Every competitive and scholarship exam up to Class 10
Twelve exams, written out properly — which class each one starts from, who fills the form, when it opens, what it costs, how many levels there are, and what your child actually gets at the end. Read it like a book: the contents first, then only the chapter that is yours.
Mira Road East · Bhayandar East · Bhayandar West · or online
Twelve exams, in the order I would actually attempt them
Not every child needs all twelve. Read the three parts below, pick the one that matches where your child is right now, and ignore the rest for this year.
Start here — the exams your school already runs
These come through the school, cost a little, and are the right first step for almost every child. None of them will change your child's life on their own. What they do is show a child, early and gently, that there is a world of questions beyond the textbook.
- 1Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF)Class 1–12
- 2SilverZone FoundationClass 1–12
- 3Indian Talent Olympiad (ITO)Class 1–10
- 10Unified Council — NSTSE, UIMO, UIEO, UCOClass 1–10
- 11Spell Bee IndiaClass 1–10
The scholarship exams — where the real money is
Government exams, small fees or none at all, and support that can run for years. If your family qualifies for NMMS, it is worth more than every private olympiad on this page put together.
- 8NMMS — National Means-cum-Merit ScholarshipClass 8
- 9Maharashtra State Scholarship ExamClass 5 & 8
- 6NTSE — National Talent Search ExaminationClass 10 · on hold
The serious ones — for the child who enjoys hard problems
National-level exams with no cash prizes and a great deal of prestige. Do not start here. Come here when a child has already shown, over a year or two, that difficult problems make them curious rather than tired.
- 4HBCSE Olympiads — IOQM and NSEClass 8–12
- 7NSEJS — National Standard Examination in Junior ScienceClass 8–10
- 5IITBMO — IIT Bombay Maths OlympiadClass 9–12
- 12CBSE Aryabhata Ganit ChallengeClass 8–10
Start here — the exams your school already runs
These come through the school, cost a little, and are the right first step for almost every child. None of them will change your child's life on their own. What they do is show a child, early and gently, that there is a world of questions beyond the textbook.
1Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF)
IMO, NSO, IEO, IGKO and NCO — the olympiads most schools run
Who should take it
- Wants concept clarity rather than only marks
- Is heading towards JEE, NEET or the bigger olympiads later
- Enjoys Maths, Science, English, GK or computers
What the child gets
International Rank 1 gets a cash prize, gold medal and certificate. Zonal rank holders get cash awards, school rank holders get medals, and every child gets a participation certificate. Cash prizes have ranged from about ₹5,000 to ₹50,000 depending on rank.
- Builds fundamentals early
- Sharpens logical and analytical thinking
- Helps later in JEE and NEET
- Certificates sit well in an academic portfolio
This is the one I would start with. It runs through the school, the fee is small, and the questions are just hard enough to show a child that school marks and real understanding are two different things.
2SilverZone Foundation
iOM, iOS, iOEL and the other SilverZone olympiads
Who should take it
- Wants a second olympiad alongside SOF
- Needs more practice at the same level
- Is in Class 6 to 10 and getting serious about competition
What the child gets
International rank holders receive a cash prize, trophy, medal and certificate; zonal rank holders get medals and certificates; every child gets a participation certificate.
- Steadier concept practice
- A competitive habit without heavy pressure
- A base for the harder olympiads like IOQM and NSEJS
Slightly easier than SOF and perfectly good as a second exam. But be clear about what it is — a foundation-level olympiad, not the national HBCSE pathway.
3Indian Talent Olympiad (ITO)
The one a child can register for from home
Who should take it
- Is in a school that does not run olympiads at all
- Is a complete beginner and needs a gentle first exam
- Wants practice more than a rank
What the child gets
Certificates, medals and cash awards for top ranks, with the exact amounts announced each year.
- An easy first taste of a competitive paper
- Useful when the school offers nothing
- Builds the habit of sitting an exam outside school
Honestly: this is for practice, not for prestige. If your child's school runs SOF, do SOF first. ITO is the answer when the school runs nothing and you still want the child to start.
10Unified Council — NSTSE, UIMO, UIEO, UCO
School-run practice papers with a national rank
Who should take it
- Wants more MCQ practice at a moderate level
- Needs to build speed and accuracy
- Is working towards the bigger exams later
What the child gets
National rank certificates, gold, silver and bronze medals, cash awards for the top ranks and participation certificates.
- Exam confidence and better speed
- Stronger basics across subjects
- A detailed performance report that shows where the child actually stands
NSTSE's feedback report is the useful part — it tells you which topics the child is weak in, which a school test never does. But be clear: this gives no government scholarship and no international pathway. It is practice with a good report card.
11Spell Bee India
English spelling and vocabulary, Class 1 to 10
Who should take it
- Is weak in English and needs a reason to work on it
- Enjoys words, reading and speaking
- Needs confidence in front of an audience
What the child gets
Medals, certificates and cash awards for top ranks, with some editions going to an international level.
- Vocabulary that helps in every other subject's paper
- Clearer pronunciation and better communication
- Confidence in public speaking
I do not teach English, so take this as a parent-to-parent suggestion rather than a teacher's. For a child who freezes in English, this exam does more good than another tuition class — it turns the language into a game instead of a subject.
The scholarship exams — where the real money is
Government exams, small fees or none at all, and support that can run for years. If your family qualifies for NMMS, it is worth more than every private olympiad on this page put together.
8NMMS — National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship
₹12,000 a year from Class 9 to Class 12
Who should take it
- Is in Class 8 in a government, aided or local body school
- Comes from a family the income rule covers
- Is academically sound and could use the support
What the child gets
₹12,000 a year — ₹1,000 a month — from Class 9 through Class 12, continuing as long as the child passes each year and keeps the required percentage.
