A major national Olympiad programme in basic sciences and mathematics that connects to the international Olympiads is in operation in India. The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education is the nodal centre of the country for this programme. The programme aims at promoting excellence in science and mathematics among pre-university students.
Among the sciences, the Olympiad programme in Astronomy (junior and senior level), Biology, Chemistry, Junior Science and Physics is a five stage process for each subject separately.
The mathematical olympiad programe is a five stage process conducted under the aegis of National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM). The first stage PRMO is conducted by the Mathematics Teachers’ Association (India). All the remaining stages are organized by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE).
Science Olympiad
* The national Olympiad programme of 2020-21 in Science subjects (Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Junior Science, and Physics) has been affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The information on this page relates to the usual procedure of the Science Olympiads, and may not hold for the programme in 2020-21 due to the special circumstances prevailing in the country. Please check here for procedures to be adopted for the 2020-21 cycle.
Stages of Science Olympiad
The National Science Olympiad starts with an examination held at nearly 1400 schools across the country and culminates with the international Olympiads at different corners of the world. The national level examinations are designed to assess conceptual understanding, logical reasoning, laboratory skills, and above all, the ability to apply problem-solving skills to novel situations, both theoretical and experimental. Training is included from the third stage of the programme and the first two stages do not necessarily require any specialised coaching outside the regular school system.
Stage 1:
The first stage examination, the National Standard Examination (NSE) is the organisational responsibility of the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT). The academic responsibility for Chemistry and Biology rests with the Association of Chemistry Teachers (ACT) and the Association of Teachers in Biological Sciences (ATBS) respectively, while Physics, Astronomy and Junior Science are handled by IAPT itself. The NSEs are tests with objective type questions and are offered in English and Hindi, with additional languages also available in Physics. The syllabus is broadly equivalent to up to Class XII (for Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry and Physics) and Class X (for Junior Science) of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). However, the questions in all levels of Olympiads (including NSEs) may be expected to be of a higher difficulty level than the board examinations. These examinations are held close to the end of November every year at nearly 1400 centres across the nation. Students can register for this preliminary stage at their own schools. The registration fee is Rs 100, which is the only fee that the student has to pay in the entire process up to the International Olympiads.
Stage 2:
The best-performing students from the NSEs (approximately 300 in each subject) qualify for the second stage — the Indian National Olympiads (INOs). The responsibility of the programme from this stage onwards lies with HBCSE. The INOs are held in late January at around 18 centres across the country. The syllabus is the same as that of the NSEs. The tests consist of objective as well as long questions.
Stage 3:
The top students from the INOs (approximately 35 in each subject) are invited for the third stage, the Orientation-cum-Selection Camps (OCSCs) held at HBCSE from April to June. At these camps, orientation is provided to students for the Olympiad level of theoretical, experimental and observational (for astronomy) tasks. Emphasis is laid on developing conceptual foundations and problem-solving skills. Students are exposed to innovative experiments with a focus on conceptual and procedural understanding in experimental science. In astronomy, students are trained in basic notions in astrophysics, astronomical data analysis and night sky observations. Several theoretical and experimental/observational tests are held during the camp. On the basis of performance in these tests, few students (numbers specified below) are selected to represent India at the international Olympiads.
Stage 4:
The selected Indian teams undergo a rigorous training programme at HBCSE in theory and experiment and in case of astronomy, observational astronomy prior to their departure for the international Olympiads. Special laboratories have been developed in HBCSE for this purpose. Resource persons from different institutions across the country are invited to the training camps.
Stage 5:
The Olympiad programme culminates with the participation of the Indian students (4-6 in each subject) in the International Olympiads. The students are accompanied by 2-4 teachers or mentors. Almost every Indian student who has participated in the Science and Astronomy Olympiads has returned with a medal.
Eligibility of Science Olympiad
Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics:
1. Must be eligible to hold an Indian passport.*
-
As per the orders of the Madras High Court, OCI students will NOT be eligible for selection to the Indian team in the International Olympiads. However, such students are provisionally eligible for selection at all prior stages, up to and including the OCSC (stage III), provided they fulfill all other criteria. They are also provisionally eligible to write the selection tests at the OCSC. This policy is subject to revision without prior notice depending on any further orders issued by the courts, or by a competent government authority.
2. Date of birth between 1 July 2000 and 30 June 2005, both days inclusive.
3. Must be residing and studying in India since 30 November 2017 or earlier. OR Must be studying in an Indian school system since 30 November 2017 or earlier.
