NSO 2023-24 is a competitive exam conducted each year for school students by the Science Olympiad Foundation. Every year millions of students appear for NSO (National Science Olympiad). Last year in 2023-24, approximately 70,000 schools registered for the Olympiad exams. The Olympiads were conducted across 70 nations.
NSO 2023-24 Exam 1 will be conducted on 17 October 2023, Exam 2 on 21 November 2023, and Exam 3 on 05 December 2023. This article includes all details of the National Science Award 2023-24 regarding eligibility, awards, application process, and exam dates.
NSO 2023-24 – 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 – 17 October 2023
Exam 2 : 21 November 2023 Exam 3 : 05 December 2023 |
| Last Date to Apply | Exam 1 : 02 October 2023
Exam 2: 06 October 2023
Exam 3: 21 November 2023 |
| Awards | Up to INR 50,000 + Gold medal + Performance certificate |
| How to Apply? | Through respective schools |
NSO 2023-24 – About SOF
The NSO 2023-24 is organised on a yearly basis by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF). The aim of the Foundation is 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 scientific attitude through innovative activities involving students from across the country. Among the various competitions organised by SOF, the major ones are National Cyber Olympiad, National Science Olympiad, International Mathematics Olympiad, International English Olympiad, International Company Secretaries Olympiad and International General Knowledge Olympiad.
NSO 2023-24 – Key dates
The students interested in applying for the NSO must be aware of the various key dates so as to avoid missing the deadlines. Below is all the key dates relevant to the National Science Olympiad 2023-24.
- Exam 1 – 17 October 2023
- Exam 2 – 21 November 2023
- Exam 3 – 05 December 2023
NSO 2023-24- Eligibility
The NSO 2023-24 is primarily for school students who want to assess their scientific and academic aptitude. For 2023-24, the NSO exam will be conducted on three dates.
Eligibility for Level 1 exam
There is no particular criterion for 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:
- Top 5% of the students from each class who appeared for Level 1 exam
- Top 25 zone-wise rank holders from each Class
- Class toppers from each participating school where at least 10 students from a class appear in the exam and score 50% qualifying marks
However, there is no need for the students from Class 1 and 2 to appear for Level 2 exam. They will be ranked based on their performance in Level 1 exam only.
NSO 2023-24 – How to Apply?
The students of Class 1 to 12 can apply for NSO 2023-24 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 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 2023-24, 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 also need to pay a registration fee for applying for NSO. The fee is in the following manner-
- Registration fee of INR 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 INR 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
NSO 2023-23 – Exam Pattern
NSO 2023-24 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 comprising 35 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 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 level. Find the detailed description of various NSO awards for students and schools in the tables below.
Awards for students
Awards for Level 2 and for Class 1 and 2
| International level | ||
| Rank | Awards | Number of awards |
| 1st | INR 50,000 Each + Gold Medal + Certificate of Outstanding Performance | 12 |
| 2nd | INR 25,000 Each + Silver Medal + Certificate of Outstanding Performance | 12 |
| 3rd | INR 10,000 Each + Bronze Medal + Certificate of Outstanding Performance | 12 |
Awards for Level 2 and for class 1 and 2
| Zonal level | ||
| Rank | Awards | Number of awards |
| 1st | INR 5,000 Each + Gold Medal + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 312 |
| 2nd | INR 2,500 Each + Silver Medal + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 312 |
| 3rd | INR 1,000 Each + Bronze Medal + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 312 |
| 4th to 10th | Gifts worth INR 1,000 Each + Medal of Distinction + Certificate of Distinction + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 2,184 |
| 11th to 20th | Certificate of Zonal Excellence + Medal of Distinction + Certificate of Distinction + | 4,680 |
| 26th and above | Merit certificate | All |
Awards for Level 1 performance
| Zonal level | ||
| Rank | Awards | Number of awards |
| 1 to 25 | Medal of Distinction + Certificate of Distinction | 7,800 |
| 26 and above | 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 International level
| International level | ||
| Category | Awards | Number of awards |
| Best Principal | INR 25,000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 20 |
| Best Teacher | INR 10,000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 10 |
Awards at Zonal level
| Zonal level | ||
| Category | Awards | Number of awards |
| Best Principal | INR 10,000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 130 |
| Best Teacher | INR 5,000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 78 |
Awards at District level
| District level | ||
| Category | Awards | Number of awards |
| Best Principal | INR 2,500 Each + Citation + Trophy | 500 |
| Best Teacher | INR 1,000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 400 |
NSO 2023-24 – 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 Level 1 exam are usually declared during the last week of December. Similarly, the results of Level 2 exam are usually declared in the month of March. It must also be noted that these are tentative dates and the exact dates will be decided by SOF each year.
NSO 2023-24 – 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 upon. 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 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 2023-24 – Contact information
In case any queries still remain, students can get in touch directly with the SOF in any of the following ways:
- Address: 1st Floor, Plot no. 99, Sector – 44, Gurgaon (Haryana) India. Pin- 122003
- 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