National Science Olympiad (NSO)
NSO or the National Science Olympiad is a competitive exam conducted each year for school students. The Olympiad helps them to judge their academic progress by giving them the chance of competing with students from all over the country. The students participating in the Olympiad are ranked on the basis of marks obtained in it. Based on these marks, the students can judge themselves within school, at city level, at zonal level and at international level. The participating students also receive a Student Performance Report (SPR) that helps them get a detailed performance comparison.
If you are looking for comprehensive information on NSO, then this is the right place to be. In this article, we will talk in detail about its eligibility, key dates, application procedure, results and awards.
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NSO aims to cultivate scientific reasoning and logical ability among the students. Before the in-depth discussion about NSO, let’s discuss in brief about its various aspects. The table below gives a brief overview of the NSO and throws light on the objectives, awards, key dates and application process.
| Sr. No. | Particulars | Details |
| 1 | Objective | To help students assess their academic growth |
| 2 | Provider | Science Olympiad Foundation |
| 3 | Eligibility | Class 1 to 12 students |
| 4 | Application process | Through respective schools |
| 5 | Exam dates | Level 1 exam: November Level 2 exam: February |
| 6 | Awards | Up to INR 50,000 + Gold medal + Performance certificate |
The NSO 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.
The students interested in applying for the NSO must be aware of the various key dates so as to avoid missing the deadlines. The table below highlights all the key dates relevant to the Olympiad.
| Sr. No. | Event | Key dates* |
| 1. | Application deadline | 30 days before the exam date |
| 2. | Level 1 exam | November |
| 3. | Level 1 result | December |
| 4. | Level 2 exam | February |
| 5. | Level 2 result | March |
*The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change as per the discretion of SOF.
The NSO is primarily for school students who want to assess their scientific and academic aptitude. The Olympiad takes place in two levels, Level 1 and Level 2.
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.
Only the students who perform well in Level 1 exam will be shortlisted for Level 2. The following students will be eligible:
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.
The students of class 1 to 12 can apply for NSO through their respective schools. One can follow the below steps to apply-
Applicants must note that they also need to pay a registration fee for applying for NSO. The fee is in the following manner-
As discussed earlier, NSO has two levels of examination: Level 1 and Level 2.
The Level 1 exam takes place tentatively in the month of November. The 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:
Students performing well in Level 1 appear for Level 2 exam. However, only class 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:
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.
Top performing students will receive various awards depending on the ranks they achieve. The tables below discuss the various awards for students participating in the Olympiad.
| 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 |
| Zonal level | ||
| Rank | Awards | Number of awards |
| 1st | INR 5000 Each + Gold Medal + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 240 |
| 2nd | INR 2500 Each + Silver Medal + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 240 |
| 3rd | INR 1000 Each + Bronze Medal + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 240 |
| 4th to 10th | Gifts worth INR 1000 Each + Medal of Distinction + Certificate of Distinction + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 1680 |
| 11th to 20th | Certificate of Zonal Excellence + Medal of Distinction + Certificate of Distinction + | 3600 |
| 26th and above | Merit certificate | All |
| Zonal level | ||
| Rank | Awards | Number of awards |
| 1 to 25 | Medal of Distinction + Certificate of Distinction | 240 |
| 26 and above | Participation Certificate | All |
There are awards for various top performing schools too. The tables below discuss the various awards for schools participating in the Olympiad.
| International level | ||
| Category | Awards | Number of awards |
| Best Principal | INR 25000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 10 |
| Best Teacher | INR 10000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 10 |
| Zonal level | ||
| Category | Awards | Number of awards |
| Best Principal | INR 10000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 100 |
| Best Teacher | INR 5000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 60 |
| District level | ||
| Category | Awards | Number of awards |
| Best Principal | INR 2500 Each + Citation + Trophy | 500 |
| Best Teacher | INR 1000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 500 |
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.
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:
If students still have any doubts, they can look below for various frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Q. I am a Class 9th student. Am I eligible for NSO?
A. Yes. NSO is open to students of class 1 to 12. The exam takes place on two levels. High performing students in Level 1 exam are eligible for Level 2 exam.
Q. What is the syllabus for Olympiads?
A. Olympiads are designed on the basis of the syllabus prescribed by the CBSE, ICSE and various state boards. One can find the exact details of the syllabus on the website of SOF.
Q. Should the participants refer to any particular books for NSO preparation?
A. NCERT books/course books prescribed by the CBSE/ICSE/state boards can be referred for preparation. Also, the following can be consulted:
Q. I have already appeared for the Olympiads while I was in a lower class? Can I appear again?
A. Yes. Students can re-appear for the Olympiad to improve their previous rankings.
Q. I am going to write the Olympiads for the first time. Can I get sample papers?
A. SOF sends sample papers to all the registered schools. In case, the school couldn’t provide the papers to students, they can also access the same on the website of SOF.
Q. When are the results of Olympiads declared?
A. The results are usually declared within 8 weeks of the examination. The same can be found on the SOF website or can be accessed through the respective schools.
Q. Can students take NSO in any other language too?
A. No. English is the only medium for NSO exam.
In case any queries still remain, students can get in touch directly with the SOF in any of the following ways:
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