FIIT-JEE director RL Trikha tells students how they can evaluate their hidden talent and prepare themselves for further studies
Are you in Class X and looking for a platform to identify your hidden talent and evaluate your preparedness for further studies? The answer lies in National Talent Search Examination (NTSE). The aim of this exam is to identify and recognise students with high intellect and academic talent at the high-school level. It is a national-level scholarship programme one of the oldest and most prestigious examinations in India conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) at the secondary school level. It is a two-tier exam — Stage I (State level) is conducted by the States/Union Territories and Stage-II (national level) is conducted by NCERT. The objective of the two-tier exam is to identify the talented students who have a special aptitude for Sciences, Mathematics, Social Sciences and questions based on Analytical Reasoning.
The exam acts as a unique platform for the students to check their capabilities and potential. It also points out the weaknesses and shortcomings in the domains covered by the exam. Every year, lakhs of students appear for this scholarship exam, out of which 1,000 scholarships are awarded. The scholarship is open only to the students of Indian nationality, whether they are studying in India or abroad in Class X or equivalent.
First Level-Stage I: The first level test takes place every year in the month of November. The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) comprises of 100 MCQs, where one alternative is correct. There are 40 questions from Science, 40 from Social Science and 20 from Mathematics. The idea is to assess the subject knowledge, reasoning ability and logical thinking of the candidates.
The Mental Ability Test (MAT) also comprises of 100 MCQs with only one out of four options correct. Each question carries 1 mark. There is no negative marking. It has a variety of questions about analogies, classification, series, pattern perception, hidden figures, coding-decoding, block assembly, problem-solving, etc. Here, the goal is to gauge the power of reasoning, ability to judge, evaluate, visualise in space and spatial orientation of the candidates.
Second Level-Stage II: The second level test takes place every year in the month of May. Pattern of papers of MAT and SAT are same as in Stage I. As per the new pattern of Stage II announced by NCERT, each correctly answered question earns the candidate one mark with no negative marks. This level of exam tests the students' potential concerning their mental ability and scholastic aptitude.
Students who clear the stage II are eligible for the NTSE scholarship. There are no restrictions like parental income, Government school and domicile. However, no scholarships shall be available for studies abroad for any course.
How to crack it
Know your strengths and weaknesses: For example, if you are strong in Mathematics and Science but average in MAT and weak in social sciences, then you can work on your weaknesses and turn them into strengths for an overall very good or excellent score. Once you know your weak points, draft a plan. Study and revise the subject matter if needed. Allocate time for different sections of the exam.
Follow NCERT books: Follow books of Classes IX and X. For some concepts in Biology, refer NCERT Class XI Biology textbook (only portions that are relevant to Class IX and X curriculum). It is imperative to study the Social Studies NCERT book for NTSE thoroughly.
Strengthen your MAT section: The MAT and SAT carry equal weight. Therefore, it is critical to give due time to both the papers while preparing. Some of us tend to overdo preparation of three subjects but in the process tend to ignore MAT. However, it is important to realise that MAT carries more weight than any of the subjects. This section tests mental ability. You must give enough time for the preparation of this part.
Work on your SAT section: Follow NCERT. You must also read a good general knowledge book for miscellaneous questions.
Solve sample papers: If you are aspiring excellence, it is important that you solve a lot of sample papers and mock tests at least thrice a week. There are a lot of NTSE mock papers available on the internet. You should aim to solve these papers within the stipulated time so that you can improve your speed and know the sections that consume more time.
Analyse performance: Make sure you minutely assess what you could do and what you had a hard time with. Was it the subject understanding you lacked? Or did you miss out on the scores because of silly mistakes? Whatever it is, just analyse your performance critically.
Proper guidance: Find a good mentor. There are times when in quest of achieving something, you tend to go off the track. To ensure you are on the right track, it is important to have a mentor to guide you and show you the right path in your success journey. Always interact with the mentor and seniors for do’s and don’ts.
Early preparation: Start preparing at the earliest will lay the right foundation for further studies. Success is a result of practice and preparation with determination.
Value the time: Utilise your every minute properly. Devote your quality time to those areas where you are lacking. Once you have mended your loopholes, divide your time equally with all the subjects and areas.
Self-study: For clearing any exam, self-study is important. It is one of the most basic and important of all the tips to become an NTSE scholar. One should devote at least three-four hours to self-learning to crack this competitive exam.
Keep practicing: Regular practice is what will get you through. Solve as many questions of mental ability as possible so that you are not shocked on the exam day. Take the help of your school seniors and teachers. With practice, you’ll also get more confident about your speed, accuracy and subject knowledge.
