NTSE Syllabus

The National Talent Search Examination, or NTSE, as it is commonly called, is an annual scholarship examination which is conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to provide financial assistance to meritorious students at higher school, graduation, postgraduate, or doctoral level education. The award amongst range between Rs 1,250-2,000 per month based on the level of education. However, in order to clear the exam with flying colours, it is essential to understand the syllabus in detail. This blog will shed light on the NTSE syllabus as well as the exam pattern.

NTSE 2023 Syllabus and Exam Pattern

Before we delve deep into the NTSE syllabus, let us first understand the exam pattern. At the state level, the NTSE comprises two examinations: namely Scholastic Aptitude Test [SAT] and Mental Ability Test [MAT]. Both examinations have a fundamentally similar syllabus, just varying in level of difficulty.  

Details	Paper 1: SAT	Paper 2: MAT
Questions	100	100
Total Marks	100	100
Duration	2 Hours	2 Hours
Subjects	ScienceSocial ScienceMathematics	–
Negative Marking	N/A	N/A

NTSE is also conducted in two main stages:

• Stage I: State Level Exam for Indian States and Union Territories
• Stage II: National Level Exam conducted by NCERT

Only upon clearing both the SAT and MAT exams will you be qualified for the National level examination.

NTSE Syllabus

As NTSE is conducted for secondary-level students, it deals with the traditional subjects that are taught in schools like Mathematics, Science, and Social Science while including aptitude subjects like Mental Ability and English. The curriculum followed in school from class 6th to class 10th is kept in focus while designing the question paper.

Mental Ability Test [MAT] Syllabus

Mental Ability comprises applied mathematics as well as logical thinking at the basic level. It evaluates a student’s imaginative, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Often, students find this subject to be the most challenging while being interesting at the same time as it is not taught extensively in schools. Here are some of the major topics that form an integral part of the NTSE syllabus. 

Clocks & Calendar	Number Series	Coding-Decoding
Number and Ranking	Missing Character	Embedded Figures
Non-verbal classification	Mathematical Operator	Alphabet Test
Classification	Analogy	Blood Relation
Non-verbal Analogy	Non-verbal Figure partition	Puzzle Test
Water and Mirror Image	Venn Diagram	Paper Folding
Incomplete Figures	Cube & Dice	Pattern Recognition and Completion

Scholastic Aptitude Test [SAT] Syllabus

SAT Test under NTSE includes questions from Mathematics, Social Science, and Science. Check out the NTSE syllabus for Mathematics, Social Science, Science for NTSE SAT Test:

Science

An integral part of the SAT, Science has long been known to inculcate the understanding of the world around us. Various scientific concepts are relevant for a student’s logical growth, as well as in developing the understanding of universal laws and concepts. Here are some of the basic science topics which are included in NTSE syllabus:

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

Mathematics

Mathematics is an integral part of not just school education, but questions based on the subject are also framed in Maths for competitive exams. Here are some of the important topics that come under Mathematics in NTSE syllabus:

• Basic and Coordinate Geometry
• Probability
• Statistics
• Shapes
• Trigonometry
• Rational Numbers
• Surface Area and Volume
• Number System, Percentages and Fractions
• Exponents
• Direct and Inverse Variations
• Arithmetic and Algebraic Expressions
• Linear and Quadratic Equations
• Exponents and Roots

Social Science

It is one of the major components of the NTSE syllabus, including the most number of questions. Topics covered under Social Science are relevant not just for NTSE, but any government exams after 12th Science which lead to work profiles in public service. Here are some of the major topics covered in Social Science:

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

NTSE English Syllabus

English is a fundamental subject to almost all aptitude and talent search tests, as it is directly related to understanding and comprehending a question or situation correctly. Not only is it given a lot of weightage in the NTSE syllabus but is also evaluated in exams like IELTS, various olympiads, TOEFL, etc. Here are some of the major topics which appear as questions in Language Test:

• Synonyms and Antonyms
• Sentence and Paragraph Completion
• Comprehension Passages
• English Grammar
• One word substitution

General Knowledge

This subject ensures that students go above and beyond the prescribed syllabus and books to be aware and updated about their surroundings, thus taking steps for the future with clear hindsight. Covering both dynamic and static GK, here are some of the common General Knowledge topics in NTSE syllabus that you must focus on:

• India and the World
• Abbreviations
• Sports 
• Books and Authors
• Awards
• Influential People
• Important Dates

How to Prepare for NTSE?

Here are some useful tips to help you ace the NTSE exam:

• Go through the syllabus first and list down the topics you need to study and those you just need to revise.
• Preparing a proper schedule for covering the NTSE syllabus is also essential for covering each section.
• Practice the online NTSE sample papers and go through the NCERT books and their questions as well.
• Learn to master time management while practising NTSE sample papers and work on the areas that take more time than needed.

NTSE Books 2023

Some of the best books for NTSE preparation are:

• Study Guide NTSE (MAT + SAT) for Class 10th 2019-2020 by Arihant Experts
• Target NTSE Class 10 Stage 1 & 2 Solved Papers (2015 – 19) by Disha Experts
• Pearson Guide To NTSE Class 10 (English) 1st Edition
• A Comprehensive Manual For NTSE For Class 10 (English) by Access Publishing
• Study Package For NTSE Class 10 (English) 1st & 2nd Edition by McGraw-Hill Publications

Benefits of Clearing the NTSE Exam

Now that you are clear about the NTSE syllabus, let us take a quick look at the benefits of taking the NTSE exam. Apart from the psychological and confidence benefit, here are some more advantages of being an NTSE scholar:

• Being an NTSE scholar can be an added advantage to your CV.
• Civil Services and other competitive exams also require a strong foundation in basic school subjects that NTSE provides.
• The scholarship provides monetary aid to students which can be particularly helpful for financially backward students.
• Colleges and Universities, both Indian and Abroad give preference to NTSE scholars while giving admissions.

So, this concludes all the important information about NTSE Syllabus. In case you want to explore career paths, then connect with us at Leverage Edu. We provide expert career advice, equipped with numerous test prep tools and informative e-classes for exams like IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, and SAT to help you excel in the field of your choice. To take your first step on this amazing journey, book a free e-meeting with us today!