The National Science Olympiad (NSO) is an annual competitive exam in India that aims to identify and nurture young talents. It is conducted by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF), a non-profit organisation based in New Delhi.
The NSO Exam is open for students of Class 1 to 12 and assesses their knowledge and aptitude in various areas of science, including Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Quantitative Aptitude. The exam is a multiple-choice test with a duration of one hour, and the questions are designed to test the students' understanding, application, and analytical skills.
Through NSO, students get ranks at School, Region, National & International level. The top-performing students at each level are awarded medals, certificates, and prizes. The exam aims to motivate kids to take an interest in science and develop important life skills such as problem-solving and time management along with subject awareness. It also provides a platform for kids to compete with their peers and showcase their knowledge and skills in science.
As NSO Olympiad serves as a great platform to help kids gain confidence in the subject who enjoy studying science, get hands-on experience of the concepts and are always in search to find magic behind the subject. NSO opens up ways to boost critical thinking skills in kids and the ability to solve problems in a unique way. With NSO, kids get to explore different fields of science at once and IHS Live Online Olympiad Classes by ALLEN IntelliBrain help keen learners achieve great results in NSO.
| Event | NSO Exam Date |
|---|---|
| NSO Level-1 Exam Date | October 17, November 21, and December 5, 2023 |
| NSO Exam Level-1 Answer Key | Last week of Dec, 2023 (Tentative) |
| NSO Exam Level-1 Result | 2nd week of January 2024 (Tentative) |
| NSO Exam Level-2 Date | 1st week of March 2023 (Tentative) |
| NSO Exam Result | Last week of March 2023 (Tentative) |
The eligibility criteria for the NSO exam 2023 is as follows:
Student Registration for the National Science Olympiad (NSO) is typically done through schools. Schools that are not yet registered can request a prospectus by emailing info@sofworld.org. The following are the general steps for registering for the National Olympiad 2023:
The National Science Olympiad (NSO) exam pattern is based on the multiple-choice question (MCQ) format and may also include diagrams, graphs, and charts. The NSO Olympiad is conducted in two levels - Level 1 and Level 2.
The NSO Level 1 exam consists of 35 multiple-choice questions with a duration of one hour. The question paper is divided into three sections - Logical Reasoning, Science, and Achievers Section -
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks/Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Section 2: Science | 25 | 1 | 25 |
| Section 3: Achievers Section | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| Grand Total | 35 | 40 |
The NSO Level 1 exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions with a duration of one hour. The question paper is divided into three sections - Logical Reasoning, Science, and Achievers Section -
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks/Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Section 2: Science | 35 | 1 | 35 |
| Section 3: Achievers Section | 5 | 3 | 15 |
| Grand Total | 50 | 60 |
The NSO Level 1 exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions with a duration of one hour. The question paper is divided into three sections - Physics & Chemistry, Mathematics/Biology and Achievers Section -
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks/Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1: Physics & Chemistry | 25 | 1 | 25 |
| Section 2: Mathematics/Biology | 5 | 3 | 15 |
| Section 3: Achievers Section | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| Grand Total | 50 | 60 |
Note: There is one mark awarded to each correct answer, and incorrect answers do not get a negative mark.
Students who achieve the top 5% scores in their respective classes on the first level of the NSO exam, as well as the top 10 students in each class and the top-scoring students in participating schools where at least 10 students from a class achieve a qualifying score of 75%, are eligible to advance to the second level of the NSO Exam 2023.
| Class | Topic/Section | Number of questions | Marks per question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd to 4th | Science | 30 | 1 | 30 |
| Achievers Section | 5 | 2 | 10 | |
| Grand Total | 35 | 40 | ||
| 5th to 10th | Science | 45 | 1 | 45 |
| Achievers Section | 5 | 3 | 15 | |
| Grand Total | 50 | 60 | ||
| 11th & 12th | Physics & Chemistry | 25 | 1 | 25 |
| Achievers Section | 5 | 3 | 15 | |
| Mathematics/Biology | 20 | 1 | 20 | |
| Grand Total | 50 | 60 |
Note:
It is important to note that the exam pattern may vary depending on the year and region. Hence, it is recommended to visit the official Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) website for the latest updates on the NSO exam pattern.
