NEW DELHI, Jan. 13 -- The National Talent Search Examination, conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to select 2,000 schoolchildren from all over the country for scholarships, has been abandoned. The Scheme has been replaced with Pariksha Pe Charcha, an annual event at which Prime Minister Narendra Modi advises students on how to prepare for various examinations!

The National Scholarship Scheme, started by the Union Education Ministry in 1963, was a much sought-after scholarship scheme by school students in the country. The examination used to be held in two phases. In the first phase, the states screened the students. Those selected by the states were examined by the NCERT, and 2,000 students were...