Foundation Programs (NTSE & Olympiads)

ABOUT NTSE

(National Talent Search Examination)

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) was established by the Government of India in the year 1961 with a view to bringing about qualitative improvement in school education in the country. National Science Talent Search Scheme (NSTSS) was established in the year 1963, which provided for the identification of talented students and awarding them with scholarships. In1976 it was renamed as National Talent Search Scheme (NTSS). Over the years it had underwent several changes and the most recent change in the scheme has been made in the year 2012 wherein the NTS examination will now be held at the end of Class X.

The scholarships under the present scheme are awarded to the candidates for pursuing courses in Sciences and Social Sciences up to doctoral level and in professional courses like medicine and engineering up to second-degree level subject to the fulfillment of the conditions provided.

STAGES

Identification of talent comprises two-stage selection process. While the individual State/UT conducts the first stage selection, the second stage selection at the national level is carried out by the NCERT.

State Level Examination

Each State/UT conducts its own examination. They have the autonomy to lay down their own norms for the purposes of determining the eligibility of the candidates. This examination is primarily used to recommend a given number of candidates for the second level test to be conducted by the NCERT. The state level screening examination is conducted in all States/UTs on third Sunday of November except in Nagaland, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Meghalaya and Mizoram where it will be conducted on second Saturday of November every year until and unless some special circumstances occur. State level examination may have two parts: Part-I Mental Ability Test (MAT) and Part-II Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for nominating the required number of candidates for the second level test to be conducted by the NCERT.

Results

The result of State Level Talent Search examination is declared in months of January/February by the States/UTs themselves.

National Level Examination

There is no fee of any kind for appearing in the National Level Examination. Only the candidates selected by the States/UTs on the basis of their screening examination shall be eligible to appear in the National level examination to be conducted by the NCERT on the Second Sunday of May each year(unless otherwise notified).Negative marking is introduced in MAT (Mental Ability Test), SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and LCT (Language Component Test) in II stage. 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer and no deduction for unattempted question.

Special provisions for Candidates Studying Abroad

Students of Indian nationality studying abroad at the Class X level may also compete for Talent Search Award under the following conditions:

(i) The Indian students studying abroad in Class X or equivalent class shall be exempted from the first level-screening test and shall be permitted to appear directly at the second level examination conductedby the Council.

(ii) A candidate shall be eligible to appear in the second level NTS examination only if he or she has obtained at least 60 per cent marks (in aggregate) at the previous annual examination.

(ii) A candidate shall be eligible to appear in the second level NTS examination only if he or she has obtained at least 60 per cent marks (in aggregate) at the previous annual examination.

(iii) A candidate will have to appear in the NTS examination at a centre in India at her/his own cost.

(iv) A candidate desiring to appear in the NTS examination may request through the Head of the Institution where he or she is studying along with an attested copy (by the Head of the Institution ) of the marksheet of Class IX. The request should reach the Head, Department of Educational Measurement and Evaluation, NCERT, New Delhi-110016 latest by 31st March of the concerned year.

ELIGIBILITY

All students studying in Class X in any type of recognized school including Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya, Sainik School etc. will be eligible to appear at the State Level.

Examination from the State in which the school is located. However, no domicile restriction shall be imposed. The state may impose any other eligibility condition for appearing in the screening examination like any qualifying percentage of marks in the previous annual examination etc.

SYLLABUS

The syllabus for NTSE will be broadly equivalent to the syllabi followed in Class 9 & 10 of NCERT & STATE Curriculum. The syllabus is only a broad guideline. Questions and problems in Talent Search exams are usually non-conventional and of high difficulty level.

QUESTION PAPER

HOW TO PARTICIPATE ?

How to Apply

You can download the Common Application Form from the NCERT website www.ncert.nic.inand send it through your school to the State Liaison officer.

HOW TO PREPARE

Since the syllabi of the test is not strictly defined and is broadly based on, the curriculum of class 9 & 10, it is essential that you should first develop a firm grasp on the fundamentals of class IX & X curriculum. Once you are thorough with the fundamentals, you may work on gaining more depth and breadth on the subject matter. There are numerous books, websites and other resources, which may help you in this. You may also enroll for the online programs and Classroom programs offered by STEPS.

