The National Science Olympiad (NSO) is a yearly competitive exam conducted for school students.
Organized by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF), this exam aims at cultivating scientific reasoning and logical ability among the students through a rigorous test.
The Science Olympiad Foundation primarily instills scientific curiosity and vigour in young students through competitive exams.
Here’s some more information on NSO.
Here’s a list of competitive exams you can participate in.
Syllabus for NSO
Class 10
Logical Reasoning
- Verbal and Nonverbal Reasoning
Science
- Chemical Reactions and Equations
- Acids, Bases and Salts
- Metals and Nonmetals
- Carbon and its Compounds
- Periodic Classification of Elements
- Life Processes
- Reproduction in Organisms
- Heredity and Evolution
- Light: Reflection and Refraction
- Human Eye and Colourful World
- Electricity
- Magnetic Effects of Electric Current
- Sources of Energy
- Our Environment and its Management
Class 11
Physics
- Units and Measurements
- Mechanics
- Properties of Matter
- Heat and Thermodynamics
- Oscillations
- Waves
Chemistry
- Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
- Structure of Atom
- Classification of Elements and Periodicity in
- Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
- States of Matter
- Thermodynamics
- Equilibrium
- Redox Reactions
- Hydrogen
- The s-Block Elements
- The p-Block Elements (Groups 13 and 14)
- Organic Chemistry - Some Basic Principles and Techniques
- Hydrocarbons
- Environmental Chemistry
Mathematics
- Sets, Relations and Functions
- Principle of Mathematical Induction
- Logarithms
- Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations
- Linear Inequations
- Sequences and Series
- Trigonometry
- Straight Lines
- Conic Sections
- Permutations and Combinations
- Binomial Theorem
- Statistics
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Limits and Derivatives
- Probability
OR
Biology
- Reproduction
- Genetics and Evolution
- Biology in Human Welfare
- Biotechnology
- Ecology
Class 12
Physics
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Electromagnetic Induction
- Alternating Current
- Electromagnetic Waves
- Optics
- Modern Physics
- Semiconductor Electronics
- Communication Systems
Chemistry
- Solid State
- Solutions
- Electrochemistry
- Chemical Kinetics
- Surface Chemistry
- General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Elements
- p-Block Elements (Group 15 to 18)
- d- and f-Block Elements
- Coordination Compounds
- Haloalkanes and Haloarenes
- Alcohols
- Phenols and Ethers
- Aldehydes
- Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
- Amines
- Biomolecules
- Polymers
- Chemistry in Everyday Life
Mathematics
- Relations and Functions
- Inverse Trigonometric Functions
- Matrices and Determinants
- Continuity and Differentiability
- Application of Derivatives
- Integrals
- Application of Integrals
- Differential Equations
- Vector Algebra
- Three-dimensional Geometry
- Probability
- Linear Programming
OR
Biology
- Reproduction
- Genetics and Evolution
- Biology in Human Welfare
- Biotechnology
- Ecology
Here’s the entire syllabus for Classes 1 to 12.
Here are the dates for NSO 2018:
How to apply
Eligibility Criteria for NSO
-
Class:
You need to be a student in Classes 1 to 12 to be eligible for this exam.
-
Boards:
You must be a student of SSC, ICSE or CBSE boards.
-
Qualifying for second level examination:
The top 5% of students (class-wise) who appear for the first level exam.
The top 25 rank holders state-wise.
Class toppers from each participating school; where at least 10 students participate and score a minimum of 50%.
-
Year of attempt:
As long as you’re a student enrolled in any of Classes 1 to 12, you can apply for NSO.
-
Number of attempts:
You can only attempt NSO once in every academic year.
Registration for NSO
Here is the registration process for NSO:
- The prospectus containing the registration forms is sent to all schools registered with the Science Olympiad Foundation.
- Unregistered schools can request a prospects by sending an email to info@sofworld.org or making a phone call or sending a fax to 0124-4951200.
- Your school's coordinating teacher will generate students' roll numbers as per the guidelines given.
- A nominal participation fee is charged from each student in your school.
Important dates
Exam Dates for NSO
The Science Olympiad Foundation only releases exam dates for the current academic year.Here are the dates for NSO 2018:
How to prepare
Preparation Tips for NSO
- Understand the standard of questions: If you are appearing for NSO, then expect questions of varying difficulty levels that test your logical and observational skills. There will be no direct questions, but an application of a previously studied concept is more likely to form the base of a question.
- Practice sample papers: Solving sample papers will give you a fair idea of the pattern of the questions asked. They are also good for improving the pace at which you attempt the paper in a limited amount of time. NSO sample papers can be obtained from the official website.
- Know the relevant books: You must thoroughly study course books suggested by your school or board (ICSE, CBSE or State Board). In addition to this, you can refer the books available for Olympiad preparations to get a good rank in NSO.
Study Material for NSO
Here are the books prescribed for NSO:
- MTG NSO class wise Workbooks (For Class 1 to 10)
- SOF Olympiad Trainer - Mobile Apps
- OSDS (Olympiad Skill Development System)
- Previous Years' Papers
- Olympiad's Book of Reasoning (for preparation for the reasoning section of NSO)
- E-Quiz
If you’re a class 10 or
12 student, you can also refer to publications like Chemistry Today,
Biology Today, Mathematics Today, Physics for You and MTG.
These books contain useful information, including model test papers of various National and International Olympiads.