The National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) is conducted in two stages. The first level is conducted separately in each State/Union Territory. The candidates selected in the first round of examination will be qualified for the national level examination.
Both the stages of the examination are conducted in two parts. The first part is the Mental Ability Test (MAT) and the second part is the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
NTSE 2022 Stage-I Exam Pattern
Stage-I is administered by the respective State/UT administrations at the state/UT level. Candidates must solve the paper in one of two languages: English or Hindi. At this point, each correct answer receives one mark, and there is no negative marking. The paper is split into two sections:
Mental Ability Test (MAT)
There are 100 multiple-choice type questions with four options given, out of which only one answer will be correct. Each correct answer will be given one mark. The candidates must answer the questions on an OMR sheet, as per the instructions given on the OMR sheet and question booklet. The time duration of the Mental Ability Test is 120 minutes.
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
SAT also includes 100 multiple-choice type questions with four alternatives, out of which only one answer will be correct. Each correct answer will be given one mark. There are 40 questions from Science, 40 from Social Science, and 20 from Mathematics. The candidates must answer the questions on an OMR sheet, as per the instructions given on the OMR sheet and question booklet. There will be no negative marking. The time duration of the Scholastic Aptitude Test is 120 minutes.
| Paper | Number of questions | Maximum marks | Duration (Minutes) |
| MAT | 100 | 100 | 120 |
| SAT – Maths, Science and Social Science | 100 | 100 | 120 |
Stage 2 of the NTSE Exam Pattern 2021-22
- NCERT will conduct the Stage 2 test at the national level.
- Only the Stage 1 shortlisted or qualifying candidates are eligible to compete for the scholarship in Stage 2.
- The Mental Ability Test (MAT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) are two elements of the NTSE exam pattern 2022 for Stage 2. (SAT).
- In both the MAT and the SAT, there will be 100 questions (Science-40, Maths-20, Social science-40).
- Both tests are 2 hours and 120 minutes long.
- There are no negative points.
Exam Pattern for Stage 2
| Papers | Maximum Marks | Number of Questions | Time Allotted |
| MAT | 100 | 100 | 120 minutes |
| SAT (Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences) | 100 | 100 | 120 minutes |
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Medium
The question paper will be available in different languages including Asamiya, Bangla, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. The candidates should mention the language in which he/she wants to take up the examination in the application form.
Exam Preparation tips
To pass the NTSE exam with decent grades, one needs to understand how to prepare for it. We’ve included some simple pointers and tricks below.
- It is critical for a student to understand which sections to study for the NTSE exam, how much time they have to complete the papers, and which portions require extra attention. If students have a comprehensive understanding of the exam structure and syllabus, they will be able to answer all of the questions.
- To prepare for the NTSE 2021-22, NCERT suggests using CBSE class 9th and 10th books. However, it is preferable to use the correct NTSE books to grasp MAT ideas.
- To retain the information, students should review the prepared topics on a frequent basis.
- To learn about the vital themes and marking scheme, students can download and practise NTSE Question Papers. Solving prior year papers also teaches students time management, which helps them improve their NTSE stage 1 results.