ABOUT NSEJS

( National Standards Exam in Junior Science)

Students representing 46 countries meet every year to demonstrate their prowess in Science at International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO). The IJSO is an annual individual and team competition platform for fifteen-year-olds to show their talent in natural sciences. Each participating Nation is invited to send a delegation of six students for this prestigious competition.

The selection and training of students who will represent India for the International Junior Science Olympiad is entrusted to the prestigious Homi Bhabha Centre For Science Education(HBCSE), which is a part of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research(TIFR). Some of the most talented and acclaimed scientists of the country are associated with these institutions. The selection is based on a rigorous process involving 5 stages. The first stage is conducted by the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT), a voluntary association of the best minds in Physics in India working for the development of Physical Sciences. About 300 students will be selected at this stage. The subsequent stages are conducted under the aegis of HBCSE and finally six students are chosen to represent the country in the International Junior Science Olympiad. We believe that participation in this program itself would be a highly enriching experience for secondary school students who would get an experience of unconventional thinking in Sciences. Secondary school students who are keen to make it to the premier Science, Engineering or Medical Institutions within the country or abroad, should not miss this excellent opportunity to broaden their Horizons.

STAGES

1. National Standard Examination in Junior Science (NSEJS)

It is the first stage of selection of students in the Junior Science Olympiad Programme and is organized by the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT). Every student aspiring to go through the successive stages of the programme must enroll for NSEJS.

It is usually conducted in November and the last date of enrolment is around 15th of September.

Based on the performance in NSEJS, the top 300 students in order of merit will qualify for the Second Stage of the Olympiad program INJSO 2009. In case of a tie for the last position, all students with the same marks will qualify for INJSO 2009.

Students who qualify for INJSO 2009 will get a Certificate of Merit from IAPT.

All students who qualify for INAO 2009, will get a certificate of merit from IAPT.

2. INDIAN NATIONAL JUNIOR SCIENCE OLYMPIAD (INJSO)

3. ORIENTATION CUM SELECTION CAMP (OCSC)

OCSC in junior science will be organized by HBCSE sometime in April to June for 2-3 weeks. The exact dates will be announced prior to or along with the announcement of the selection list for OCSC.

The camp will include several theoretical and experimental tests. Orientation will be provided to students especially in experiments. The camp will conclude with a valedictory function where distinguished scientists will be invited to speak to the students.

The merit list of OCSC in Junior Science will be prepared on the basis of the combined theoretical and experimental score aggregated over all the tests in the camp, with 60% weightage for theory and 40% weightage for experiments. Performance in the earlier stages will not be a consideration for finalizing the merit list and awards of OCSC.

Special Merit Awardees

The top 6 in the OCSC junior science merit list will be declared to be special merit awardees. These special merit awardees will be given Rs. 5,000/= each in the form of books and cash. In addition, there will be special prizes to recognize meritorious performances in theory and experiments.

The 6 special merit awardees in junior science selected at the end of the OCSC will constitute the 6 member student team for the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO), provided they satisfy the required criteria such as age limit, holding valid Indian passports, medical fitness, parental consent, etc.

4. PRE-DEPARTURE TRAINING (PDT) CAMP

The selected 6 member Indian team would undergo a rigorous training programme at HBCSE in theory and experiments. Special laboratories will be developed at HBCSE for this purpose. Resource persons from HBCSE and different institutions across the country will be invited to train the students.

5. INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

The 6 member students' team and 3 teacher leaders constitute the delegation to represent India at the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO).

ELIGIBILITY

All Indian students between the ages of 14 and 15 as on the first day of this year are eligible to appear for NSEJS (first stage).

It is the student's responsibility to ensure that he/she satisfies the eligibility criteria. In case, at any stage of the program, it is found that the student does not satisfy the eligibility criteria, he/she may be disqualified from the program.

SYLLABUS

The syllabus for NSEJS is more or less equivalent to the secondary school level syllabus (unto Class X) of the CBSE. The different basic subjects of science (physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics) will have an almost equal emphasis. This is only a broad guideline, and there is no detailed syllabus given for NSEJS.

The syllabus for INJSO will again be somewhat similar to that of NSEJS; but the questions will be of a higher difficulty level. The syllabus is only a broad guideline. Questions and problems in National Olympiads are usually non-conventional and of higher difficulty level, comparable to the ones asked in International Olympiads.

