The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) was established by the Government of India in the year 1961 with a view to bringing about qualitative improvement in school education in the country. In the year 1964 the scheme was extended to all the states and the union territories in the country with 350 scholarships for the students of Class XI. In the year 2000, the number of scholarships was raised from 750 to 1000 with the provision of reservation for SC and ST candidates based on the national norms of 15 per cent and 7½ per cent respectively. A discussion about this scheme took place in the 94th Meeting of Executive Committee of the NCERT held on 25.11.2010 and was decided that from 2012 the NTSE will again be held for class X students. http://www.ncert.nic.in/programmes/talent_exam/index_talent.html

Last year the then Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Smriti Irani, announced that the number of scholarships under National Talent Search Scheme (NTSE) would now be 2000 instead of the existing 1000. This was announced on 55th Foundation Day of NCERT.               http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=126540 

But this decision was not implemented, when the final result of NTSE 2015-16 was announced. Only about 970 students were given the scholarship. Even this year the notification for NTSE 2016-17 has invited applications for 1000 scholarship only. http://www.ncert.nic.in/programmes/talent_exam/pdf_files/Adv.NTSE20170001.pdf 

WE request Honourable Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi and Minister of Human Resource Development Shri Prakash Javadekar to look into the matter and keeping in mind the wider interests of the student community, please fulfill the promise made by Smt. Smriti Irani and raise the NTSE Scholarship to 2000 from this year.