NTSE vs NSTSE: two exams with almost the same name
NSTSE is a science talent exam run every year by Unified Council, a private organiser. NTSE was the National Talent Search Examination, a scholarship exam run by NCERT; NCERT lists NTSE 2021-22 as suspended and has not held it since.
NSTSE (Unified Council)
- Classes 1 to 10 online; Classes 1 to 12 in school
- School exam through the school; online exam, you register yourself
- Online exam: 24 Jan 2027; fee ₹350 online
- One round; no negative marking
NSTSE guide · every Unified Council olympiad
NTSE (NCERT)
NCERT's own NTSE page lists NTSE 2021-22 as suspended; the latest results it shows are from 2021. If you see an NTSE date for 2026-27 elsewhere, check it on NCERT's own website.
NTSE has stopped. What can my child take instead?
- A government scholarship: NMMS, for Class 8 children in government schools; those selected get ₹12,000 a year for Classes 9 to 12.
- A science route to the international olympiads: NSEJS, the first stage of the Junior Science Olympiad (22 Nov 2026).
- A prize for your child's own idea or invention: INSPIRE-MANAK; the school sends in its students' best ideas, with no written exam.
- Practice and a certificate every year: NSTSE and the other school olympiads.
Is NSTSE the same as NTSE?
No. NSTSE is Unified Council's yearly science talent exam. NTSE was NCERT's scholarship exam, which NCERT has not held since 2021.
Is NSTSE a government exam?
No. Unified Council is a private organiser. India's government-backed olympiad programme is run by HBCSE.
Which class was NTSE for?
NTSE was for children in Class 10, with a state round first and a national round after it.
Government olympiads for school children
Are olympiads government exams?
Science olympiads compared