Haryana government school students to get free coaching for NTSE

The directorate of school education, Haryana, has directed the district’s education department to impart free coaching to meritorious students so that they are better placed at cracking the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE). The directorate has observed that students from Haryana are lagging behind in appearing for the NTSE and, in turn, haven’t availed the available scholarships.

The NTSE is a national-level scholarship exam organized by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for students of Class 10 and is aimed at recognising meritorious students. It is held at two levels—state level (stage 1) and national level (stage 2). In both the stages; students are assessed on subjects like Mental Ability (MAT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) comprising Science and Social Science. The first stage of the test is expected to be held in November.

Officials said that lack of awareness and resources have, in the past, hindered students’ chances. To encourage students, the department will be holding free coaching sessions for selected students on Saturday and Sunday till the day of the exams. Students with a score above 60% are eligible to appear for the NTSE and will be screened for the free coaching test.

“In order to motivate students of government schools to develop an interest towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), the department can work on the NTSE. In a state like Haryana, where students are unable to avail pre-existing scholarships, it becomes even more important for schools to participate in examinations like the NTSE,” states a letter written by the directorate of education to district education officers in the state.

Sushil Gaur, block education officer, said that the government’s intervention was aimed at providing a level playing field to government students.

“The government wants to provide a conducive environment for students to prepare for the examination. There is no dearth of talent in the state and students simply need to be nurtured. The NTSE can provide scholarships to students until they get their doctorate degrees. Initiatives such as free coaching can help students to score well in the NTSE,” Gaur said.

He also said that a majority of the participants in NTSE were private school students and this was a cause of concern for the department. “Around 99% participation in the NTSE is from private schools. So far, government school students have not been able to participate in large numbers. This is a concern for the department and is being tackled through interventions such as free coaching,” he added.

Satyanarayan Yadav, a physics teacher in the district, said that meritorious students needed to be encouraged to participate in the NTSE. “The department is keen on increasing the participation of government school students in the NTSE. The move will also help increase students’ inclination towards STEM subjects. Additionally, improved students’ performances will reflect positively in the state’s result,” Yadav said.

He added that Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 4/7 Urban Estate would serve as the coaching centre in the city.

First Published: May 21, 2019 12:49 IST