EXHIBIT 24
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                   FORM 10-K FOR YEAR ENDED JANUARY 31, 1994

    The  undersigned directors and  officers of NATIONAL  COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC.
hereby constitute  and  appoint  J.  W.  Fenton,  Jr.,  their  true  and  lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, for each of them and in their name, place and stead,
in  any and  all capacities  (including without  limitation, as  Director and/or
principal Executive Officer, principal  Financial Officer, principal  Accounting
Officer  or any other officer of the Company), to sign its Annual Report on Form
10-K for  the year  ended  January 31,  1994,  which is  to  be filed  with  the
Securities  and Exchange Commission, with all  exhibits thereto, and any and all
documents in connection  therewith, hereby granting  unto said  attorney-in-fact
and agent full power and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things
requisite and necessary to be done, and hereby ratifying and confirming all that
said attorney-in-fact and agent may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

    IN  WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have  hereunto set their hands this 7th
day of March, 1994.

                              /s/ CHARLES W. OSWALD
                      --------------------------------------------
                               Charles W. Oswald

                              /s/ DAVID C. MALMBERG
                      --------------------------------------------
                               David C. Malmberg

                              /s/ DAVID P. CAMPBELL
                      --------------------------------------------
                               David P. Campbell

                             /s/ WILLIAM W. CHORSKE
                      --------------------------------------------
                               William W. Chorske

                                /s/ DAVID C. COX
                      --------------------------------------------
                                  David C. Cox

                             /s/ ROBERT F. ZICARELLI
                      --------------------------------------------
                              Robert F. Zicarelli

                               /s/ NORMAN A. COCKE
                      --------------------------------------------
                                Norman A. Cocke

                              /s/ JEAN B. KEFFELER
                       --------------------------------------------
                                Jean B. Keffeler

                              /s/ STEPHEN G. SHANK
                       --------------------------------------------
                                Stephen G. Shank

                               /s/ JOHN E. STEURI
                       --------------------------------------------
                                 John E. Steuri

                             /s/ JEFFREY E. STIEFLER
                       --------------------------------------------
                              Jeffrey E. Stiefler

                               /s/ JOHN W. VESSEY
                       --------------------------------------------
                                 John W. Vessey

                              /s/ JEFFREY W. TAYLOR
                       --------------------------------------------
                               Jeffrey W. Taylor

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