City boy tops national talent search exam

NAGPUR: City boy Arindam Bhattacharya has made Nagpur proud by topping the this year's National Talent Search Examination in the country. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), which conducted the examination, declared the results on August 4. It is for the first time that a city student has secured numero uno position in the country in the national-level competitive examination.
Arindam, who gave the preliminary exam on November 21, 2010, had secured third rank in the state, scoring 183 marks out of 200. The final round was held on May 8, 2011 in which he scored 186 marks out of 200. Individually, he scored 98 marks in MAT and 88 marks in SAT, which are also the highest marks scored in the country.
City teachers who guided Arindam for NTSE, Maya Patil and Vivek Wagh informed TOI that from this year NCERT has conducted the examination in two stages and subsequently, students were tested for mental ability (MAT) and scholastic aptitude (SAT).
Students who clear the examination get a monthly scholarship from the central government through NCERT. The scholarships are provided up to doctorate level. NTSE is a stepping stone for higher examinations like IITJEE, BITSAT, ISAT, AIPMT, CLAT, CAT and the Civil Services examination. The first stage of the examination is a state level examination conducted. In Maharashtra, the examination is conducted by the Commissioner of Examinations, Pune.
Patil added that Arindam along with Pranjal Warade, also from the city, are this year's gold medallists and state toppers in the Ganit Pragya Examination conducted by the Maharashtra Ganit Adhyapak Mahamandal, Kolhapur. Arindam has also secured all-India rank 2 in the 10th National Cyber Olympiad, conducted by the Science Olympiad Foundation, New Delhi this year. He has also secured the all-India rank 1 in this year's national selection test, conducted by the Forum for IITJEE (FIITJEE), New Delhi. Consequently, FIITJEE has offered him, their 4-year integrated course programme, Supreme in Bangalore. Arindam has moved to Bangalore and is presently studying at AECS Magnolia Maruti Public School, Bangalore with FIITJEE. Arindam's father Amar works in Customs and Central Excise commissionerate, Nagpur, while is mother Sonali is an employee with Department of Posts.