Top 10 Most Popular Competitive Exams for School Students

Are you a student from Grade 1 to 12 wondering which competitive exams you should participate in?
Whether you're aiming to test your aptitude, improve your logical reasoning, or simply want to challenge yourself outside of academics, this blog is your complete guide to India’s most popular competitive exams for school students.

These exams are not just to evaluate your academics but also to enhance intellectual, analytical, and problem-solving abilities. Active participation in these exams boosts a student’s confidence and  their competitive spirit. If you’re confused about which exam to choose that shall benefit your future, we’ve got you covered with detailed insights about popular competitive exams for class 1 to 12,  including who conducts the exam, syllabus coverage, selection process, scholarship opportunities, and how each exam benefits you in the future.

What are the Main benefits of Competitive Exams?

 

Academic Benefits	Personal Development	Recognition & Opportunities
Helps improve understanding your school subjects as well as beyond textbooks.	Builds a strong competitive spirit in any individual student to aim higher.	Earn medals, certificates, and scholarships for your efforts.
Student become pro in problem-solving skills.	Teaches you to bounce back from failures and keep on trying.	Adds value to your academic profile for college and job applications.
Sharpens your critical thinking, helping you analyze and solve tough questions very easily.	Encourages students setting clear goals or realistic goals for studies and personal growth.	Opens doors to better colleges, scholarships, and career options.
Boosts confidence as students will be learning more effectively.	Builds more patience as well as perseverance through practice and challenges.	Recognition in Olympiads helps you stand out in competitive exams like IIT JEE and NEET.
Prepares you very early for future competitive exams by giving real exam experience.	Helps develop good study habits like regular practice and revision.	Improves chances of getting into top universities and getting scholarships.

 

🏆 Top 10 Competitive Exams for School Students in India

1. NSTSE (National Level Science Talent Search Examination)
   
   
2. NTSE (National Talent Search Examination)
   
   
3. SOF – Science Olympiad Foundation
   
   
4. KVPY (Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana)
   
   
5. International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO)
   
   
6. National Cyber Olympiad (NCO)
   
   
7. Indian Talent Olympiad (ITO)
   
   
8. National Interactive Maths Olympiad (NIMO)
   
   
9. International Science Olympiad
   
   
10. English International Olympiad (EIO)

 

1. NSTSE (National Level Science Talent Search Examination)

• Subjects: Science, Mathematics (based on CBSE syllabus)

• Conducted by: Unified Council

• Eligibility Criteria: NSTSE registration can be done by Students of Classes 2–12 (including 11th & 12th PCM/PCB); students from all recognized boards can apply.

• Benefits:

• Cash prizes up to ₹2,00,000 for 100% scorers; ₹1,00,000 for highest percentage if no one scores 100%

• National and state-level recognition, medals, and certificates 

NSTSE Selection Criteria Table

Registration Process: Students can register individually online through the official website or through their schools. 

Fees for Registration includes: ₹354 for individual registration; ₹236 per student for school registration.

 Registration Month: August to October. 

Exam Month: December to January.​  

For more information, please visit  NSTSE official Website: https://www.unifiedcouncil.com/about-nstse.html

2. NTSE (National Talent Search Examination)

• Subjects: Mental Ability Test (MAT), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) – includes Science, Maths, Social Science

• Conducted by: NCERT (Stage II); State/UT authorities (Stage I)

• Eligibility Criteria: Indian nationals, Class 10 students, age below 18; minimum qualifying marks in Class X as per state norms

• Benefits:

• Scholarship: ₹1,250/month (Class XI–XII), ₹2,000/month (UG/PG)

• National recognition, direct admission to premier institutions, mentorship opportunities

NTSE Selection Criteria Table

Registration Process: Students must apply through their respective State/UT SCERTs. Application forms are available on the official SCERT websites.

Registration Fee: The exam fee for NTSE Stage-I exam will be notified by your State/UT. For the NTSE Stage-II examination, no fee is charged by NCERT.

Registration Month: August to September.

Exam Months:

• Stage 1: November- Deceember.

• Stage 2: May/June 

For more information, please visit NTSE (National Talent Search Examination) official website: https://ncert.nic.in/national-talent-examination.php

3. Science Olympiad Foundation- SOF (IMO/NCO/IEO/Other Olympiads)

• Subjects: Varies by Olympiad: Maths (IMO), Cyber/Computer (NCO), English (IEO), Science (NSO), etc.

