Paper Analysis
Previous Year Papers and Scoring Keys
NTSE status (checked 15 October 2026): NCERT has not conducted the National Talent Search Examination since the 2021 cycle. Its notice states that the National Talent Search Scheme was approved till 31 March 2021, and that further implementation of the scheme in its present form has not been approved and has been stalled till further orders. No NTSE 2026 notification has been issued. The details on this page come from NCERT's last official NTSE information brochure and are given for reference only.
Key Takeaways
NCERT published sample MAT and SAT papers and a sample OMR sheet.
Official 2021 scoring keys are still available on NCERT's NTSE page.
Old papers are useful practice for other aptitude and scholarship exams too.
NTSE Previous Year Papers and Scoring Keys
Practising official papers is the best way to understand NTSE. NCERT's NTSE page still lists sample papers and scoring keys from the last exam cycle.
Official NCERT Resources
Resource | Link |
|---|---|
Sample Mental Ability Test (MAT) | |
Sample Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) | |
Sample OMR sheet | |
MAT scoring key (2021) | |
SAT scoring key (2021) | |
Final scoring key, Stage 2 |
How to Practise With Previous Papers
Print the paper and an OMR sheet.
Set a 120-minute timer for each paper.
Mark answers on the OMR sheet, just as in the real exam.
Score yourself with the official key: 1 mark per correct answer.
Note weak topics and revise them before the next paper.
Stage 1 Papers
Stage 1 papers were set by States/UTs. Check your State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) website for any officially released papers.
Pro Tip: Solve each paper twice: once timed, and once untimed to understand every solution. The second round is where most learning happens.
Official Website
For authentic NTSE information, refer only to official NCERT resources:
NCERT NTSE page: ncert.nic.in/national-talent-examination.php
NTSE information brochure (last published): Download PDF
NTS scholarship portal: ntse.ncert.gov.in
Exam helpline (as listed by NCERT): 011-26560464, ntsexam.ncert@gov.in
Students should not pay any fee or share personal details on unofficial websites claiming to conduct NTSE.
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