ISTSE (Indian School Talent Search Exam) Offline Scholarship Olympiad
by A2 Software Management & Consultancy Services Private Limited
Scholarships up to ₹21,600
ISTSE on paper, for Grades 1 to 10. Students take the exam in their own school, and the school registers them.
Mode
In-Person
Fee
₹200
Participation format
Individual
Duration
60 minutes
Time needed
1 hour for the exam, plus preparation time.
Eligibility
Grades 1 to 10. The school must take part in ISTSE, because only a school can register its students for the paper exam.
- Grade level
- Grade 1 to 10
- Age range
- 6 to 15 years
- Eligibility region
- Available nationwide across India
- Academic requirement
- Students in Grades 1 to 10 whose school takes part in ISTSE.
See if your child qualifies.
Rewards and recognition
Award
₹21,600 Scholarship
The international topper of each grade gets ₹1,800 a month for 12 months. The top 10 scorers of each grade take a 30-minute video interview before the final ranks are decided.
Prizes
Medals & Shields
Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals for scores of 80% and above. The international topper of each grade gets the International Topper Shield. Grade toppers in each school get medals, and cash prizes where 25 or more students of the grade take part.
Certificate
Certificate for every student
Every student who takes the exam gets a certificate. Scholar Certificate with a Gold Medal for 95% and above, Outstanding Performance Certificate with a Silver Medal for 90% to 94.99%, and Distinguished Performance Certificate with a Bronze Medal for 80% to 89.99%.
Recognition
International ranking
Skills your child builds
Key dates
- Competition
- 3 Feb 2027
Participating Schools Across India, Nationwide
How to apply
- 1Ask your child's teacher or the school's ISTSE coordinator for the exam form.
- 2Fill in the form and pay the ₹200 fee through the school.
- 3Prepare with the syllabus and the free sample papers for each grade on istse.org.
- 4Take the paper exam in school on the exam day.
Rules and guidelines
- The exam is one paper of multiple-choice questions.
- Wrong answers lose marks.
- Students register only through their school.
- The top 10 scorers of each grade take a 30-minute video interview of 100 marks, which decides the final top 10 ranks.
- The ISTSE Academic Council's decision is final in any dispute about ranks or results.
Fees and financial support
Fee details
₹200 per student, paid through the school.
Financial support
The international topper of each grade gets ₹1,800 a month for 12 months and the International Topper Shield. In a school where 500 or more students take the exam, the top 3 school toppers may get ₹1,500, ₹1,000 and ₹500 a month for 12 months. In a school where 325 to 499 students take the exam, the first school topper may get ₹1,500 a month for 12 months. A school topper must score at least 60% and top the grade in the school. Each student gets only one award, the higher one.
About this opportunity
The Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE) is a scholarship exam for Grades 1 to 10. This is the paper version, held once a year inside participating schools during school hours.
Only a school can register its students for the paper exam. A parent whose school takes part gets the exam form from the child's teacher or the school's ISTSE coordinator. If the school does not take part, the child can take the ISTSE online exam from home instead.
The paper has 35 multiple-choice questions for Grades 1 to 4 and 50 for Grades 5 to 10, in 60 minutes, for 100 marks. It covers Mental and Logical Ability, Mathematics, Science, English and a Scholars Section. Wrong answers lose marks. The questions follow the CBSE, ICSE and State Board syllabus and test application and reasoning more than memory.
Every student who takes the exam gets a certificate, and students who score 80% or more also get a medal. The international topper of each grade gets ₹1,800 a month for 12 months.
Exam format
- Duration
- 60 minutes
- Format
- Multiple-choice questions on paper
- Language
- English
Rounds and format
One written exam. The top 10 scorers of each grade then take a 30-minute video interview of 100 marks that decides the final top 10 ranks.
How entries are judged
Written marks decide the ranks. For the top 10 scorers, the written marks and a 100-mark video interview together decide the final ranks. Ties among school toppers go to the higher percentile, then the higher marks in the Scholars Section, Mathematics, Science, Mental and Logical Ability and English, in that order.
Selection process
Ranks follow the written marks. The top 10 scorers of each grade take a video interview, and the written and interview marks together decide the top 10 ranks. A school topper must score at least 60% and top the grade in the school.
How to prepare
- Syllabus for each grade on istse.org
- Free sample question paper for each grade on istse.org
Academic details
Difficulty: Intermediate
What's covered
Questions follow the CBSE, ICSE and State Board syllabus for each grade and test application and reasoning more than memory.
Frequently asked questions
How does my child take the paper exam?
Through the school. Your child's teacher or the school's ISTSE coordinator gives out the exam form, and the exam is held in school during school hours.
What if my child's school does not take part?
Your child can take the ISTSE online exam from home instead. A parent registers directly on istse.org.
How many questions are there?
35 multiple-choice questions for Grades 1 to 4 and 50 for Grades 5 to 10, in 60 minutes, for 100 marks. Wrong answers lose marks.
Is there a second round?
The top 10 scorers of each grade take a 30-minute video interview of 100 marks. The written and interview marks together decide the top 10 ranks. A student must score at least 30% in the interview.
Who gets a scholarship?
The international topper of each grade gets ₹1,800 a month for 12 months. In schools where 325 or more students take the exam, school toppers who score at least 60% may also get a monthly scholarship.
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