• Conducted by: Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF)

• Eligibility Criteria: Students of Classes 1–12 (varies by Olympiad); must be enrolled in a recognized school

• Benefits:

• Medals, certificates, cash prizes, scholarships (e.g., SOF Scholarship of Excellence in English: ₹5,000)

• National and international recognition

SOF Olympiad Selection Criteria Table (e.g. IMO, NCO, IEO)

Registration Process: It primarily involves school-based registration, where schools register their students for various Olympiads and Any school can be registered as an examination center with SOF, and there's no fee for this.

Registration Fee: The SOF (Science Olympiad Foundation) registration fee for schools in India is INR 125 per student per Olympiad, including GST.

Registration Month: Schools may send registrations by 30 days before the chosen date of each exam. Registrations may be sent either for all exams at one time or separately for each exam.

Exam Month: 1st level Exams starts from November. Dates for 2nd level exam will be announced by January 2026.

For more information, please visit official website of Science Olympiad Foundation- SOF: https://sofworld.org/

4. KVPY (Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana)

• Subjects: Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics)

• Conducted by: Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore

• Eligibility Criteria: Indian nationals, students in Class 11/12 (Science) or 1st year UG (B.Sc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Int. M.Sc./M.S.) 

• Benefits:

• You get kvpy scholarship includes Monthly fellowship and annual contingency grant for selected students

• Research opportunities and mentorship

KVPY Selection Criteria Table

Registration Process: You should definitely apply for the KVPY exam, you should not depend on any third party or institute but should apply on the official KVPY website only.  

Registration Fee: The KVPY application fee is Rs.1250 for General/OBC candidates and Rs. 625 for SC/ST/PWD candidates, excluding bank charges. The application is submitted online.

Registration Month: KVPY registration generally opens in the second week of July- August every year.

Exam Month:  The exam is expected to be conducted in the first week of November. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore will announce the exact date and time in the notification, which is expected to be released in the third week of July 2025. 

For more information, please visit official website of  KVPY (Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana): https://www.kvpy.org.in/

5. International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO)

• Subjects: Mathematics (high-level problem-solving)

• Conducted by: International Mathematical Olympiad Foundation (global), national bodies for selection

• Eligibility Criteria: Pre-university students under 21, not enrolled in college

• Benefits:

• International medals (Gold, Silver, Bronze), certificates

• National and international recognition

IMO Selection Criteria Table

Registration Process & Fees: Students register for the IMO through their respective school authorities. Individual registrations are not accepted.  The registration fee for SOF IMO is ₹125 per student. 

Registration Month: It typically starts in February or March of the preceding year.

Exam Month: The SOF International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) Level 1 exam is mostly held on November to Decemeber. The IMO Level 2 exam is tentatively scheduled for January

For more information, please visit official website of International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO): https://sofworld.org/imo

6. National Cyber Olympiad (NCO)

• Subjects: Computer Science, Cyber Awareness, Logical Reasoning

• Conducted by: Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF)

• Eligibility Criteria: Students of Classes 1–10, enrolled in recognized schools

• Benefits:

• winners receive awards at international, zonal, and school levels

• These awards include cash prizes, medals, certificates, and sometimes, gifts.

NCO Selection Criteria Table

Stage	Details
Level 1	School-based exam
Level 2	For top performers (if conducted)
Final	Awards/prizes based on performance

Registration Process & Fees: Students need to fill out a registration form provided by the school and submit it with the necessary fees. The school will assign a roll number to each student. The registration fee is Rs 125 (including GST) per student

Registration Month: The registration deadline for the National Cyber Olympiad (NCO) is typically 30 days before the exam date. The NCO exam is conducted twice a year, on two dates where the school can choose either. It is most likely conducted in Nov- Dec.

Exam Month: The NCO exam is typically conducted in either November or December.

For more information, please visit official website of National Cyber Olympiad: https://www.cyberolympiad.in/

7. Indian Talent Olympiad (ITO)

• Subjects: Maths, Science, English, GK, Computer, Social Studies, Drawing, Essay, etc.

• Conducted by: Indian Talent Olympiad

• Eligibility Criteria: Students of Classes 1–10, enrolled in recognized schools

• Benefits:

• Merit Certificate, Medals, and Scholarship for State Rank winners

• ITO helps students improve their subject knowledge and overall academic skills

ITO Selection Criteria Table

Stage	Details
Level 1	School-based exam
Level 2	For top performers (if conducted)
Final	Awards/prizes based on performance

Registration Process & Fees: Students need to fill out a registration form provided by the school and submit it with the necessary fees.The registration fee for the ITO exam is generally Rs. 150 per student per subject for students participating through schools.

