The National Talent Search Examination is only hours away. The prestigious scholarship is every student’s dream. With a meager pass percentage, the competition involved is unimaginable. Lakhs of students across the country might be doing their final round of preparations at this very minute. Like in any competitive exam, last-minute preps might get you the jackpot. But before we get into that, let us have a look at the pattern.

NTSE is a two-stage exam. Qualifiers of Stage 1 will be eligible to write the Stage 2 exam which will be held during April or May.

Stage 1 of the exam is divided into parts:

Part 1 is a Mental Ability Test (MAT) while Part 2 is a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Part 1, with a duration of 45 minutes, consists of 50 questions, each carrying one mark.

Part 2 is further divided into two sections: a 45-minute language test of 50 questions (1 mark each) and a 90-minute test of 100 questions (1 mark each). The second section will cover topics from General Science, Mathematics and Social Science.

There is a unique method or way to prepare for any exam. NTSE is no different. Certain tips will help you revise and score better. Here, let us look at some last-minute tips that can help you crack NTSE.

1) Mock tests and previous papers: Take up as many mock tests as you can. There is no better way to familiarise yourself with the exam. Previous year questions will also help you a great deal.

2) Maintain Notes: Be it a formula, a theorem, or a diagram, make quick notes of it. Your revision will become a lot easier.

3) NCERT is your bible: Class IX and Class X NCERT books cover most of the syllabus. Questions from Social Science and General Science, in particular, are directly asked from NCERT textbooks.

4) Play word games: Crosswords, puzzles, mobile games anything that could build your vocabulary will be of huge help in scoring high marks on the SAT paper.

5) Evaluate your strength and weakness: Understand your strong and weak areas. Work on the weak part and make yourself thorough with the hard topics.

No exam is tough if you are well prepared. Utilize these final hours effectively to ace the test. Keep away all the tension and panic and manage your time properly.
Wishing you all the very best.