National Science Olympiad

National Science Olympiad 2024

Science Olympiads, such as the National Science Olympiad (NSO), play a significant role in a student's life by providing various benefits and opportunities for growth. Students can enhance their knowledge and understanding of science by participating in these competitions. The National Science Olympiad (SOF NSO), organized by SOF annually, assesses students' natural aptitudes and science abilities from 1st to 12th grade. NSO is a two-level exam, and upon qualifying for level 1, students must attempt Level 2 to earn merit rank and rewards. The SOF NSO is conducted on three dates for Level 1. Students develop confidence in their abilities by challenging themselves with difficult questions and exploring different aspects of science. If you are also keen to know about the opportunities you will get after participating in the National Science Olympiad, this article provides all the details about the NSO exam.

1.0What is the National Science Olympiad?

The NSO is a science competition for students in grades 1 to 12. It is held by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF). During the National Tournament, students visit different universities. This exposure helps students consider potential colleges for their undergraduate studies, creates memorable experiences, and broadens their horizons. The NSO recognizes outstanding achievement in science education by awarding students medals and trophies.

The SOF NSO Level 1 is conducted on three separate dates, allowing schools to choose the most suitable date for administering the exam. Each exam date features a distinct question paper.

Highlights of National Science Olympiad 2024

Exam Organizing Body	Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF)
Eligibility	Students from classes 1 - 12, enrolled in a school recognized by SOF are eligible for NSO
Exam Level	Intermediate
Application Process	Via Respective School Authorities
Exam Dates	Level 1 Exam Date 1: 18^th October, 2024 Level 1 Exam Date 2: 12^th November, 2024 Level 1 Exam Date 3: 3^rd December, 2024
Exam Mode	Offline
Fee of registration	₹ 125
Frequency of Conduct	Once a year
Objective	To identify & foster passion for Science
Languages	English
Duration	1 hour

2.0National Science Olympiad Exam Dates

The officials have declared the exam dates for the 2024-25 session, which is scheduled to be held in October, November, and December 2024. Below is a table containing the exam dates of all the NSO Olympiad Events.

NSO Olympiad Exam Dates
Name of Event	Date of Event
NSO First Exam Date for Level 1 (Class 1 to 12)	18th October 2024
NSO Second Exam Date for Level 1 (Class 1 to 12)	12th November 2024 and 3rd December 2024
NSO Third Exam Date for Level 1 (Class 1 to 12)	3rd December 2024
NSO Level 2 Examination Day (Class 3 to 12)	Will be announced in Jan 2025
Hall Ticket Release date	Two weeks before the exam
NSO Result Date	Within 8 weeks of the examination

3.0National Science Olympiad Syllabus

The NSO syllabus is carefully crafted to encompass topics in science and mathematics that align with the CBSE, ICSE, and other state board curriculum. It aims to evaluate students' grasp of fundamental scientific concepts and their ability to apply them effectively. You can check the syllabus for the National Science Olympiad 2024 here:

Class	Section	Details
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 1	Section – 1: Logical Reasoning	Patterns, Odd One Out, Measuring Units, Geometrical Shapes, Spatial Understanding, Grouping, Analogy, Ranking Test, Problems based on Figures.
	Section – 2: Science	Living and Non-living Things, Plants, Animals, Human Beings and Their Needs, Good Habits and Safety Rules, Air and Water, Weather and The Sky.
	Section – 3: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 2.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 2	Section – 1: Logical Reasoning	Patterns, Odd One Out, Measuring Units, Geometrical Shapes, Analogy, Ranking Test, Grouping of Figures, Embedded Figures, Coding-Decoding.
	Section – 2: Science	Plants, Animals, the Human Body, Food, Housing and Clothing, Family and Festivals, Good Habits and Safety Rules, Transport and Communication, Air, Water, rocks, Earth and the Universe.
	Section – 3: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 2.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 3	Section – 1: Logical Reasoning	Patterns, Analogy and Classification, Alphabet Test, Coding-Decoding, Ranking Test, Grouping of Figures and Figure Matrix, Mirror Images, Geometrical Shapes, Embedded Figures, Possible Combinations, Clock and Calendar.
	Section – 2: Science	Plants and Animals, Birds, Food, Housing, Clothing and Occupation, Transport, Communication and Safety Rules, Human Body, Earth and Universe, Matter and Materials, Light, Sound and Force, Our Environment.
	Section – 3: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 2.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 4	Section – 1: Logical Reasoning	Patterns, Alphabet Test, Coding-Decoding, Ranking Test, Mirror Images, Geometrical Shapes and Solids, Embedded Figures, Direction Sense Test, Possible Combinations, Analogy and Classification, Clock and Calendar.
	Section – 2: Science	Plants, Animals, Food and Digestion, Human Needs, Matter and Materials, Force, Work and Energy, Our Environment, Earth and Universe.
	Section – 3: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 2.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 5	Section – 1: Logical Reasoning	Patterns, Analogy and Classification, Geometrical Shapes, Mirror and Water Images, Direction Sense Test, Ranking Test, Alphabet Test, Logical Sequence of Words, Puzzle Test, Coding-Decoding, Clock and Calendar.
	Section – 2: Science	Animals, Human Body and Health, Plants, Natural Resources and Indian Heritage, Pollution and Calamities, Earth and Universe, Matter and Materials, Force and Energy.
	Section – 3: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 2.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 6	Section – 1: Logical Reasoning	Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
	Section – 2: Science	Motion and Measurement of Distances, Light, Shadows and Reflections, Electricity and Circuits, Fun with Magnets, Air Around Us, Sorting Materials into Groups, Separation of Substances, The World of Living (Characteristics of Living Beings, Parts of Plants, Body Movements in Animals and Adaptation), Components of Food.
	Section – 3: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 2.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 7	Section – 1: Logical Reasoning	Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
	Section – 2: Science	Heat, Motion, and Time; Electric Current and its Effects; light, Acids, Bases, and Salts; physical and Chemical Changes; nutrition in Plants and Animals; respiration in Organisms; transportation in Plants and Animals; reproduction in Plants; and Natural Resources and Their Conservation (Forests: Our Lifeline, Wastewater Story).
	Section – 3: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 2.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 8	Section – 1: Logical Reasoning	Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
	Section – 2: Science	Crop Production and Management, Microorganisms, Coal and Petroleum, Combustion and Flame, Conservation of Plants and Animals, Reproduction and Endocrine System, Friction, Force and Pressure, Sound, Chemical Effects of Electric Current, Light Some Natural Phenomena.
	Section – 3: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 2.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 9	Section – 1: Logical Reasoning	Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
	Section – 2: Science	Motion, Force and Laws of Motion, Gravitation, Work and Energy, Sound, Matter in Our Surroundings, Is Matter Around Us Pure, Atoms and Molecules, Structure of Atom, Cell-The Fundamental Unit of Life, Tissues, Natural Resources, Improvement in Food Resources.
	Section – 3: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 2.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 10	Section – 1: Logical Reasoning	Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
	Section – 2: Science	Chemical Reactions and Equations, Acids, Bases and Salts, Metals and Non-metals, Carbon and Its Compounds, Life Processes, Control and Coordination, Reproduction in Organisms, Heredity, Light-Reflection and Refraction, Electricity, Human Eye and the Colourful World, Magnetic Effects of Electric Current, and Our Environment and Its Management.
	Section – 3: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 2.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 11	Section – 1: Physics & Chemistry	Physics: Units and Measurements, Mechanics, Properties of Matter, Heat and Thermodynamics, Oscillations, Waves. Chemistry: Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry, Structure of Atoms, Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties, Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure, Equilibrium, Thermodynamics, Organic and redox Reactions. Chemistry - Some Basic Principles and Techniques, Hydrocarbons.
	Section – 2: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 1.
	Section – 3: Mathematics/Biology	Diversity in the Living World, Structural Organisation in Plants and Animals, Cell: Structure and Functions, Plant Physiology, Human Physiology.
		Diversity in the Living World, Structural Organisation in Plants and Animals, Cell: Structure and Functions, Plant Physiology, Human Physiology.
SOF NSO SYLLABUS CLASS 12	Section – 1: Physics & Chemistry	Physics: Electricity and Magnetism, Electromagnetic Induction, Alternating current, Electromagnetic waves, Optics, Modern Physics, Semiconductor Electronics. Chemistry: Solutions, Electrochemistry, Chemical Kinetics, The d- and f-Block Elements, Haloalkanes and Haloarenes, Coordination Compounds, Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids, Aldehydes, Amines, Biomolecules.
	Section – 2: Achievers Section	Higher Order Thinking Questions - Syllabus as per Section – 1.
	Section – 3: Mathematics/Biology	Relations and Functions, Inverse Trigonometric Functions, Matrices and Determinants, Application of Derivatives, Integrals, Differential Equations, Vector Algebra, Continuity and Differentiability, Three-Dimensional Geometry, Probability, Linear Programming. OR Reproduction, Genetics and Evolution, Biology in Human Welfare, Biotechnology, Ecology.

4.0NSO 2024 Eligibility Criteria

The NSO exam welcomes students from grades 1 to 12. Eligibility requirements may change depending on the exam's level. For instance, to qualify for the level 2 exam, the class topper must compete against at least 10 students and achieve a minimum of 50% qualifying marks.

5.0National Science Olympiad Registration

Application Process for the SOF National Science Olympiad is as follows:

Schools in India typically facilitate the application process for the SOF International Mathematics Olympiad.
Schools registered with SOF receive a prospectus containing registration forms.
Schools not registered with SOF can request a prospectus by contacting the organization.
The coordinating teacher at each school fills out a School Registration Form (SRF) and Students' Registration Sheet.
Completed forms must be submitted to SOF before the specified deadline.

National Science Olympiad Fees Structure:

The registration fee is ₹125 (including GST) per student for schools in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.
For other countries, the fee is US$9.
Schools in India can add ₹25 per student for administrative costs and teacher support.
Students with significant disabilities or those whose parents were martyred in defense operations are exempt from fees.

