National Talent Search Exam (NTSE) is a national-level scholarship exam conducted by NCERT to help those talented students to grab scholarships from class 10th. It is an honor for students to be known and recognized as Nation talents.
NTSE gets conducted in two stages every year – stage 1 and stage 2. In stage 1 exam students appear for the exam at the state level and those who qualify will be eligible to appear for the next stage of the exam. Stage 2 exam gets conducted on the National level which leads the students to bag NTSE scholarship after qualifying.
NTSE 2021 stage II exam was scheduled to be held on 13th June 2021, but it was postponed by NCERT because of the rising cases of covid-19. A new exam date will be announced when the situation normalizes in the country.
It is a hard time for students as exams are getting postponed but looking at the situation it was the right decision made for the benefit of students. Exams are postponed but the preparation of NTSE shouldn’t take back gear. Students need to be exam-ready when the dates will be announced.
NTSE Scholarship Preparation Tips
With lots of time left for the exams, it is important to have a well-strategized preparation plan to crack the exam and grab the scholarship. Here are a few preparation tips and tricks which will help you to perform well in the exam –
Understand the Syllabus
It is important to have a clear and in-depth understanding of the syllabus for the exam. It will help you to build a strong foundation, devise an effective study plan, and make a strategy to perform better in the exam. For stage 2, students need to prepare from the CBSE syllabus of classes 9th and 10th.
All subjects are important for the exam, but you need to prepare better for mental ability and social science.
Make Regular Notes for Important Points
Making notes during preparation or study of subjects is not only helps with the quick revision but will also help you during the last minutes of study for the exam. It is suggested by toppers to make short notes after studying any topic or chapter.
Whenever you want to revise that topic you can take a quick look at the notes. It is advisable to make subject-wise notes for essential topics.
Take Mock Tests
Having the right temperament for exam preparation is important. If you have studied and covered your NTSE syllabus, that’s great but it’s also important to review your preparation practically. An online mock test for NTSE helps with improving your exam readiness and makes you mentally prepare for the exam.
Mock tests are designed in a way that makes candidates aware of the pattern of questions, better time management. It will provide you real exam-like experience by developing your mind and make you habitual to sit for long hours in exams.
Giving mock test also help you with the necessary revision for NTSE as well as board exams.
Solve Previous Year Papers
Solving NTSE previous year’s paper will help you have a better understanding of the exam pattern and questions in the exam. Based on the previous year’s papers you will be able to make better strategies and develop the best techniques to attempt most questions in a limited time.
By solving previous year’s papers, you will be able to identify your weak areas to work on and improve them.
Focus on Speed and Accuracy
Most of the competitive exams are now being held online. NTSE is the kind of exam that students give during their 10th board. Many teenagers aren’t comfortable with the use of computers. To crack the exam, candidates need to have good accuracy and question-solving speed.
Candidates need to learn to give online mock tests daily on a computer to improve speed and accuracy.
Follow NCERT Books
NTSE exam is conducted by NCERT so it is advisable for students to follow NCERT textbooks for preparation. NCERT books are very helpful for NTSE preparation.
Candidates should study class 9th and 10th standard textbooks thoroughly. And they should solve every question from these textbooks for better concept clarity and preparation.
Understand Your Strength & Weakness
We know everything about ourselves but when we require it most, we tend to get away with it. We need to be true to ourselves and evaluate our strengths and weaknesses.
Solving previous year papers, attempting mock tests and daily study will help you to analyze your strengths and weaknesses. You can use this analysis to iron out weaknesses and have a better chance to score in exams.
Take Regular Breaks & Eat Proper Diet
Studying daily for a long time is good for preparation but it wouldn’t be helpful, and it can impact badly on your health.
It is advisable to take small breaks for 10-15 minutes in between study to get fresh air, watch something or do something you like. It will help you to concentrate more on the study after the break.
Candidates should eat healthy food during the preparation and before the exam to avoid last-minute sickness or health issues. You should also avoid doing heavy exercises or activities just before the exam, save your energy for the exam.
Bonus Tips for NTSE Preparation
- With lots of practice, you can attempt the MAT section better and improve your accuracy and speed.
- Social Science holds the highest weightage and as it is a theoretical subject; it isn’t much easier. If you don’t want to lose any marks, make sure to study from both 9th and 10th standard books. Also, make short notes for the important points or headlines, it will help you with a quick study whenever you want.
- For Mathematics and Science, study from state board books first and then move to the NCERT books. Try to solve as many problems as to have conceptual clarity.
NTSE scholarship has lots of other benefits which students might not be aware of! These are the reason which provides extra motivation for better performance and passes the exam. With a motive to find the best talents across the country in class 10th, the NTSE exam gets conducted and a scholarship of INR 1250/month is provided to the student from class 11th. The scholarship amount increases when scholars move to college.
If NTSE scholars want to do professional courses like engineering and medicine then they can receive this scholarship until post-graduation. Here are the more advantages of being an NTSE Scholar –
- Many institutes and coaching centres for engineering and medical entrance exams offer free admission or 50% off in the study materials and tuition fees.
- NTSE scholars are awarded 3.5 bonus marks in their JEE Main score if they want admission to IIT-Delhi.
- Many foreign universities give preference to NTSE scholars during selection in undergraduate courses.
Conclusion
As candidates are acquainted with the fact that to achieve anything, hard work is required. The day you decide to participate or appear for the NTSE, start your preparation at the same moment to achieve success and grab the scholarship.
Set your goal, make a better strategy, and carry out that strategy with the required zeal and alacrity. If you follow these above tips with a focus on preparation and hard work, no one can stop you from achieving success and getting an NTSE scholarship.