Question Paper:

NSEJS will emphasize comprehension of the subject, not rote memory. Its format will be as follows:

Click here for the question paper and solution of 2008 NSEJS

How to participate

Any student can apply through his/ her school for participation in NSEJS. The Principal/ Senior Faculty Coordinator in the subject will contact IAPT office at Pune and get the institution registered for the conduct of examination after completing necessary formalities. The exact information about these Olympiads is generally published by IAPT in the month of July/August every year in leading national dailies and on its own website www.iapt.org.in The Registration form for applying to IAPT, Pune office is given below.

applying to IAPT, Pune office is given below.

If your school or college is not a registered centre, visit the IAPT website www.iapt.org.in .This website displays details of the centres, which were registered last year. This may be of help to you in locating the centre nearest to you and in enrolling your name at the centre by paying the required fee. If any school or College wants to get itself registered for the first time, the form for Registration can be downloaded from the website and sent to IAPT office, Pune at the following address.

Prof. M.L Ogalapurkar

NSE Co-ordinator

I.A.P.T Office, I.I.E Campusr

128/2, J.P Naik Marg, Kothrud

Pune - 411 038

Maharashtra

Tel (Off.) 020-25420163; email iapt@vsnl.net

Website : www.iapt.org.in

HOW TO PREPARE

Since the syllabi of the test is not strictly defined and is broadly based on, the curriculum of class IX & X, it is essential that you should first develop a firm grasp on the fundamentals of class IX and X curriculum.

ABOUT NSTSE

(National Science Talent Search Exam)

NSTSE is a test to know whether a student has actually understood a concept early on so that immediate action can be taken. Often students have conceptual gaps, which increase as they progress and when they reach the higher classes, they develop a "phobia" for the subject.

This exactly is the philosophy behind the Unified Council's NSTSE.

NSTSE

The NSTSE question papers are scientifically designed to test concepts underlying the curriculum in a interesting way.

NSTSE, aimed at providing valuable and detailed diagnostic reports for specific improvement and further development of school students. While NSTSE encourages students to reason critically and solve problems, it also helps to boost confidence and enable students to realize their optimum potential. Certificate of Merit/Participation besides many prizes for toppers will be issued to the students taking the NSTSE

ELIGIBILITY

Students of classes 2nd to 12th are eligible for the exam.

SYLLABUS

NSTSE will be based on the CBSE syllabus.

NSTSE question papers are also suitable for students following ICSE/ISC and various other State Board syllabi.

QUESTION PAPER

There will be a separate question paper for each class. The medium of the exam will be in English only.

All questions are in objective-type with no negative marking for wrong answers.

No. of Questions : 100 Marks : 100

Duration : 90 minutes

(For Class II : Question Paper consists of 50 questions only & 50 marks and For Class III : Question Paper consists of 75 questions only & 75 marks).

ABOUT NSO

( National Science Olympiad)

The National Science Olympiad is an academic and scholastic aptitude competition encouraging learning in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Computer Science.

How students Benefit from NSO

A national Olympiad exam assesses the student at national level by doing away with the drawbacks and inadequacies of testing done at school / regional level. A national level assessment not only gives the student an idea where he / she stands but also the confidence to face exams at National level. The schools can rate the performance of their students at National Level and can improve the level of science education at their end.

STAGES

The National Science Olympiad is in two levels:

Level 1:The first level of the test is organised in the respective schools of the participants during the school hours.

(i) The level I competition is a written objective-type test of 60 minutes duration comprising 35 objective-type (Multiple Choice) questions for class 2 to class 4 and 50 objective-type (Multiple Choice) questions for class 5 to class 12.

(ii) The question paper consists of:

(A) Mental Ability (B) Science

(iii) There are separate question papers for each class.

(iv) The medium of the test is English.

(v) CBSE, ICSE/ISC and State Board syllabus is followed for setting the test papers.

(vi) The exam is conducted during school hours.

Level 2 :The qualifiers to second round would include the following:

ELIGIBILITY

Students of classes I to XII are eligible for the exam. There is no other eligibility criteria like minimum marks. The top 500 All-India ranked students and the school toppers from each class are eligible to appear in the 2nd level exam.

SYLLABUS

The syllabus of the NSO is the same as is prescribed by the CBSE, ICSE or various state boards. If you sit for the second level and have moved onto the next class, the syllabus will remain the same (i.e. of the previous class).

