Competitive Exam Preparation for Classes 1–10
Which exams can your child take, and when? A class-by-class guide to Olympiads, scholarship exams, school entrance tests and science talent searches, with practice tests for each.
Exam preparation guides
Olympiad mock tests
Maths, Science, English and reasoning practice for Classes 1–10.
Scholarship exams
Maharashtra Class 5 and Class 8 scholarship papers, and NMMS.
Sainik School (AISSEE)
Entrance practice for admission to Class 6 and Class 9.
Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNVST)
Mental ability, arithmetic and language practice for Class 6 entry.
Competitive exams by class
Most students write an exam while they are in the class before the one they will be admitted to. For example, AISSEE for Class 6 is written in Class 5.
| Class | Exams to prepare for |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | Olympiads in Maths, Science, English, GK, Computers and reasoning |
| 4 | Olympiads; start preparing for the Class 5 scholarship exam |
| 5 | Maharashtra Pre-Upper Primary Scholarship, Navodaya (JNVST) for Class 6, Sainik School (AISSEE) for Class 6, Rashtriya Military School entrance for Class 6, Olympiads |
| 6 | Homi Bhabha Bal Vaidnyanik Spardha (Class 6 level), Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan, Olympiads |
| 7 | Olympiads, Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan; start preparing for the Class 8 scholarship exam and NMMS |
| 8 | Maharashtra Pre-Secondary Scholarship, NMMS, Sainik School (AISSEE) for Class 9, Navodaya lateral entry for Class 9, Olympiads |
| 9 | Homi Bhabha Bal Vaidnyanik Spardha (Class 9 level), Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan, Olympiads |
| 10 | Board exam preparation, Olympiads, Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan |
Eligibility, dates and patterns are set by each exam body and can change every year. NTSE, earlier written in Class 10, has not been held since 2021; check the NCERT website for its current status. Always confirm details in the official notice.
More exams worth knowing
Homi Bhabha Bal Vaidnyanik Spardha
A science talent search in Maharashtra for Class 6 and Class 9 students, organised by the Mumbai Science Teachers’ Association. It has a written test followed by practical and project rounds for those who qualify.
Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan (VVM)
A national science talent search for Classes 6 to 11 that tests science concepts, Mathematics and awareness of Indian contributions to science.
Rashtriya Military Schools
Residential schools under the Ministry of Defence with a common entrance test for Class 6 and Class 9 admission, covering English, Mathematics, Intelligence and GK.
NMMS
The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship for Class 8 students, with a Mental Ability Test and a Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Skills every competitive exam tests
- Mental ability and reasoning: series, analogies, coding–decoding, figures and directions.
- Mathematics: speed and accuracy with the class syllabus, then word problems.
- Language: reading comprehension, vocabulary and grammar.
- General knowledge and science: India and the world, sports, awards, science in daily life.
- Exam skills: managing time, reading every option carefully and marking OMR sheets correctly.
Planning a year of preparation
- Pick one or two target exams for the year. Too many targets thin out practice time.
- Finish the school syllabus for Mathematics and Science first; most exams are built on it.
- Add 20 minutes of reasoning every day from the start of the year.
- From three months before the exam, take a full timed mock test every week and review every wrong answer.
Frequently asked questions
From which class should my child start competitive exams?
Olympiads can start in Class 1. For entrance and scholarship exams in Class 5 and Class 8, starting regular practice about a year earlier gives enough time to build speed and reasoning.
Can one preparation cover several exams?
Largely, yes. Scholarship exams, Navodaya, AISSEE and NMMS all test Mathematics and reasoning at a similar level. Add exam-specific mock tests in the final two or three months.
Are the practice tests available in Marathi and Hindi?
The app can be used in English, Hindi or Marathi, and questions and explanations can be read aloud in all three languages.
Adhar-AI EduTech is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with any exam body named on this page.