- Real money at the exact age when many families stop spending on education
- Early exposure to a competitive paper
- The same MAT and SAT skills that the state scholarship exam needs
If your child's school qualifies, do not skip this one. It is the single highest-value exam on this list for the effort involved, and it is easier than NTSE ever was. Check the income and school-type rules carefully — that is where most applications fail.
9Maharashtra State Scholarship Exam
Class 5 and Class 8, run by MSCE Pune — the one every Maharashtra parent should know
Who should take it
- Is in Class 5 or Class 8 in a Maharashtra school
- Is quick at reasoning and enjoys puzzles
- Should start building exam temperament early
What the child gets
A monthly scholarship, with the amount depending on class and category and revised by the state from time to time. Inside the school, the recognition matters as much as the money.
- Financial help early
- Reasoning practice that feeds straight into NMMS and NTSE-type papers
- Confidence at an age when it is easy to build
This is the most popular exam in Maharashtra and the one I get asked about most in Mira Road and Bhayandar. Class 5 feels early, but the mental ability paper is a skill — the children who do well are simply the ones who practised it.
6NTSE — National Talent Search Examination
Currently on hold, and you should know that before you plan for it
Who should take it
- Nobody, for now — the exam is not being held
- If it returns: a Class 10 student who is strong across subjects and good at reasoning
What the child gets
When it ran, qualifying both stages meant a scholarship that continued all the way to a PhD, plus the National Scholar certificate.
- The MAT and SAT preparation is still useful — it overlaps with NMMS and the state scholarship exam
I have kept this chapter in the guide because parents still ask about it and coaching classes still sell it. The truth is that it has not been held since 2021-22. Prepare the same skills through NMMS and the Maharashtra scholarship exam instead, and if NTSE comes back your child is ready anyway.
The serious ones — for the child who enjoys hard problems
National-level exams with no cash prizes and a great deal of prestige. Do not start here. Come here when a child has already shown, over a year or two, that difficult problems make them curious rather than tired.
4HBCSE Olympiads — IOQM and NSE
The real national pathway, run by the Government of India
Who should take it
- Is genuinely strong in Maths or Science, not just scoring well
- Enjoys sitting with one hard problem for an hour
- Is aiming at IIT, IISc or a research career
What the child gets
No cash prize. What you get instead is selection to the national training camp, the chance to represent India, international medals and certificates from the Government of India.
- Recognition that IITs and IISc take seriously
- Genuine problem-solving ability
- It makes JEE Advanced feel easier, not harder
This is the serious one, and I will not pretend otherwise. It is much harder than SOF or SilverZone. If your child is not already enjoying hard problems, start with SOF for a year and come back to this. Registration is on the parent, not the school — that is where most children lose the chance.
7NSEJS — National Standard Examination in Junior Science
The junior entry into the government olympiad pathway
Who should take it
- Is in Class 8 to 10 and genuinely enjoys science
- Already has clear concepts, not just memorised answers
- Is preparing seriously for JEE or NEET
What the child gets
No cash prize. Selection to the next stage, national recognition, and ultimately the chance to represent India at the International Junior Science Olympiad.
- National scientific training exposure while still in school
- A very strong foundation for JEE and NEET
- Government recognition on the academic record
The syllabus stops at Class 10, but the questions go much deeper than Class 10. This is the exam I would point a strong Class 9 science student towards. Again — you register, not the school.
5IITBMO — IIT Bombay Maths Olympiad
A single hard maths paper, written on the IIT Bombay campus
Who should take it
- Loves pure mathematics for its own sake
- Is already preparing for IOQM or INMO
- Wants a taste of IIT-level thinking before Class 11
What the child gets
Certificates of excellence and rank certificates from IIT Bombay. No large cash prize, but the certificate carries real academic weight.
- A good bridge between school maths and olympiad maths
- Confidence before attempting IOQM
- The experience of writing a paper on an IIT campus
Being in Mumbai is an advantage here — the exam is held at Powai and most children in the country simply cannot travel for it. It does not give any admission advantage, so treat it as practice with a very good certificate attached.
12CBSE Aryabhata Ganit Challenge
Free, CBSE-only, Class 8 to 10
Who should take it
- Is in a CBSE school in Class 8 to 10
- Likes maths and applies it rather than memorising it
- Is already doing olympiads and wants one more
What the child gets
A CBSE certificate of merit and national-level recognition. No large cash prize.
- It tests application of maths in daily life, not textbook sums
- Recognition from the board the child already studies under
- Good preparation for olympiad-style thinking
It costs nothing and it comes from your own board, so there is no reason to skip it — but the school has to register the child. Ask the maths teacher in August. State board and ICSE children are not eligible for this one.
Before you act on any of this
Every date, fee and prize on this page moves. Boards change the window by a month, organisers revise the fee, states rewrite their eligibility rules. I have written what is true as I publish this, and I have linked the official site for every single exam — check it before you pay anything.
One more thing, said plainly. Competitive exams are useful, and they are not a shortcut. A child who writes six olympiads and understands none of the chapters is worse off than a child who writes one and understands the subject. Pick one or two, prepare properly, and let the rest go. That is the whole strategy.
What parents ask me about these exams
My child is in Class 5. Which exam should we start with?
Do these exams actually help in JEE or NEET later?
Is NTSE still held?
Do you prepare students for these exams?
Not sure which one fits your child?
Send me your child's class and board on WhatsApp. I will tell you which one or two exams are worth writing this year, and which ones to skip — even if the answer is that you need no coaching for them at all.