The syllabus for the National Science Olympiad (NSO 2023) is based on the curriculum of the respective class the student is in. It is generally based on the CBSE, ICSE, and various state boards' curricula, and it is divided into sections for different classes. The NSO exam is conducted for students of Classes 1-12, and here are some of the general topics covered in the NSO exam syllabus 2023. However, while preparing for Olympiads, updated syllabus should be double checked from SOF Website or School authorities.
| Class-wise Syllabus | Topics included |
|---|---|
| Classes 1 to 4 |
|
| Class-wise Syllabus | Subject | Topics included |
|---|---|---|
| Classes 5 to 10 | Physics | Motion and Force, Work and Energy, Sound, Light, Electricity and Magnetism, and Heat |
| Chemistry | Elements and Compounds, Metals and Non-metals, Acids, Bases and Salts, and Fiber and Plastics | |
| Biology | Plants and Animals, Cell and Tissues, Nutrition and Respiration, Reproduction and Heredity, and Our Environment |
| Class-wise Syllabus | Subject | Topics included |
|---|---|---|
| Classes 11 to 12 | Physics | Measurements and Errors, Motion in a Straight Line, Motion in a Plane, Laws of Motion, Work, Energy and Power, System of Particles and Rotational Motion, Gravitation, Properties of Bulk Matter, Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory of Gases, Oscillations and Waves, Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Magnetic Effects of Current, Magnetism and Matter, Electromagnetic Induction, Alternating Current, Electromagnetic Waves, Wave Optics, Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation and Ray Optics and Optical Instruments. |
| Chemistry | Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry, Redox Reactions, Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties,Equilibrium, Thermodynamics, Structure of Atom, Hydrogen, s-Block Elements, p-Block Elements, Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure, States of Matter: Gases and Liquids, Organic Chemistry: Some Basic Principles and Techniques, Hydrocarbons, Environmental Chemistry, Solid State, Solutions, Electrochemistry, Chemical Kinetics, Surface Chemistry, General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Elements, p-Block Elements, d and f Block Elements, Coordination Compounds, Haloalkanes and Haloarenes, Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers, Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids, Organic Compounds containing Nitrogen, Biomolecules, Polymers, and Chemistry in Everyday Life | |
| Biology | Diversity in Living World, Structural Organisation in Animals and Plants, Cell: Structure and Functions, Plant Physiology, Human Physiology, Reproduction, Genetics and Evolution, Biology and Human Welfare, Biotechnology and Its Applications, Ecology and Environment | |
| Logical Reasoning | Sets, Relations and Functions, Principle of Mathematical Induction, Matrices and Determinants, Inverse Trigonometric Functions, Logarithms, Complex Numbers & Quadratic Equations, Linear Inequations, Sequences and Series, Trigonometry, Straight Lines, Conic Sections, Permutations and Combinations, Binomial Theorem, Statistics, Mathematical Reasoning, Limits and Derivatives, Probability, Continuity and Differentiability, Introduction to 3-D Geometry, Application of Derivatives, Integrals, Application of Integrals, Differential Equations, Vector Algebra, Three Dimensional Geometry, Probability, Linear Programming. |
The syllabus is designed to be comprehensive and test the students' understanding of fundamental concepts in science. It is recommended that the students go through their school & reference textbooks and practice sample papers or previous year question papers to prepare for the NSO Exam 2023.
The first step to preparing for the NSO exam is to have a thorough understanding of the school syllabus. As the NSO exam syllabus is based on the school curriculum, it's essential to know the concepts and topics covered in the school textbooks. You can also refer to the NSO syllabus available on the official Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) website to ensure you don't miss any important topics.
It's important to choose the right study material to prepare for the NSO exam. You can refer to textbooks, NSO olympiad workbook, and study material specifically designed for the NSO exam. ALLEN Skool Plus Workbooks are designed to provide the correct support to kids for NSO, which contain, a theoretical description of concepts, real-life examples & a number of practice questions to gain the accuracy & utmost speed for the exam.
Time management is crucial while preparing for the NSO exam. You need to divide your time equally among all the subjects and topics and allocate more time to the topics you find challenging. Make a study plan and set daily, weekly, and monthly goals to keep yourself on track. Also, don't forget to take breaks in between study sessions to avoid burnout.
Mock tests are an excellent way to assess your preparation for the NSO exam. Take as many mock tests as possible to understand the exam pattern and boost your confidence for the challenge. Mock tests also help you identify your weak areas, and you can work on improving them. You can also analyse your performance and work on time management and accuracy.
Every Year the National Science Olympiad (NSO) is conducted after the Mid-term break. Hence, students can best utilize the time to get fully prepared for the exam. ALLEN IHS Olympiad Classes not only help kids get better prepared for the Olympiad exam but also guide them on exam patterns, syllabus & registration details. Strengthen preparation for NSO & Other Science Olympiads with these leading Olympiad preparation classes for Grades 1 to 5.
The NSO exam is conducted by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF), which is a non-profit organisation based in New Delhi.
There are many books available in the market that are designed specifically for olympiad preparation and can help you prepare for the NSO Olympiad exam. The Skool Plus workbook by ALLEN IntelliBrain is a good set of resources to prepare for the NSO Olympiad exam for kids in grades 1 to 8. It contains crisp theories and a number of practice questions that help to gain a thorough understanding of the concepts and improves knowledge retention.
