Don’t worry I will tell you exam pattern of National Talent Search Exam (NTSE) and will also provide you syllabus to prepare for the exam and cut off scores, so that you can get idea about the scores to clear exam.

Exam pattern
There are 3 papers in both stages –
1. Mental Ability Test (MAT),

2. Language Test and

3. Scholastic Ability Test (SAT).

Questions are in the form of multiple choices with negative marking deducting 1/3 marks.

The tests are available in Asamiya, Bangla, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Malyalam, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. However, language test is available in two languages – English & Hindi.

Test No. of Questions Maximum Marks Time
Mental Ability Test (MAT) 50 50 45 minutes
Language Test 50 50 45 minutes
Scholastic Ability Test (SAT) 100 100 90 minutes

Cut off marks requirement
Subject-wise NTSE cutoff (Paper 1, 2 and 3)
Test Papers Maximum Marks Qualifying Percentage/Marks
General ST/SC/PH
Paper I MAT 49 40% (19.6) 35% (17.15)
Paper II English 50 40% (20.0) 35% (17.5)
Paper II Hindi 50 40% (20.0) 35% (17.5)
Paper III SAT 96 40% (38.4) 35% (33.6)
Total Marks 145 40% (58) 35% (50.75)

Category-wise NTSE cutoff
Categories NTSE Cut Off 2016 Maximum Marks of MAT and SAT
ST 52. 12 145
PH 53.47 145
SC 56.43 145
General 85.09 145

Syllabus
Mathematics
Algebraic Expressions
Arithmetic
Arithmetic Progressions
Basic Geometry
Circles
Coordinate Geometry
Direct & inverse variation
Exponent
Linear Equation
Mensuration
Number System
Percentage & its Application
Playing with Numbers
Probability
Quadratic Equations
Rational Numbers
Simple interest & Compound interest
Square Root & Cube Root
Statistics
Surface Areas and Volumes
Triangles
Trigonometry

English
Antonyms
English Grammar
One word substitution
Paragraph Completion
Reading Comprehension
Rearrangement of Jumbled Words
Sentence Completion
Synonyms

GK
Abbreviations
Awards and Recognitions
Books and Authors
India
Sports
World

Mental Ability
Alphabet and Number Test
Analogy (Non Verbal)
Analogy (Verbal)
Blood Relations
Calendar, Time and Clock
Classification
Coding-Decoding
Direction Sense
Embedded Figure
Figure Partition and Dot Situation
Mathematical Operations
Missing Character
Ranking and Arrangements
Series (Non - Verbal)
Series (Verbal)
Venn Diagrams
Water and Mirror Images
Word Problems

Science
Acid Bases and Salt
Air
Carbon and its Compounds
Cellular Level of Organisation
Diversity in Living Organisms
Fibres and Plastics
Food Production & Management
Heredity and Evolution
Human Body
Life Processes
Light
Magnetism & Electricity at Work
Measurement
Metals & Non Metals
Micro-organisms
Motion and Force
Our Environment
Periodic Classification of Elements
Physical and Chemical Changes
Plant and Animal Nutrition
Reproduction
Soil
Some Common Diseases
Sound
Source of Energy
Structure of Atom
The Universe
Water

Social Science
Agriculture
Atmosphere
Biosphere
British Raj
Culture, Science and Literature
Democracy and Elections
Diversity and Livelihood
Early Medieval Period
Early States
Eighteenth Century Political Formation
French Revolution
India and its Neighbors
Indian Constitution
Indian Economics
Indian Freedom Struggle
Indus Valley Civilization
Industrial Revolution
Industries
Internal Structure of the Earth and Rocks
Introduction and Sources of Ancient Indian History
Jainism, Budhism and Conquerors from Distant Lands
Local and State Government
Major Domains and Landforms
Maps and Globe
Medieval Architecture and Culture
Motion of the Earth
Nationalism in Various Countries
Natural Vegetation
New Empires and Kingdoms
Our Country – India
Popular Movements and Social Reforms
Population
Resources and Development
Solar System
The Delhi Sultanate
The Judiciary
The Mauryas
The Mughal Empire
UN and International Agencies
Union Government
Vedic Period
Water Resources
World History