NSO 2024-25 is a competitive exam conducted each year for school students by the Science Olympiad Foundation. Millions of students appear for the NSO (National Science Olympiad) every year. Last year in 2023-24, approximately 70,000 schools from more than 1400 cities were registered for the Olympiad exams. The Olympiads were conducted across 70 nations.
In the academic year 2024-25, students will be awarded scholarships based on their performance at the school, regional (zonal), and international levels. School principals and teachers will also be recognised for their contributions to the school’s international, regional, and district success. They will receive awards that may include cash prizes, scholarships, trophies, gifts, and certificates of recognition.
NSO 2024-25 Exam 1 will be conducted on 18th October 2024, Exam 2 on 12th November 2024, and Exam 3 on 03rd December 2024. This article includes details of the National Science Award 2024-25 regarding eligibility, awards, application process, and exam dates.
NSO 2024-25 – An Overview
NSO aims to cultivate scientific reasoning and logical ability among the students. The table below gives a brief overview of the NSO and throws light on the objectives, awards, key dates and application process.
| Name of Exam | National Science Olympiad |
| Provider | Science Olympiad Foundation |
| Eligibility | Classes 1 to 12 |
| Exam Dates | Exam 1: 18th October 2024
Exam 2: 12th November 2024
Exam 3: 03rd December 2024 |
| Last Date to Apply | Exam 1: 3rd October 2024
Exam 2: 28th October 2024 Exam 3: 17th November 2024 |
| Awards | Up to ₹50,000, a Gold medal, and a performance certificate |
| How to Apply? | Through respective schools |
NSO 2024-25 – About SOF
The NSO 2024-25 is organised annually by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF). The Foundation aims to promote scientific temperament among students. It is an educational organisation that assists the academic development of students through various competitions and Olympiads. For over two decades, the organisation has been striving to promote a scientific attitude through innovative activities involving students from across the country. Among the various competitions organised by SOF, the major ones are the National Cyber Olympiad, National Science Olympiad, International Mathematics Olympiad, International English Olympiad, International Company Secretaries Olympiad and International General Knowledge Olympiad.
NSO 2024-25 – Key Dates
The students interested in applying for the NSO must be aware of the various key dates to avoid missing the deadlines. Below are all the key dates relevant to the National Science Olympiad 2024-25.
- Exam 1: 18th October 2024
- Exam 2: 12th November 2024
- Exam 3: 03rd December 2024
NSO 2024-25- Eligibility
The NSO 2024-25 is primarily for school students who want to assess their scientific and academic aptitude. For 2024-25, the NSO exam will be conducted on three dates.
Eligibility for Level 1 exam
- There is no particular criterion for the Level 1 exam.
- The opportunity is open to school students from Class 1 to 12.
- There are no criteria for minimum marks, thus making the Olympiad open to all school students.
Eligibility for Level 2 exam
Only the students who perform well in Level 1 exam will be shortlisted for Level 2. The following students will be eligible:
- The Level 2 NSO exam is for students in grades 3 through 12 only.
- There is no Level 2 exam for students in grades 1 and 2.
- To qualify for Level 2, students must score in the top 5% on the Level 1 exam for their grade.
NSO 2024-25 – How to Apply?
The students of Class 1 to 12 can apply for NSO 2024-25 through their respective schools. One can follow the below steps to apply-
- A prospectus containing the registration forms will be sent to the schools registered with SOF
- Students can receive the registration forms from their respective schools
- In case the school is not registered with SOF, it can still request the prospectus by contacting SOF through phone (0124-4951200) or email (info@sofworld.org)
- Students must fill out the registration forms with the required details and submit it to their respective schools
- The schools must then return the duly filled registration forms to SOF before the due date
For the year 2024-25, the SOF has introduced the online registration process for its olympiads. Both schools, as well as students, can register online using the steps given below –
Step 1: Visit the official website sofworld.org
Step 2: Click on the ‘Online Registrations for Schools and Students‘ tab.
Step 3: A separate online registration page will open. The schools need to click on the ‘Registration by Schools‘ tab whereas the students need to click on the ‘Registration by Students‘ tab to register.
Step 4: Fill in the required details and pay the registration fee.
Step 5: Submit the registration form
Applicants must note that they need to pay a registration fee to apply for NSO. The fee is in the following manner-
- Registration fee of ₹125 (including GST) per student for schools in India
- Registration fee of USD 9 per student for international schools
Schools may collect an additional amount of ₹25 (USD 1 for International schools) per student towards honorarium of incharge, remuneration to teachers to teach, guide using study material supplied by SOF and other miscellaneous expenses.
Note:
The application process for the SOF National Science Olympiad (NSO) is handled by schools. Students must register at least 30 days before their chosen exam date. Individual applications are not accepted.
NSO 2024-25 – Exam Pattern
NSO 2024-25 has two levels of examination; Level 1 and Level 2. Below is the details on the exam pattern for each level.
Level 1
The Level 1 exam doesn’t have strict eligibility criteria and is open to school students of Class 1 to 12. The relaxed criteria aim to encourage the participation of a higher number of students. The salient features of Level 1 exam are:
- The first level test is organised in the respective schools of the participants during school hours.
