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NSTSE Exam 2026 - Dates, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern, Result

Upcoming Event

NSTSE Exam Date:05 Dec' 25 - 17 Dec' 25

Mallika ThaledderUpdated on May 23, 2025 12:08 PM

About NSTSE 2026

NSTSE Exam 2026 - The Unified Council conducts the National Level Science Talent Search Examination or NSTSE for the students of classes 2 to 12. NSTSE exam 2026 applications will be accepted in online mode on the official website at unifiedcouncil.com. Students can also apply through their respective schools. After registration, they will have to pay the requisite fee in online mode (Individual Registration). For registrations done through schools, students have to pay the NSTSE exam fee to the school. 

More About the NSTSE 2026 Exam:

  • The NSTSE 2026 offline exam (through schools) will be held on two dates, i.e., December 5 and December 17, 2025. While, the NSTSE online mock exam will be conducted on January 18, 2026, and the final exam will be held on January 25, 2026.
  • NSTSE 2026 hall tickets for individual applicants will be released in online mode.
  • The NSTSE result 2026 for the offline exam is expected to be announced in February 2026, while the online result will be announced tentatively in March 2026.
  • NSTSE is a 60-minute long exam to test the analytical thinking ability of students, which comprises objective-type questions with no negative marking. 
  • The topper of NSTSE (among all classes) will be awarded a cash prize of Rs. 2,00,000. Each of the top 3 students of every class is given a Tablet PC, a Memento and a Medal. Those obtaining ranks 4 to 10 and 11 to 25 of each class will receive a cash prize of Rs. 2000 and Rs. 1000 each, respectively. 
  • Students obtaining ranks 26 to 100 in classes 1 to 9 will be awarded BMA’s Talent & Olympiad Exams Resource Book each, and for classes 10, 11 & 12 will be awarded BMA's Hand Book of Physics & Chemistry from M/s. Brain Mapping Academy, each.
  • Rankers of classes 1 to 9 (1 to 100 rank) will be awarded an Olympiad Coach Online Subscription worth Rs. 1198, a Medal and a Certificate of Appreciation.
  • Participation certificates will be offered to all students who appear for the NSTSE 2026.
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NSTSE Exam 2026 - Dates, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern, Result
NSTSE Exam 2026 - Dates, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern, Result

NSTSE 2026 Highlights

Full Exam Name
National Level Science Talent Search Examination
Short Exam Name
NSTSE
Conducting Body
Unified Council
Frequency Of Conduct
Once a year
Exam Level
Intermediate
Languages
English
Mode Of Application
offline +1 more
Mode Of Exam
offline
Exam Duration
1 Hour

NSTSE Important Dates

NSTSE National Level Science Talent Search Examination (session 2026)

The offline exam results of NSTSE 2026 will be declared in February 2026. While, the NSTSE online exam result is expected to be declared in March 2026. Students who will get the Student’s Performance Report (SPR) will be provided with the following information:

  • Answers that a candidate chose for questions in NSTSE 2026.
  • Correct answers to all questions
  • Marks obtained by a student in each subject
  • Subject-wise and overall rank at the national level
  • Average marks of all the students in all subjects
  • Highest marks in the group
  • Analysis of each question
  • Skill analysis of a student
  • As per NSTSE eligibility criteria, students studying classes 1 to 12 are eligible to apply for the exam. 
  • Students of class 11 and 12 (either PCB or PCM) can appear for NSTSE 2026 exam. However, there is no exam for PCMB group of classes 11 and 12. 
Background wave

The NSTSE 2026 registration process is of two types. It can be done individually by students for which one has to register online and pay online via net banking, debit card or credit card. The other way is to register through schools. 

Here, the NSTSE application form can be collected from the school, filled and submitted there. For this, students have to make payments as directed by the school. After this, the school will send the fee for all students appearing from the school via Demand Draft (DD) to the Unified Council.

Registration Link: Click here to fill NSTSE registration form 2026. 

Here's the step-by-step process to register for the NSTSE exam 2026:

  • Visit the official website at unifiedcouncil.com.
  • Now, read all the details and choose the option for which a candidate needs to register.
  • Click on the respective link of registration.
  • Now fill in the details correctly and submit the details.
  • After registration, pay the requisite fee online.

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Documents Required at Exam NSTSE 2026

National Level Science Talent Search Examination 2026

Admit Card

All questions in NSTSE 2026 are objective-type, with a different question paper for each class. There will be no negative marking for incorrect or unattempted answers. The exam for each class will be held for 60 minutes (1 hour). 

Students of class 3 to 12 have to answer the section on Critical Thinking along with the other sections which test them on the basis of reasoning, strategic planning and application, decision making, objective/ subjective analysis as well as logical and inductive reasoning. Maths and Science will be based on 75% of the syllabus of CBSE. It is also suitable for students studying in ICSE/ ISC or any other State Board.

