National Level Science Talent Search Examination (NSTSE) 2026-27
NSTSE is the science olympiad that Unified Council runs for Classes 1 to 10 online and Classes 1 to 12 in school. It also has maths and general questions. It has one round.
When is NSTSE 2026-27?
24 Jan 2027
School (offline) exam already held.
Results 19 Nov 2026.
Paper in school (offline) or online from home with a computer and webcam.
How do I register my child, and what does it cost?
School paper exam: through the school only (outside India: school only). Online exam: parents register directly. Fee: online exam ₹350 (Unified Council's registration page). School exam fee not published for 2026-27. Outside India: separate international registration.
What is in the paper?
Multiple choice. Class-wise paper. It takes 60 minutes. Negative marking: none. Language: English.
What is the syllabus?
CBSE, ICSE, ISC and state boards.
The topics, class by class, as the organiser lists them:
Class 1
Mathematics: Numbers upto 100 · Addition · Subtraction · Multiplication as Repeated Addition · Lengths · Weight · Capacity · Time · Geometrical Shapes
General Science: Living & Non-living Things · Plant life · Animal life · Human body · Good Habits · Air, Water & Weather
Class 2
Mathematics: Numbers · Addition · Subtraction · Multiplication · Division · Length · Weight · Capacity · Time · Shapes
General Science: Living & Non-living things · Plant life · Animal life · Human body · Safety Rules · Air, Water & Weather · Rock and Minerals · Our universe
Class 3
Mathematics: Numbers · Addition · Subtraction · Multiplication · Division · Fractions · Length · Weight · Capacity · Shapes
General Science: Plant life · Animals : Their food & Home · Birds : Beaks Claws & Nests of the Birds · Soil · Our Universe · Human Body · Safety & First Aid · Matter and Materials
Critical Thinking: This section includes a combination of skills like conscious application in real life, Logical & Inductive Reasoning, Tactics & Strategies in decision making, higher order thinking
Class 4
Mathematics: Large Numbers · Addition and Subtraction · Multiplication and division · Fractions · Length · Weight · Capacity · Time · Geometry
General Science: Plant life · Animal life · Food & Digestion · Health & Hygiene · Teeth & Microbes · Safety & First Aid · Our Clothes · Our Universe · Matter and Materials · Force Work and Energy
Critical Thinking: This section includes a combination of skills like conscious application in real life, Logical & Inductive Reasoning, Tactics & Strategies in decision making, higher order thinking
Class 5
Mathematics: Large Numbers · Factors and Multiples · Fractions and Decimals · Measurement of Length · Weight · Capacity · Time · Temperature · Percentages · Geometry · Perimeter and Area
General Science: Plant life · Animal life · Human body · Soil Rocks & Minerals · Air Water and Weather · Our Universe · Matter and Materials · Force Work and Energy
Critical Thinking: This section includes a combination of skills like conscious application in real life, Logical & Inductive Reasoning, Tactics & Strategies in decision making, Higher order thinking
Class 6
Mathematics: Patterns in Mathematics · Lines and Angles · Number Play · Data Handling and Presentation · Prime Time · Perimeter and Area · Fractions · Playing with Constructions
Physics: Exploring Magnets · Measurement of Length and Motion · Temperature and its Measurement
Chemistry: Materials Around Us · A journey through States of Water · Methods of Separation in Everyday Life
Biology: Diversity in the Living World · Mindful Eating : A Path to a Healthy Body · Living Creatures : Exploring Their Characteristics
Critical Thinking: This section includes a combination of skills like conscious application in real life, Logical & Inductive Reasoning, Tactics & Strategies in decision making, higher order thinking
Class 7
Mathematics: Large Numbers Around Us · Arithmetic Expressions · A Peek Beyond the Point · Expressions using Letter-Numbers · Parallel and Intersecting Lines · Number Play · A Tale of Three Intersecting Lines · Working with Fractions · Geometric Twins · Operations with Integers
Physics: Electricity : Circuits and their Components · Heat Transfer in Nature · Measurement of Time and Motion
Chemistry: Exploring Substances : Acidic, Basic and Neutral · The World of Metals and Non-Metals · Changes Around Us : Physical and Chemical
Biology: Adolescence : A Stage of Growth and Change · Life Processes in Animals · Life Process in Plants
Critical Thinking: This section includes a combination of skills like conscious application in real life, Logical & Inductive Reasoning, Tactics & Strategies in decision making, higher order thinking
Class 8
Mathematics: A Square and A Cube · Power Play · A Story of Numbers · Quadrilaterals · Number Play · We Distribute Yet Things Multiply · Proportional Reasoning - 1 · Fractions in Disguise · The Baudhayana-Pythagoras Theorem · Proportional Reasoning - 2
Physics: Electricity : Magnetic and Heating Effects · Exploring Forces · Pressure : Winds, Storms and Cyclones · Light Mirrors and Lenses
Chemistry: Particulate Nature of Matter · Nature of Matter : Elements, Compounds and Mixtures · The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents and Solutions
Biology: Cell · The invisible living world · Health : The ultimate treasure · Conservation of plants and animals · Reproduction
Critical Thinking: This section includes a combination of skills like conscious application in real life, Logical & Inductive Reasoning, Tactics & Strategies in decision making, higher order thinking
Syllabus topics and a sample question for your child's class:
Is there a Level 2?
No, there is one level.
How does my child get the admit card?
Sent about two weeks before the exam.
When do results come, and what can my child win?
Normally about 40 days after the exam. 2026-27 school (offline) results postponed to 19 Nov 2026. All-India and state or zone ranks. City ranks only for classes with 500 or more children in that city.
- Online: rank 1 ₹20,000
- Ranks 2 and 3 tablet
- Ranks 4 to 10 ₹2,000
- Medals and certificates to rank 50
Where can I find NSTSE sample papers and previous year papers?
Free sample questions on each exam's page. Past papers are sold. Olympiad Owl does not share the papers themselves. Our class pages above have a free sample question each, and the app has full mock papers in the previous year paper pattern.
How can my child prepare for NSTSE?
A few questions a day in the real pattern, and one full timed paper a week, works better than a last-minute rush.
From Unified Council's registration page · Unified Council's own website, 25 Oct 2026.
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