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By Swati Singh
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Updated on 30 Jan 2026, 16:04 IST
Science Olympiad: Science Olympiad exams have become a mandatory component in all schools. From an early stage, students are open to nationwide competitions. The Science Olympiad exams focus on learning based on concepts and logical reasoning. It provides students with the opportunity to compete while gaining insights into their own abilities in various subjects.
The Science Olympiad is a well-known test conducted across India. It is comprising two levels. The initial level of Science Olympiad covers fundamental scientific principles, and in the second level, students are evaluated on advanced scientific theories. Those who successfully pass the first round of the Science Olympiad exams proceed to the second level. Read this article to get complete details about the Science Olympiad.
| Event | Date (2025‑26) | Notes |
| Level 1 Exam Dates | 13 Nov / 27 Nov / 11 Dec 2025 | Schools choose one of these dates. |
| Level 1 Answer Key | Dec 2025 (approx.) | Released after Level 1 exams. |
| Level 1 Results | Jan 2026 (approx.) | Results announced for Level 1 exam. |
| Level 2 Exam (India) | 8 Feb 2026 (Most of India) | Level 2 exam date for most regions. |
| Level 2 Exam (Maharashtra) | 15 Feb 2026 | Maharashtra Level 2 exam date. |
| Level 2 Exam (International) | 9–20 Feb 2026 | International schedule for Level 2. |
| Level 2 Results | Mar 2026 (approx.) | Results for Level 2 exam will be announced. |
National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2026 syllabus (based on the official SOF syllabus structure and topics for 2025‑26). The NSO syllabus is class‑wise and divided into 3 core sections for most grades:
| Class | Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Section 2: Science Topics | Section 3: Achievers |
| Classes 1–4 | Patterns, odd one out, shapes, analogies, ranking, sequences, basic puzzles | Living & non‑living things, Plants & animals, Human body basics, Air, water, weather, Earth & sky concepts | Higher‑order reasoning based on science topics from Section 2 |
| Classes 5–8 | Verbal & non‑verbal reasoning (classification, coding‑decoding, series) | Class 5: Human body & health, plants, natural resources, pollution, matter & energy Class 6: Motion, light & shadows, circuits, magnets, air & water, food components Class 7: Heat, motion, electric current & effects, acids & bases, nutrition, respiration Class 8: Microorganisms, combustion & flame, reproduction systems, pressure & sound | Higher‑order thinking questions based on Section 2 topics |
| Classes 9–10 | Complex pattern interpretation, diagrams, advanced reasoning | Class 9: Motion, force & laws, gravitation, sound, matter, atoms & molecules, cell structure, natural resources Class 10: Chemical reactions & equations, acids & bases, metals & non‑metals, life processes, human eye & optics, electricity & magnetism, environment management | Higher‑order science & reasoning problems based on Section 2 |
| Classes 11–12 | Logical reasoning and interpretation | Physics & Chemistry fundamentals relevant to Class‑11/12 curriculum Math Stream (if chosen): Advanced algebra, trigonometry, ca |
| Class Group | Sections | No. of Questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
| Classes 1–4 | Logical Reasoning | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Science | 25 | 1 | 25 | |
| Achievers (HOTS) | 5 | 2 | 10 | |
| Total | 35 | — | 40 | |
| Classes 5–10 | Logical Reasoning | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Science | 35 | 1 | 35 | |
| Achievers (HOTS) | 5 | 3 | 15 | |
| Total | 50 | — | 60 | |
| Classes 11–12 | Physics & Chemistry | 25 | 1 | 25 |
| Achievers (HOTS) | 5 | 3 | 15 | |
| Mathematics or Biology | 20 | 1 | 20 | |
| Total | 50 | — | 60 |
The Science Olympiad exams bring numerous benefits to Students. The benefits of Science Olympiad are given below.
JEE
NEET
Foundation JEE
Foundation NEET
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The National Science Olympiad (NSO) is a competitive exam conducted to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of science and logical reasoning at national and international levels.
Students from Classes 1 to 12 studying in recognized schools are eligible to appear for the NSO Exam.
The NSO syllabus is based on the school curriculum (CBSE/ICSE/State Boards) and includes:
The NSO Exam is conducted in two levels:
Level 1: School-level exam
Level 2: National/International level (for top performers)
Students can register through their schools or via official NSO registration portals, depending on the conducting body.
The NSO Exam is usually:
The difficulty level is moderate to high, designed to test conceptual clarity rather than rote learning.
Effective preparation includes:
Yes, solving previous years’ papers helps students:
Students should use:
Unlike school exams, NSO focuses on:
Yes, NSO builds a strong base for exams like NTSE, KVPY, JEE, NEET, and other Olympiads.
The NSO Exam is usually conducted once or twice a year, depending on the organizing body.
Absolutely. NSO enhances scientific thinking, problem-solving skills, and competitive readiness from an early stage.