Summary: NTSE has not been held since the 2020‑21 cycle and KVPY was folded into another scheme in 2022. The main programme that still runs is the national olympiad programme (NSEJS, the NSEs and IOQM). It is worth the time for students who enjoy hard problems and are aiming at JEE Advanced, and much less so for a student who is struggling with the school syllabus.Exams that no longer run
Parents often ask about NTSE (National Talent Search Examination) because it was the best known talent exam for Class 10 for decades. NCERT stopped it after the scheme's approval ran out in March 2021. No NTSE has been held since then. Officials have spoken of reviewing and relaunching it in a new form, but as of now there is no exam to prepare for. If someone is selling "NTSE coaching", ask which exam they mean.
KVPY, the fellowship exam that many Class 11 and 12 science students used to take, was discontinued as an exam in 2022, when the Department of Science and Technology merged the fellowship with its INSPIRE scheme.
Exams that do run: the national olympiad programme
In India the olympiads that lead towards the International Olympiads are run by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE, part of TIFR) along with teachers' associations. The first stage for science is conducted by the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT), and the first stage for maths by the Mathematics Teachers' Association (India).
| Exam | Level | Who can take it (2026 cycle) | What it leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSEJS (Junior Science) | Class 10 level; Physics, Chemistry and Biology with equal weight | Students in Class 10 or below, within the birth-date window in the brochure (for 2026, born between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2013) | INJSO, then a training camp and the International Junior Science Olympiad |
| NSEP, NSEC, NSEB, NSEA | Class 12 level in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy | Students up to Class 12 within the birth-date window (for 2026, born between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2012); cannot also take NSEJS in the same year | INPhO, INChO, INBO or INAO, then camps and the International Olympiad |
| IOQM (Maths) | Pre-college maths, no calculus | Students in Class 8 to 12, subject to the age and other conditions in the notice | RMO and INMO, then the maths training camp |
For the 2026 cycle, IOQM was held on 6 September, and registration for NSEJS and the NSEs ran from 21 August to 14 September, with the NSEs on 21 and 22 November. So if your child is in Class 10 now and has not registered, this year's window has closed. The NSEs are open again next year to a student in Class 11. Dates and eligibility change each year, so read the official notices on the HBCSE olympiad site and the IAPT site for your year.
You will also come across many school-level "olympiads" run by private organisations. They are a different thing. They can be fun and give a child some practice with objective questions, but they are not part of the national programme and do not lead to the international olympiads.
What an olympiad gives your child
For most students the benefit is the preparation itself. NSEP and IOQM questions ask a student to think through an unfamiliar situation, which is exactly the skill JEE Advanced tests. A Class 11 student who works seriously on olympiad Physics usually finds the harder JEE problems less frightening.
There is also a small but real admission route. Starting with IIT Madras for 2025‑26, some IITs now admit a few students through olympiad performance outside JEE Advanced. For 2026 the participating institutes were IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras and IIT Mandi, and the requirement is to have reached the HBCSE national camp stage (the orientation-cum-selection camp, or the maths training camp) in recent years. Very few students reach that stage, so treat it as a bonus for an exceptional student and never as a plan. Check the current rules on the IIT admission pages.
For NEET aspirants the link is weaker. NSEB is broader and more experimental in style than NEET Biology, which rewards close reading of NCERT. A NEET student can take NSEB for interest, but it should not eat into NCERT time.
Deciding whether it suits your child
Use this as a rough guide.
| Your child | Our suggestion |
|---|---|
| Scores well in school, enjoys puzzles, picks up extra problems without being told | Yes. Take NSEJS or IOQM in Class 10, and the NSEs or IOQM again in Class 11. The preparation doubles as JEE Advanced practice. |
| Scores well, but is anxious and needs a fixed routine | Try one exam, IOQM or one NSE, with a light plan. Stop if it starts to crowd out school work. |
| Average in Maths or Science, trying to improve | Not now. Build the school base first. A strong Class 10 result and a good start to Class 11 will help more. |
| Clearly aiming at NEET, less keen on Maths | Optional. NSEB for interest, but NCERT Biology comes first. |
| Class 12 student | Only if already in the programme and doing well. Otherwise board and entrance preparation take priority. |
How much time it needs
For a first attempt, two to three hours a week for a couple of months before the exam is enough to get a feel for the questions. Use the previous years' papers that HBCSE and IAPT publish. The work is harder than school, so expect your child to get many questions wrong at first. That is normal and should not be read as a failure.
The trap is when olympiad work pushes out school work in Class 10 or board and NCERT work in Class 11. An olympiad certificate will not make up for a weak board result or a gap in the JEE syllabus.
A simpler first step for Class 10
If your child is not sure about olympiads, a scholarship test and a year of steady board work are an easier place to start. Our free IMGSAT scholarship test and the free Foundation course for Class 10 both give a clear picture of where your child stands in Science and Maths, and that picture helps you decide whether an olympiad in Class 11 makes sense.
Common questions
Is NTSE being held in 2026 or 2027?
No NTSE has been announced. The scheme has been on hold since 2021. Check the NCERT website for any announcement before paying for NTSE preparation.
Can a Class 10 student take NSEP?
A Class 10 student within the birth-date window can take the NSEs instead of NSEJS, but not both in the same year. For most Class 10 students NSEJS, at Class 10 level, is the sensible choice.
Do olympiad marks help in JEE Main or NEET?
No marks carry over. The benefit is the problem-solving practice, and for a very small number of students who reach the national camps, a separate IIT admission route.