in 2022
S
Beginner-Level 1
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Where can I find NTSE 2024-25 form for class 10th?