- The exam itself is an objective-type test of 60 minutes, comprising 35 objective-type multiple-choice questions for Class 1 to 4 and 50 multiple-choice questions for Class 5 to 12.
- The question paper has three sections: Logical Reasoning, Science, Achievers Section (for Class 1 to 10) and Physics/Chemistry, Achievers Section, Mathematics/Biology (for Classes 11 and 12).
- The medium of the test is English and each class has a separate question paper.
- The test paper is based on CBSE, ICSE/ISC and State Board syllabi.
Level 2
Students performing well in Level 1 appear for the Level 2 exam. However, only Classes 3 to 12 students participate in it as Class 1 and 2 students are judged based on their performance in Level 1 only. The following students are eligible to appear for Level 2 exam:
- Class wise top 5% of candidates in Level 1 exam
- Class-wise and zone wise top 25 rank holders in Level 1
- Class topper is eligible where at least 10 students appear in the exam and score 50% qualifying marks
NSO – Awards
The top-performing students and schools will be felicitated with awards at the international and zonal levels. Find the detailed description of various NSO awards for students and schools in the tables below.
Awards for Students
Awards for Level 2 – International level
| International level | ||
| Rank | Awards | Number of awards |
| 1st | ₹50,000 each, a gold medal and a certificate of outstanding performance | 12 |
| 2nd | ₹25,000 each, a silver medal and a certificate of outstanding performance | 12 |
| 3rd | ₹10,000 each, a bronze medal and a certificate for outstanding performance | 12 |
Awards for Level 2 – Zonal Level
| Zonal level | ||
| Rank | Awards | Number of awards |
| 1st | ₹5,000 each, a gold medal and a certificate of zonal excellence | 312 |
| 2nd | ₹2,500 each, a silver medal, and a certificate of zonal excellence | 312 |
| 3rd | ₹1,000 each, a bronze medal and a certificate of zonal excellence | 312 |
| 4th to 10th | Gifts worth ₹1,000 each, a medal of distinction, a certificate of distinction and a certificate of zonal excellence | 2,184 |
| 11th to 20th | A certificate of zonal excellence, a medal of distinction, and a certificate of distinction | 4,680 |
| 26th and above | A merit certificate | All |
Awards for Level 1 performance
| Zonal level | ||
| Rank | Awards | Number of awards |
| 1 to 25 | A medal of distinction and a certificate of distinction | 7,800 |
| 26 and above | A participation certificate | All |
Awards for schools
There are awards for various top-performing schools too. The tables below discuss the various awards for schools participating in the Olympiad.
Awards at the International level
| International level | ||
| Category | Awards | Number of awards |
| Best Principal | ₹25,000 each, citation and a trophy | 20 |
| Best Teacher | ₹10,000 each, citation and a trophy | 10 |
Awards at Zonal level
| Zonal level | ||
| Category | Awards | Number of awards |
| Best Principal | ₹10,000 each, citation, and a trophy | 130 |
| Best Teacher | ₹5,000 each, citation, and a trophy | 78 |
Awards at District level
| District level | ||
| Category | Awards | Number of awards |
| Best Principal | ₹2,500 each, citation, and a trophy | 500 |
| Best Teacher | ₹1,000 each, citation, and a trophy | 400 |
NSO 2024-25 – Results
The results of the NSO are usually declared within 8 weeks of the examination. The schools registered with the SOF directly receive the results. Students can also check the results on the website of SOF. The results of the Level 1 exam are usually declared during the last week of December. Similarly, the results of the Level 2 exam are usually declared in March. It must also be noted that these are tentative dates and the exact dates will be decided by SOF each year.
NSO 2024-25 – Student Performance Report
All the participants of the NSO receive a Student Performance Report (SPR) which is a detailed analysis of how the students attempted the Level 1 exam of the Olympiad. It helps students and their parents get an idea of their performance in the Olympiad. This, in turn, helps students understand their strengths and weaknesses. SPR helps identify the areas where a student needs to work. The SPR has six sections:
- Section A – provides the student’s marks and rank achieved in School/City/Zone/at International level
- Section B – provides a section-wise performance score of the student
- Section C – provides correct answers to questions asked in the Olympiad exam, the answers given by the student and a performance comparison of the student’s answers vs other students in the Zone and at the International level
- Section D – provides a percentage score analysis of the student with a comparison with the Class, City, Zone and International level
- Section E – provides a comparison of average marks analysis at the School, City, Zone and International level
- Section F – provides a comparison of the student’s performance in the Olympiad exams during the past 8 years
NSO 2024-25 – Contact information
In case any queries remain, students can get in touch directly with the SOF in any of the following ways:
- Address: 1st Floor, Plot no. 99, Sector – 44, Pin- 122003, Gurgaon (Haryana) India
- Phone: (0124)-4951200, 9312680855, 9312680857
- Office: 406, Taj Apartment, Ring Road, Adjacent Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India. Pin – 110029
- Registration queries: (0124)-4951200, info@sofworld.org
- Exam queries: (0124)-4951200, info@sofworld.org
- Result/Awards: (0124)-4951200, result@sofworld.org
- Roll no/Admit Cards: (0124)-4951200, rollnumber@sofworld.org
- General queries: (0124)-4951200, info@sofworld.org
