NSTSE case studies
NSTSE · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The National Level Science Talent Search Examination (NSTSE) is an olympiad-style assessment conducted by Unified Council, an organisation that describes itself as India's first ISO 9001:2015 certified body in testing and assessment. NSTSE is one of several Unified Olympiads listed on the council's site, alongside UIMO, UICO, UIEO and UIGKO. The exam is offered in two modes: an offline exam taken through a participating school, and an online exam open to direct students. For the 2026-27 cycle the site lists the offline exam date as 18-09-2026 and the online exam date as 27-12-2026. The NSTSE case studies are 5 cases and about 3,354 words.
1The Kettle at 2,200 Metres
Ananya, a Class 9 student in Chennai (sea level, atmospheric pressure about 101 kPa), spends a fortnight with her cousin Meera in Shimla (about 2,200 m, atmospheric pressure about 78 kPa). Both houses have identical 1.5-litre electric kettles, and both families use the same brand of bottled water.
657 words, about 3 min2Heat from Germinating Moong: Reading Three Flasks
Rohan, Class 8, is investigating whether germinating seeds release heat. He takes three identical 250 mL conical flasks.
655 words, about 3 min3Two Printing Quotes and a Fixed Budget
The Eco Club of a school wants to print 200 copies of a 24-page magazine. Two printing shops have given quotes.
615 words, about 3 min4Painting the Society Water Tank
A housing society is installing a new overhead water tank. The tank is an upright cylinder of radius 1.4 m and height 2.5 m, closed at the bottom, with a hemispherical dome of the same radius welded on top.
675 words, about 3 min5Rescheduling the Inter-House Quiz
St Xavier's School holds an inter-house quiz with five rounds: A (Science), B (Mathematics), C (Literature), D (Current Affairs) and E (Logical Reasoning). Each round is held in a different one-hour slot on the same day: 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00 and 1:00.
752 words, about 4 min