NSTSE Exam Pattern 2026

               
Class

               
No. of Questions

               
Marks

               
Sections-wise number of questions

               
1

               
40

               
40

Mathematics:    15
General Science: 25
               
2

               
50

               
50

Mathematics:    20
General Science:30
               
3-5

               
60

               
60

               
Mathematics: 25
General Science: 30
Critical Thinking: 05

               
6-10

               
60

               
60

Mathematics: 25
Physics: 10
Chemistry: 10
Biology: 10
Critical Thinking: 05
               
11-12 (PCM)

               
60

               
60

Mathematics: 25
Physics: 15
Chemistry: 15
Critical Thinking: 05
               
11-12 (PCB)

               
60

               
60

Biology: 25
Physics: 15
Chemistry: 15
Critical Thinking: 05


NSTSE 2026 Syllabus

NSTSE National Level Science Talent Search Examination Syllabus

NSTSE 2026 hall tickets for individual candidates will be released online. Students will have to enter their registration details to download the NSTSE hall ticket. All students should bring their admit card while appearing for the examination. 

Here are the steps to download the NTSE hall ticket 2026

  1. Visit the official website at unifiedcouncil.com. Click on the 'NSTSE admit card' link.  
  2. Enter the student's reference number in the login window.
  3. Click on the search button.
  4. The NSTSE 2026 hall ticket will open on the screen.
  5. Take a printout of it to carry to the exam hall.
  • The Unified Council is responsible for releasing the NSTSE answer key. 
  • The answer keys will be available on the official website. 
  • They can also report the discrepancy in the answer key in online mode.

Previous Year's answer key:

  • Click here to download the answer key for the paper code UN464.
  • Click here to download the answer key for the paper code UN465.

General Information

Contact Number:

040-24557708 + 2 more

Relevant Links:

Official Website Link Click Here

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is NSTSE?
A:

NSTSE stands for National Level Science Talent Search Examination which is organised by the Unified Council as a diagnostic test to help students improve their learning ability and educational performance.

Q: What is the difference between NTSE and NSTSE?
A:

NSTSE is a scholarship test by NCERT for 10th-class students. NSTSE is organized for class 1-12 students to help them assess how well they have understood the concepts of various subjects.

Q: Can I apply individually for NSTSE exam?
A:

Yes, individual students can also apply through the official website for NSTSE exam.  

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eBooks and Sample Papers

Questions related to NSTSE

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to NSTSE ?

Hi,

Preparing for the NSTSE National Level Science Talent Search Examination or Unified Olympiads it's good if you want to build strong basics in Science and Maths and get used to solving logical reasoning questions too.This exam mainly focuses on conceptual understanding, so regular textbook reading alone might not be enough. To prepare well, it’s important to go a little beyond your school syllabus and try to practice application-based and analytical questions. If you’re studying in Class 6–10, start by revising your NCERT or State Board textbooks. Make sure you understand each topic well. Don’t just memorize, try to connect the concepts with real-life examples, and it will help you better in your exam.Now coming to books here are some good ones that are helpful for NSTSE:

MTG Foundation Course Books, Science and Mathematics, these are great for concept clarity. Unified Olympiad Books by Unified Council , specially designed for NSTSE and other Olympiads.Workbooks or practice sets offered by MTG, Arihant, and Oswaal are good for regular mock tests.

Also, solving previous years’ papers and sample questions is very helpful. You get a clear idea of the question pattern, and you’ll feel more confident during the exam. You need to solve previous years' papers and sample papers for better understanding and time management.

You can check free sample papers and ebooks here:

https://school.careers360.com/download/nstse-ebooks-and-sample-papers

All the best for your exam

The National Level Science Talent Search Examination (NSTSE) for the 2024-2025 session offers two modes of participation: offline and online. The offline exams, conducted through schools, were held on December 4 and 13, 2024. For students opting for direct registration, the online exam is scheduled for February 2, 2025. While the Unified Council has not specified an exact deadline for online registrations, it is advisable to complete the registration process promptly to ensure participation. To register individually, visit the official Unified Council website and follow the provided instructions. The exam fee for individual registrations is Rs. 300, which includes two past/model question papers, a Success Series Book, and postal charges



Hello

The National Level Science Talent Search Examination (NSTSE) is an annual assessment conducted by the Unified Council , focusing on Mathematics and Science for students from classes 1 to 12 . As of December 2024, over 12 million students have participated in NSTSE exams since its inception .

For the 2024-25 academic year , the NSTSE offline examination for classes 2 to 10 was held on December 4, 2024, and December 13, 2024.  However, specific data regarding the number of students who appeared for the class 7 examination on December 4, 2024 , is not publicly available .

For detailed information about the NSTSE exam , including eligibility criteria, syllabus and registration details you can visit the official website or check following link .

https://school.careers360.com/exams/nstse

Hope this helps you.

Thank you .

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