Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) has announced the launch of the Aakash National Talent Hunt Exam (ANTHE) 2026, one of India’s largest and longest-running talent identification and scholarship examinations. Over the past 16 years, more than one crore students have registered for the examination, making it a major platform for assessing academic potential and competitive readiness.
AESL said ANTHE has evolved beyond a conventional scholarship exam and now serves as a scientifically designed diagnostic assessment that helps students evaluate their strengths, weaknesses and preparedness for competitive examinations. The assessment is structured to measure subject knowledge, aptitude, analytical ability and examination behaviour through purpose-driven questions aligned with specific concepts and competencies.
The examination has also been associated with the success of several students in national-level entrance tests. According to AESL, 31 of its 41 students who secured ranks among the top 100 in NEET UG 2026 had previously qualified through ANTHE. Similarly, seven of the eleven Aakash students who ranked in the top 100 of JEE Advanced 2026 were ANTHE qualifiers.
Speaking on the occasion, AESL Managing Director and CEO Chandra Sekhar Garisa Reddy said ANTHE is not merely an examination for awarding scholarships but a platform that helps students understand their academic potential and identify areas that require improvement. He stated that the examination provides detailed insights into a student’s strengths, preparedness and future academic pathway.
A key feature of ANTHE is the Intelligence Report provided to every participant. The report offers detailed academic analysis, including subject-wise performance, readiness for competitive examinations and behavioural assessment. It evaluates students on parameters such as Competitive Exam Success Potential (CESP), Test-Taking Personality (TTP) and Attempt Intelligence Quotient (AIQ), giving them a deeper understanding of their examination approach and performance patterns.
AESL stated that ANTHE is beneficial not only for students preparing for engineering and medical entrance examinations but also for those in the early stages of their academic journey. Through national-level benchmarking, students can compare their performance with peers across the country and identify areas requiring greater focus.
Scholarships remain a significant attraction of the examination. Under ANTHE 2026, eligible students can receive scholarships of up to 100 per cent for Aakash Classroom, Hybrid and Digital programmes. Additionally, cash prizes worth ₹2.5 crore will be awarded to top performers.
The examination is open to students from Classes V to XII and will be conducted in both online and offline modes. The online test will be held between October 27 and November 1, 2026, while the offline examination is scheduled for October 11, October 25 and November 1, 2026. Registrations have already begun through the official ANTHE portal and Aakash centres across the country.
