• The international Olympiad movement is aimed at bringing the most talented secondary and higher secondary students of the world together in a friendly competition of the highest level.
   
• The Olympiads do not lead directly to any career benefits; rather, they provide a stimulus to begin a career in science or mathematics, to undertake a lifelong journey into the realms of exciting intellectual challenges.
   
• they are the meeting places of the brightest young minds of the world, and many friendships forged at the Olympiads form the seeds of scientific collaboration later in life.
   
• Much like the Olympics in sports, the Olympiads are a celebration of the very best in school level science and mathematics.
   
• The Olympiad programmes globally have aimed at not just the international events but have also served as national channels to enrich school educational curriculum.
   
• Olympiad problems provide intellectual stimulus and uncommon opportunities for teaching and learning of sciences

National Standard Examinations in Astronomy (NSEA), Biology (NSEB), Chemistry (NSEC), Junior Science (NSEJS), and Physics (NSEP) constitute the first stage of selection of students in the National Olympiad Programme. Every student aspiring to go through successive stages of the programme and participating in the international Olympiads must enroll for the NSEs in the respective subjects of that particular year.

ELIGIBILTY CRITERIA 

• Must be eligible to hold an Indian passport. *
   
• Date of birth between 1 July 2003 and 30 June 2008, both days inclusive.
   
• Must be residing and studying in India since 30 November 2020 or earlier OR Must be studying in an Indian school system since 30 November 2020 or earlier.
   
• Must not have passed (or scheduled to complete) class 12 board examination earlier than 30 November 2022.
   
• Must not have commenced (or planning to commence) studies in a university or equivalent institution by 1 June, 2023.
   
• Must not be appearing in NSEJS 2022.

SYLLABUS 

For NSEA/B/C/P: Is broadly equivalent to senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE.

PATTERN 

SCHEDULE

NSEs are usually held in the 3rd and 4th weekend of November.

HOW TO APPLY FOR NSEs

Enrolment at student’s own school/college: A student can enroll for NSE at his/her own institution if it is a registered NSE centre (see below for registration of NSE centers). The principal would be the contact person for this purpose.

Direct Enrolment: If a student’s own institution is not a registered NSE centre, it is still possible to participate in NSE by enrolling directly on the IAPT website: www.iapt.org.in.

Enrolment fees: Rs. 200/- per student per subject.

NSE centre registration: Any state recognized school/college is eligible to become a NSE centre with a minimum enrolment of 20 students, subject to approval by Chief Coordinator, IAPT Examinations.

The second stage in the selection process, the Indian National Olympiads in Astronomy (INAO), Biology (INBO), Chemistry (INChO) and Physics (INPhO) is organized by HBCSE. Indian National Olympiad in Junior Science (INJSO) is  organised by IAPT around the same time. The aim of the first stage examination is to have a wide reach, to progressively increase this reach and to attain nationwide representation for Stage II without overly compromising on merit.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

(a) Minimum Admissible Score (MAS) Clause: The MAS for a given subject will be 50% of the average of the top ten scores in that subject rounded off to the nearest lower integer. To be eligible for the Stage II INO exam, a candidate must secure a score equal to or greater than a MAS.
 

(b) Merit Index (MI) Clause: The MI in a subject is defined as 80% of the average of the top ten scores in that subject rounded off to the nearest lower integer. All students with a score equal to or greater than merit index MI for the subject will automatically qualify for INO Stage II examination in that subject.
 

(c) Proportional Representation Clause: There is a State-wise quota same as NTSE exam to encourage the Students from all States and UTs to appear for the first stage examination and to ensure a nationwide representation for INO Stage II.
 

(d) Minimum Representation Clause: Notwithstanding the proportional representation clause the number of students selected for INO from each State and UT must be at least five, provided that the MAS clause (a) is satisfied.
 

(e) Minimum Total Number Clause: In each subject there is a minimum target number of 300 to be selected for INOs.
 

(f) Previous International Representation Clause: Candidates who have represented India in the International Olympiad on a previous occasion (IOAA, IBO, IChO, IJSO and IPhO, Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO) and the International Astronomy Olympiad Junior (IAO-Jr)) need not appear for the first stage NSE examination in the respective subject. They can directly appear for the second stage Indian National Olympiad (INO) examination.

SYLLABUS

Is broadly equivalent to NSEs of respective subject. Questions and problems in INOs, while circumscribed by the above mentioned CBSE syllabus, are usually non- conventional and of high difficulty level, comparable to the international Olympiads.

PATTERN

SCHEDULE 

INOs are held in the 3rd and 4th Weekend of January.

HOW TO APPLY INOs

All students appearing in INOs must register themselves on the HBCSE website (olympiads.hbcse.tifr.res.in) after the publication of the list to obtain their INO admit cards. This registration is mandatory for appearing in INO. Failure to register for INO will result in disqualification of the candidate for INO.

Based on performance in the Indian National Olympiads, 35 students in Biology, Chemistry, Junior Science and Physics, and 50 students in Astronomy, will be selected in each subject for the Orientation-Cum-Selection Camp (OCSC) in that subject. Several theoretical and experimental/observational tests are held during the camp.

A student who qualifies in more than one subject (on the basis of his/her performance in INO or Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO)) will be invited to the OCSC that is ranked highest in his/her preference list.

Based on performance in these tests, few students (numbers specified below) are selected to represent India at the international Olympiads.

The selected Indian teams undergo a rigorous training programme at HBCSE in theory and experiment and in case of astronomy, observational astronomy prior to their departure for the international Olympiads. Special laboratories have been developed in HBCSE for this purpose. Resource persons from different institutions across the country are invited to the training camps. The maximum period of training may be limited in some subjects as per the statutes of the respective international Olympiads.

The selected Indian Students teams along with respective subject 2 teacher leaders and one scientific observer constitute the delegation to represent India at the various International Olympiads