ISTSEIndian School Talent Search Exam
About ISTSE
ISTSE is a scholarship olympiad for Classes 1 to 10 run by Educational Excellentia of Bengaluru. A single hour-long paper covers mental ability, mathematics, science and English together, offered both as an at-home online exam held twice a year and as an annual school-based paper exam each February.
Its headline feature is recurring scholarships: top rankers receive monthly payments for a full year rather than a one-off prize. Note that although some listings group ISTSE with government exams — and its name echoes the suspended NTSE — it is a privately conducted contest with no government affiliation or admission value.
Accepted by: Monthly scholarships paid for 12 months to top rankers (e.g. ₹1,500/month for online Rank 1, ₹1,800/month for school-exam Rank 1), plus medals and certificates; no admission or selection role
Official websiteISTSE eligibility
Classes 1–10
ISTSE exam pattern
Sections
- Mental and Logical Ability
- Mathematics
- Science
- English
- Scholars Section (plus a fair-play/practice component in the online mode)
Marking scheme: Yes — wrong answers attract negative marking
ISTSE syllabus outline
- Combined single paper spanning reasoning, mathematics, science and English of the student’s class
- Online mode adds a fair-play/practice marks component; school mode weights core subjects more heavily
- Rank-based monthly scholarships rather than one-time prizes distinguish its award structure
Preparing for ISTSE?
Olympiads reward deep fundamentals — the same preparation that pays off later in JEE, NEET and other entrance exams. Explore every national and international olympiad, or check the official site for this year's dates and registration.