National Talent Search Exam to Return in a New Format Soon
National Talent Search Exam to Return in a New Format Soon
The National Talent Search Examination (NTSE), a scholarship program that was discontinued by the central government two years ago, is set to make a comeback in an expanded format. The Union Ministry of Education is currently working on the new structure to make the scheme more comprehensive.
Additional Secretary of the Union Education Ministry, Aanandrao Patil, confirmed the development during a workshop for teachers at YASHADA. He stated that meticulous planning is underway at the ministry level to relaunch the NTSE in a more extensive manner.
Previously conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the NTSE was the only scheme in India offering scholarships from school education up to Ph.D. However, it was abruptly suspended two years ago through a government circular. The move had sparked concerns in the education sector, with experts emphasizing its importance in fostering competitive exam awareness among students. The lack of further updates had led to speculation about whether the scheme would resume or be permanently discontinued.
In addition to revamping NTSE, the government is also launching the ‘DHRUV’ initiative to support gifted students by identifying and nurturing their talents.
Moreover, the ministry is working on securing ‘Apar’ (Unique Student ID) numbers, which will digitally store student data in DigiLocker. Patil assured that this system is highly secure, and collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics is ongoing to ensure data safety.