QUESTION PAPER

The Level 1 competition is a written objective-type test of 60 minutes duration comprising 50 objective-type (Multiple Choice) questions for class 3 to class 12. Each correct answer carries one mark. Students of 11th and 12th answer any three parts of the Question Paper: (i) Physics, (ii) Chemistry, (iii) Mathematics or Biology.

HOW TO PATICIPATE

The event is open to the students of classes 3 to 12 and registrations will have to be sent through the respective schools in the prescribed pro-forma. Registration sheets for the school and the students are enclosed with the information booklets which are posted to the schools all over India.

HOW TO PREPARE

You may revise your entire NCERT Textbook to prepare for this exam.TCYonline.com provides lot many free tests for each grades starting from grade 3. You may also access our online courses for the same. These tests would provide you with the practice required to excel in this exam.

ABOUT NCO

( National Cyber Olympiad)

The National Cyber Olympiad, the first of its kind in the country, is a nationwide talent search contest that will locate and identify cyber savvy talent amongst the younger generation. It is as much about creating awareness about computers by bringing in an element of challenge and competition as about inspiring the younger generation to enhance their knowledge and comprehension of issues related to computers and information technology and to test their aptitude for taking up a career in computers in the future.

Rather than testing the text book knowledge of the aspirants, the Cyber Olympiad will essentially be an aptitude test, laying stress on questions that call for mental, logical and analytical reasoning and will also concern itself with the day-to-day issues pertaining to computers and information technology such as: 1. Why do you 'boot up' a computer?

2. Who is a hacker?

3. What is the difference between RAM and ROM?

4. What is a computer virus and what would you do if your computer is infected with virus?

5. Who popularized e-mail?

ELIGIBILITY

Students studying in classes 3 to 12 in English medium schools affiliated with CBSE/ICSE and state boards can participate in the NCO. All students of Class 9 to 12 interested in pursuing careers in arts, commerce and science should participate since the competition aims to test the students' aptitude for computers.

STAGES

The National Cyber Olympiad is in two levels:

Level 1 :The first level of the test is organised in the respective schools of the participants during the school hours.

(i) The level 1 competition is a written objective type test of 60 minutes duration comprising 35 objective-type (Multiple Choice) questions for class 2 to class 4 and 50 objective-type (Multiple Choice) questions for class 5 to class 12.

(ii) The question paper consists of

(A) Mental Ability (B) Logical and Analytical Reasoning (C) Computer and Information Technology

(iii) There are separate question papers for each class.

(iv) The medium of the test is English.

(v) CBSE, ICSE/ISC and State Board syllabus is followed for setting the test papers.

(vi) The exam is conducted during school hours.

Level 2 :The qualifiers to second round would include the following:

SYLLABUS

The Syllabus of the test can be obtained from your school.

QUESTION PAPER

HOW TO PATICIPATE

Principals / teachers may please note that any school may register as a centre for NCO. No fee is required from the institution to become a registered examination centre. Minimum of 50 students need to register from each school for feasibility reasons. Students should register through the schools only. Individual registration by the student is not encouraged.

HOW TO PREPARE

You may revise your entire NCERT Textbook to prepare for this exam.TCYonline.com provides lot many free tests for each grades starting from grade 3. You may also access our online courses for the same. These tests would provide you with the practice required to excel in this exam.

TCY-K12 MBT

Preparing for Olympiads like NTSE, NSEJS, NCO and NSO is really a tough job. It involves deep understanding of concepts, lots of practicing and above all, meticulous planning of your preparation. When you start your preparation plan, several questions might crop up in your mind.

The million-dollar question is:

“How is everyone preparing and is my level of preparation enough to fetch me positive results?"

Making short-term goals and implementing strategies to achieve them with focus on long-term goals need a lot of expertise. Don’t worry. TCYonline is here for your help. TCY’s Olympiad Prep Tracker Examination (OPTE) program provides you topics to prepare every month and OPTE will be conducted on last Sunday of every month. As this test is taken by students across India, you can benchmark your performance among your future competitors. Along with the results of TCY-K12 MBT you get a detailed analysis of your test which includes description of weak and strong subject areas, topic-wise tests to convert your weak areas to potentially strong areas. Isn’t it a smart way to plan and execute your Olympiads preparation? So what are you waiting for?