National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2023 by Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) for Class 1-12 Students: Applications Open!

Registrations are open and invited for the National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2023 by Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) for classes 1 to 12 students.

About Science Olympiad Foundation

Established in 1998, Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) is an educational foundation based in New Delhi, India. Through various Olympiads, it promotes science, mathematics, general knowledge, introductory computer education, social studies, professional skills, and English language skills among schoolchildren in India and many other countries.

About National Science Olympiad

National Science Olympiad (NSO) is a school-level competitive exam conducted annually by Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF), in which students from classes 1 to 12 participate.

Since its main focus is only on science subjects, NSO is a better platform for all the students who have a higher interest in science and are excited about learning new terms and innovations in science and technology.

Science Olympiad is conducted under two levels where the students who successfully clear the NSO level 1 will be eligible to participate in the NSO level 2 exam.

Important Dates

SOF NSO will be conducted on three dates, as under. A school may select one date to conduct the SOF NSO at its convenience.

• Date 1: October 17, 2023
• Date 2: November 21, 2023
• Date 3: December 5, 2023

Eligibility Criteria

Students of classes 1 to 12 are eligible to appear for the 1st-level Olympiads. There is no other eligibility criterion like minimum marks. Students who qualify for the 2nd level exam include:

• Top 5% of students in class wise, who appear for the 1st level exam,
• Zone wise top 25 rank holders class-wise, and.
• Class toppers from each participating school where at least 10 students from a class appear in the exam & score 50% qualifying marks.
• Students from classes 1 and 2 are not required to appear for the 2nd level exam and are ranked based on their performance in the first level exam.

How to Register?

Students should register through their respective schools. Individual registrations by students are not accepted.

Registration Fees

After filling out the complete SOF NSO form 2023, students have to pay a registration fee of Rs. 125 (including GST) to school authorities. No fee is payable for students with any major physical disability or a student whose parent was martyred during defense operations. Schools may take additional fees of Rs. 25 as an honor towards the teacher to guide students for the exam.

Exam Pattern

• There are separate question papers for each date of the Exam.
• The medium of the test is English.
• CBSE, ICSE/ISC, and State Board syllabus are followed for setting the test papers.
• The exam is conducted during school hours.

The SOF National Science Olympiad is conducted at two levels:

Level 1

• The first level of the test is organized in the respective schools of the participants during school hours.
• The level 1 competition is an objective-type test of 60 minutes duration comprising 35 objective-type (Multiple Choice) questions for classes 1 to 4 and 50 objective-type (Multiple Choice) questions for classes 5 to 12.
• The question paper consists of three sections:

For Class 1 to 10

• Section 1: Logical Reasoning
• Section 2: Science
• Section 3: Achievers Section

For Class 11 and 12

• Section 1: Physics/Chemistry
• Section 2: Achievers Section
• Section 3: Mathematics/Biology

Level 2

Level 2 is conducted for students of classes 3 to 12. The qualifiers for the second round would include the following:

• Top 5% of candidates, class-wise, who appear in the 1st level exam. In case of a tie of marks, due weightage to marks scored in different sections will be given. Each section is accorded separate weightage.
• Top 25 rank holders class-wise & Zone wise.
• Class topper is where at least 10 students from a class appear in the exam & score 50% qualifying marks. In case registration is received section-wise, the top rank holder, irrespective of the section will qualify for the 2nd level. For section-wise registrations, the winner(s) of the gold medal may not necessarily qualify for the second level.

Marking Scheme (SOF Level 1)

Marking Scheme (SOF Level 2)

Click here to view the official notification of the National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2023.