6.0Exam Pattern of National Science Olympiad India

The Science Olympiad Foundation determines NSO exam patterns. Familiarity with the exam pattern is crucial to preparing effectively. Exam patterns include the number of questions per section, the question paper pattern, and the marking scheme.

The SOF National Science Olympiad is conducted at two levels:

Exam Pattern for Level 1:

Held in participants' schools during school hours.
Objective test: 35 questions for grades 1-4, 50 for grades 5-12, lasting 60 minutes.
The questions are divided into sections: Logical Reasoning, Science, and Achievers Section for grades 1-10; Physics/Chemistry, Achievers Section, and Mathematics/Biology for grades 11-12.
Separate English papers for each exam date are based on CBSE, ICSE/ISC, and State Board syllabi.

Level 2 Exam Pattern: For grades 3-12, qualifiers include:

Top 5% from each class in Level 1, with section-wise weightage to break ties.
Top 25 class and zone-wise rank holders.
Class toppers with at least 10 participants from the class and 50% marks; section-wise top rankers may qualify for Level 2.

7.0National Science Olympiad Results

The NSO results are usually declared within 8 weeks after the examination. They have been sent to the relevant schools. Students can check their results using their roll number on SOF's official website (sofworld.org/).

The NSO has released the result of level 2nd on the official website; candidates can check it using the given procedure.

8.0National Science Olympiad Winners: Awards and Recognition

The National Science Olympiad (NSO) incentivizes students through awards and certificates to cultivate a strong foundation in science education. These acknowledgements serves a dual purpose: motivating students and promoting a culture of scientific excellence. Details of awards at diverse levels are as follows:

Funding: Over Rs. 24 crores spent on awards, scholarships, and gifts in 2023-24.
Participants: Includes competitors from over 35 countries as of 2021.

Awards for SOF National Science Olympiad 2024-25

Award Distribution:

International & Zonal Levels (Class 3-12): Awards for 2nd level winners.
Classes 1 & 2: Awards for 1st level winners; each winner is eligible for one award, with the highest level of achievement recognized.

International Level Awards:

1st: Rs.50,000, Gold Medal, Certificate of Outstanding Performance (12 awardees)
2nd: Rs.25,000, Silver Medal, Certificate (12 awardees)
3rd: Rs.10,000, Bronze Medal, Certificate (12 awardees)

Note: Equal division of awards for up to 10 rank holders; gift packages for 11+ rank holders.

Zonal Level Awards:

1st: Rs.5,000, Gold Medal, Certificate of Zonal Excellence (312 awardees)
2nd: Rs.2,500, Silver Medal, Certificate (312 awardees)
3rd: Rs.1,000, Bronze Medal, Certificate (312 awardees)
4th-10th: Gifts worth Rs.500, Certificate (2184 awardees)
11th-25th: Certificate of Zonal Excellence (4680 awardees)
26th+: Merit Certificate (All eligible)

Note: Awards are equally divided among up to 5 rank holders; gift packages for 6+ rank holders.

School Level Awards:

Medals for class toppers.
Distinction Medals and Certificates for top performers.
All participants receive a Student Performance Report and a Participation or Merit Certificate based on their level.

Student Performance Report (SPR):

Detailed student performance analysis, including school, city, zone, and international ranks.
Year-wise and topic-wise performance reviews.
Comparative score analysis across different levels.

9.0Benefits of the National Science Olympiad Competition

Here are the main reasons why a student should appear for the National Science Olympiad:

Enhanced scientific understanding and knowledge: Participating in the NSO exposes students to various scientific concepts and challenges them to apply their knowledge effectively.
Improved reasoning and problem-solving skills: By regularly practising for the NSO, students sharpen their reasoning abilities, develop logical thinking skills, and become more adept at tackling challenging scientific problems.
Recognition and awards for outstanding performance: Students who achieve top ranks in the NSO receive certificates, medals, and other accolades, which not only recognize their hard work but also serve as a testament to their scientific aptitude and dedication.
Performance analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses: The NSO provides participants with a detailed performance analysis through the Student Performance Report (SPR) that offers valuable insights into a student's performance, identifying areas of strength and areas that require improvement.
Opportunities for further academic and career advancement: Excelling in the NSO can open doors to various student opportunities. Top performers may receive cash awards, scholarships, or direct university admissions.

Frequently Asked Questions:

The SOF (Science Olympiad Foundation) will conduct the National Science Olympiad (NSO) for students in grades 1–12 on 18th October, 12th November and 3rd December 2024.

NSO results will be released 8 weeks after the exam and sent to the participating schools.

Participants should primarily use NCERT books or course books recommended by the CBSE/ICSE/State Boards. Additional resources include: MTG Class wise Workbooks (for Class 1 to 12). ‘SOF Olympiad Trainer’ Mobile Apps. Olympiad Skill Development System (OSDS). And, Previous Years’ Papers

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