Registration Month: The registration for the Indian Talent Olympiad (ITO) exams generally spans from August to November of the previous academic year. Specifically, the last date for registration by schools is typically in September.

Exam Month: The Indian Talent Olympiad (ITO) conducts exams annually in December and February

For more information, please visit official website of Indian Talent Olympiad (ITO): https://www.indiantalent.org/

8. National Interactive Maths Olympiad (NIMO)

• Subjects: Mathematics

• Conducted by: EduHeal Foundation

• Eligibility Criteria: Students of Classes 1–12, enrolled in recognized schools

• Benefits:

• eligible for foreign academic trips for Level 2 winners and may be selected for International Olympiad training camps, preparing them for competitions like the Harvard-MIT Maths Tournament (HMMT). 

• The Eduheal Foundation provides participation certificates to all participants.

NIMO Selection Criteria Table

 

Stage	Details
Level 1	School-based exam
Level 2	For top performers (if conducted)
Final	Awards/prizes based on performance

Registration Process & Fees: Registration is mandatory for participation. Schools can register online and provide necessary information about their students and the school, along with the registration fee.The registration fee for the NIMO is INR 150 per student. This fee is applicable for both individual and school registrations.

Registration Month: NIMO registration typically opens in April.

Exams Month: NIMO exam is typically conducted in December. For example, in 2022, the exam was held on December 14th.

For more information, please visit official website of National Interactive Maths Olympiad (NIMO): https://olympiads.eduhealfoundation.org/maths-olympiad.php

9. International Science Olympiad

• Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy, Junior Science (varies by Olympiad)

• Conducted by: International Science Olympiad bodies; national selection by HBCSE or similar

• Eligibility Criteria: Pre-university students under 20, not enrolled in college

• Benefits:

• International medals, certificates

• National and international recognition

International Science Olympiad Selection Criteria Table

Stage	Details
Prelims	National-level selection tests
Camp	Training camps, further tests to select team
Final	International Olympiad; medals/certificates awarded

 

Registration Process & Fees: The registration process for the International Science Olympiad (ISO) generally involves students registering through their school, or in some cases, directly with the organization. The registration fee for the ISOis INR 175 per student. 

Registration Month: ISO Registration for First Level often ends before 31st October, and for schools, it's 15th September. It's advisable to register before this date.

Exam Month: The International Science Olympiad (ISO) exam for the Levels 1st and 2nd is conducted in December and February. The specific dates within these months may vary depending on the specific round and whether it's an online or offline exam.

For more information, please visit official website of International Science Olympiad: https://www.indiantalent.org/international-science-olympiad

10. English International Olympiad (EIO)

• Subjects: English language and grammar

• Conducted by: Indian Talent Olympiad (ITO) / Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF)

• Eligibility Criteria: Students of Classes 1–10, enrolled in recognized schools

• Benefits:

• Awards, medals, certificates, scholarships

EIO Selection Criteria Table

Stage	Details
Level 1	School-based exam
Level 2	For top performers (if conducted)
Final	Awards/prizes based on performance

 

Registration Process & Fees: Students need to fill out a registration form provided by the school and submit it with the necessary fees. The registration fee is Rs 125 (including GST) per student.

Registration Month: The registration period for the English International Olympiad (EIO) is generally open throughout the year, students should register at least 30 days before the exam date.

Exam Month: December and February.

For more information, please visit official website of English International Olympiad (EIO): https://www.indiantalent.org/english-international-olympiad

Competitive exams help shape the academic and overall growth of students from a very young age. From math olympiad and national science olympiad to language based contests like Spell Bee, these platforms provide recognition, scholarships, and confidence to students across India. If you're unsure where to begin, explore this list and choose the one that aligns with your skills and interests.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which is the best competitive exam for Class 10 students?
NTSE and SOF Olympiads are among the top choices for Class 10 students due to their academic relevance and national recognition.

2. How to prepare for competitive exams while studying in school?
Start with your school syllabus, build strong basics, practice mock tests, and enroll in coaching programs if needed.

3. Are Olympiads good for school students?
Yes, Olympiads boost confidence, logical skills, and academic performance. They also help students stand out in future opportunities.

4. Can Class 1 students appear in competitive exams?
Yes, exams like SOF Olympiads and Unified Council exams are open for students starting from Grade 1.

5. Do competitive exams offer scholarships?
Yes, many exams like NTSE, KVPY, and Unified Council provide scholarships, cash prizes, or recognition certificates to toppers.