The Science Olympiad program follows the following 5 stages:
- Stage I: National Standard Examinations (NSE)
- Stage II: Indian National Olympiad (INO)
- Stage III: Orientation cum Selection Camp (OCSC)
- Stage IV: Pre-departure Training Camp (PDT)
- Stage V: Participation in International Olympiad (IO)
Past Papers Download :
NSEB (Stage – I)
INO (Stage -II)
Stage I: National Standard Examinations (NSE)
in physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy and junior science: NSEP, NSEC, NSEB, NSEA and NSEJS respectively.
The syllabus for NSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics is broadly equivalent to the senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE.
The syllabus for NSEA is broadly equivalent to senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE. There will be greater emphasis on physics, mathematics and elementary astronomy.
The syllabus for NSEJS is broadly equivalent to secondary school level (up to and including Class X) of CBSE. All the basic subjects of science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) and Mathematics may have roughly equal
Stage II: Indian National Olympiad Examinations
Indian National Olympiads for Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Junior Science and Physics (INAO/INBO/INChO/INJSO/INPhO) are organized by HBCSE (Homi Bhabha Centre For Science Education). As far as possible the National Olympiads in different subjects are held on separate days/times so that a student who is eligible to appear for more than one subject can do so.
Eligibility for Stage II:
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. Hence the selection for the Stage II examinations, i.e., Indian National Olympiad Examinations (INOs) is based on the following scheme.
(a) Eligibility Clause: To be eligible for the Stage II INO exam leading to the International Olympiad, a candidate must secure a score equal to or greater than a Minimum Admissible Score (MAS). 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.
(b) Merit Index Clause: There will be a high score called the Merit Index (MI) associated with each subject in Olympiads. 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. For example, if the average of top ten scores in a certain subject is 92, then 80% of this is 73.6. Then the MI in that subject will be 73. All candidates with a score equal to or above 73 in that subject will automatically qualify for INO stage II.
(c) Proportional Representation Clause: Students from all States and UTs need to be encouraged to appear for the first stage examination and a nationwide representation for INO Stage II is desirable. The quota for each State/UT used in National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) 2013-14, a nationwide competitive examination will be used
as the baseline for calculating the number of students qualifying for Stage II INO in every subject from centres in that State or UT. Suppose the NTSE quota is S for a State, and the total for all States and UTs is T, then the total number of students to be selected to INO Stage II from that State would be S/T times 300, rounded off to the nearest higher integer. This number will include those selected on the basis of the Merit Index. In the event of tie at the last position in the list, all students with same marks at this position will qualify to appear for the INO Stage II examination. The selected students must nevertheless satisfy the eligibility clause. The number to be selected from all the centres in each State or UT will be displayed on the IAPT and HBCSE websites.
(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 one, provided that the eligibility clause is satisfied.
The above criteria are illustrated with the following examples:
(i). Let the quota on the basis of the Proportional Representation Clause (c) for a State S1 be 20. Suppose the number of students satisfying the Merit Index Clause (b) in a subject is 10. These 10 students will qualify for the second stage INO exam in the given subject and an additional 10 students from the State S1 in the given subject will be selected merit-wise, provided they satisfy the Eligibility Clause (a).
(ii). Let the quota on the basis of the Proportional Representation Clause (c) for a State S1 be 20. Suppose the number of students 7satisfying the Merit Index Clause (b) in a subject is 30. In this case, all 30 students will qualify for the second stage INO exam in the given subject, and there will be no further selection from the State S1.
(e) Previous International Representation Clause: Candidates who have represented India in the International Olympiad on a previous occasion (IOAA, IBO, IChO, IJSO and IPhO) need not appear for the first stage NSE examination in the respective subject. Candidates who have represented India in the Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO)
and the International Astronomy Olympiad Junior (IAO-Jr) need not appear for the 1st stage NSEP and NSEA Examinations respectively. Those candidates who thus qualify to skip the first stage NSEs may be allowed, on written request, to the respective National Coordinator, to directly appear for the second stage Indian National Olympiad (INO) examination, provided they satisfy other eligibility criteria such as age, pre-college status, etc.
(f) Minimum Total Number Clause: In each subject, after all the above criteria have been applied, it is possible that the target number of 300 students to be selected for INO is not reached (due to non-availability of enough number of students in some states who satisfy Eligibility Clause (a)). In such an event, additional students will be selected purely merit-wise, provided Eligibility Clause (a) is satisfied, till the target number of 300 is reached. Other clauses will not apply for these students. In case of a tie at the last position, all students with the same marks at this position will qualify to appear for the INO Stage II examination.
There is no other criterion or provision for selection to the Indian National Olympiad Examinations (INOs).
The syllabus for INO is broadly equivalent to the NSEs exam in respective subjects.Questions and problems in National Olympiads while circumscribed by the above mentioned CBSE syllabus are usually non-conventional and of high difficulty level, and comparable to the International Olympiads.
Stage III: Orientation Cum Selection Camps (OCSC)
On the basis of performance in the Indian National Olympiads students are selected in each subject for the Orientation Cum Selection Camp (OCSC) in that subject. The number of students to be selected in each subject are announced before the INO Examinations.
Biology, Chemistry and Physics
The selected group of students in different subjects will be invited to the Orientation Cum Selection Camps at HBCSE. These camps are typically of two to three weeks duration in each subject. The camps include several theoretical and experimental tests. Orientation is provided to students especially for the experimental tests. A camp concludes with a valedictory function where distinguished scientists are invited to speak to the students. On the basis of their performance in OCSC the top 5 students in Physics, top 4 in Chemistry and top 4 in Biology will be declared to be special merit awardees. These special merit awardees are given a prize each in the form of books and cash. In addition there will be special prizes in each subject to recognize meritorious performance in theory and experiments. The 5 special merit awardees in Physics constitute the 5-member student team to represent India at the International Physics Olympiad. The 4 special merit awardees in Chemistry constitute the 4-member student team to represent India at the International Chemistry Olympiad. The 4 special merit awardees in Biology constitute the 4-member student team to represent India at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO).
Stage IV: Training of Indian teams for International Olympiads at HBCSE
The selected Indian teams undergo a rigorous training programme at HBCSE in theory and experiment and in case of astronomy, observational astronomy. Special laboratories have been developed in HBCSE for this purpose. Resource persons from different institutions across the country are invited to the training camps. As per International Olympiad statutes, the training in Chemistry and Biology is limited to two weeks duration. In Physics the training may be longer.
Stage V: Participation in International Olympiads
A team of 5 students in physics and of 4 students in chemistry and biology along with 2 teacher leaders represents India in International Olympiads of respective subject.