Nurture talent the right way

Gauri Chhabra

National exams fill the gnawing gap in the conceptual clarity of various subjects and script your way to success. There is empirical evidence that National Level Exams like NSTSE and NTSE help students to know early whether they have understood a concept properly, so that immediate action can be taken to correct the erosion and pave a path for improvement. 

Often, as students step  from one grade to another, they develop conceptual gaps which widen and step down their performance, so much so, that may even turn into an aversion for the subject. School exams test superficially, only banking on a singular concept of the learning continuum — memory. Ironically, when students step into the professional world, memory is the ability which is tested the least. The most imperative skills for success are the ability to think independently and reason logically. And National Level tests like the NTSE test precisely those.

Let us understand what NTSE is and how it arms you with fundamentals required for success.

Understanding NTSE

National Talent Search Exam (NTSE), a flagship exam of the NCERT, is a talent-based evaluation system scientifically designed for Class X students of any recognised board. It measures their strengths and weaknesses on the basis of the concepts learnt at school and provides the qualifying candidates financial assistance in the form of a scholarship provided by the Central government for pursuing studies in sciences and social sciences. The students who nail both levels of NTSE avail scholarship  from Class XI to Ph.D level for courses in basic sciences, social science and commerce. For professional courses like engineering, medicine, management and Law, qualified students receive financial assistance up to the post graduate level. At the Ph.D. level, the scholarship is provided in accordance with the UGC norms.

Eligibility & pattern

This test consists of two stages: Stage I is for State Level and Stage II is  National Level.  If you are studying in Class X in a recognised school and have secured 65 per cent marks in class IX, you are eligible to appear for the respective Stage I examination conducted by the states/UTs in which your school is located. 

Stage I examination comprises two parts — Mental Ability Test (MAT), Language Test (LT), and Scholastic Ability Test (SAT) covering social sciences, sciences and mathematics. 

Stage II examination at the national level also comprises Mental Ability Test (MAT), Language Test (LT) (Hindi or English), Scholastic Ability Test (SAT) covering social sciences, sciences and mathematics. This exam consists of objective- type multiple choice questions. NCERT conducts the state-level exam each year in the second week of November and National Level NTS each year in the second week of May. At stage II, there is negative marking for each incorrect answer, one third mark being deducted for each incorrect answer. The national-level examination has two parts for nominating the required number of candidates for the interviews to be conducted by the NCERT in July/August. 

Part-I: Mental Ability Test (MAT), and Part-II: Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) with Language Test(with questions on history, civics, geography, rarely economics, Maths, physics, chemistry and biology.) 

Key benefits

NTSE is a very prestigious exam that gives instant recognition to bright students at a very young age. It is an exposure to a national-level test which opens doors to other entrance tests later on. It is very rare to find an NTSE scholar who has not succeeded in his career. Thus, regardless of whether you clear the NTSE, you should at least make an attempt, just for the experience. 

Here are some benefits of clearing NTSE

Scholarship: The Central government awards scholarships to those clearing this test. If you are seeking admission in science and social science stream, then this test will make you eligible to receive scholarship till Doctorate level, while students in professional courses get scholarship till postgraduate level.

Admission in top institutes in India and abroad: In India some colleges have reserved seats exclusively for NTSE scholars. An NTSE scholar can pass the admission test of a college and get direct entry to it.

Universities and institutes abroad, too, give preference to NTSE scholars. If you are aspiring to opt for higher studies, you have an edge over others. Those applying for US scholarships get additional marks for being an NTSE qualifier. 

SWOT analysis: The examination helps to gauge where you stand and lets students improve their ability to understand the underlying concepts and synthesise the concepts in classes.

Gives an edge in job placement: Qualifying the scholarship exam is an added advantage when you apply for jobs. An NTSE scholar is given more preference in government jobs and is also helpful when appearing for interviews in different prestigious jobs. It is indeed helpful when appearing for interviews for IFS, IAS, IRS and IPS. It is also widely accepted for private jobs.

Conclusion 

Considering the benefits of clearing NTSE, both to improve your knowledge base and in terms of pursuing your academic career, you should definitely sit for this exam. If you clear it, the NTSE scholar badge adorns your resume throughout your career and the experience, let me tell you, is worth the hard work.