4. Must not have completed (or scheduled to complete) class 12 board examination earlier than 30 November 2019.
5. Must not have commenced (or planning to commence) studies in a university or equivalent institution by 1 June 2020.
6. Must not be appearing in NSEJS 2019.
Junior Science:
-
Must be eligible to hold an Indian passport.*
-
As per the orders of the Madras High Court, OCI students will NOT be eligible for selection to the Indian team in the International Olympiads. However, such students are provisionally eligible for selection at all prior stages, up to and including the OCSC (stage III), provided they fulfill all other criteria. They are also provisionally eligible to write the selection tests at the OCSC. This policy is subject to revision without prior notice depending on any further orders issued by the courts, or by a competent government authority.
2. Date of birth between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2006, both days inclusive.
3. Must be residing and studying in India since 30 November 2017 or earlier. OR Must be studying in an Indian school system since 30 November 2017 or earlier.
4. Must not have completed (or scheduled to complete) class 10 board examination earlier than 30 November 2019.
5. Must not be appearing in any of NSEA, NSEB, NSEC, or NSEP 2019.
Enrollment for Science Olympiad
Enrollment at student’s own school/college: A student can enrol for NSE at his/her own institution if it is a registered NSE centre (see below for registration of NSE centres). The principal would be the contact person for this purpose.
Enrollment at a different school/college: If a student’s own institution is not a registered NSE centre, it is still possible to participate in NSE by registering at a nearby centre. The list of registration centres will be available on the IAPT website: www.iapt.org.in by 2 September 2019.
Enrollment fees: Rs. 150/- per student per subject to be paid to the centre in-charge of the NSE registration centre.
All students registered from states other than the state of their School are required to send the scanned copy of the NSE admit card, and the school ID by email to iapt.nse@gmail.com on or before 15 December 2019; else they will be disqualified.
NSE centre registration: Any state recognised school/college is eligible to become a NSE centre with a minimum enrolment of 20 students, subject to approval by Chief Coordinator, IAPT Examinations. Online NSE centre registration on the IAPT website will be between 1 August and 20 August, 2019.
Syllabus for Science Olympiad
Examinations |
First and Second Stage |
Third Stage |
NSEA and INAO |
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. |
Equivalent to respective International Olympiad Syllabus. |
NSEB and INBO |
Is broadly equivalent to senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE. |
|
NSEC and INChO |
Is broadly equivalent to senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE. |
|
NSEJS and INJSO |
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 emphasis. |
|
NSEP and INPhO |
Is broadly equivalent to senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE. |
Books for Science Olympiad
Mathematical Olympiad
Stages of Mathematical Olympiad
The Mathematical Olympiad Programme in India, which leads to the participation of Indian students in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) on behalf of the National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM) of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India. This programme is one of the major initiatives undertaken by the NBHM. Its main purpose is to spot mathematical talent among pre-university students in the country.
Stage 1:
The first stage examination, the pre-Regional Mathematical Olympiad (PRMO) is a two and half hour examination with 30 questions. The answer to each question is either a single-digit number or a two-digit number and will need to be marked on a machine-readable OMR response sheet. The PRMO question paper will be in English and Hindi.
Stage 2:
The second stage examination, the Regional Mathematical Olympiad (RMO) is a three-hour examination with six problems. The RMOs are offered in English, Hindi and other regional languages as deemed appropriate by the respective Regional Coordinators. The problems under each topic involve a high level of difficulty and sophistication.
Stage 3:
The best-performing students from the RMO (approximately 900) qualify for the third stage – the Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO). The INMO is held on the third Sunday of January at 28 centres across the country.
Stage 4:
The top students from the INMO (approximately 35) are invited for the fourth stage, the International Mathematical Olympiad Training Camp (IMOTC) held at HBCSE from April to May. At this camp, orientation is provided to students for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). Emphasis is laid on developing conceptual foundations and problem-solving skills. Several selection tests are held during this camp. On the basis of performance in these tests, six students are selected to represent India at the IMO. Resource persons from different institutions across the country are invited to the training camps.
Stage 5:
The selected team undergoes a rigorous training programme for about 8-10 days at HBCSE prior to its departure for the IMO.
Stage 6:
The Olympiad programme culminates with the participation of the students in the IMO. The students are accompanied by 4 teachers or mentors.
Eligibility of Mathematical Olympiad
Candidates born on or after August 1, 2000 and studying in Class 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 are eligible to write PRMO 2019. Further, the candidates must be Indian citizens. Provisionally, students with OCI cards are eligible to write the PRMO, subject to conditions as explained below:
As per the orders of the Madras High Court, students with OCI status will not be eligible for selection to the Indian team in the International Mathematical Olympiad. However, such students are provisionally eligible for selection at ALL prior stages, up to and including the IMOTC provided they fulfill all other criteria. This policy is subject to revision without prior notice depending on any further orders issued by the courts, or by a competent Government authority.
It is each student’s responsibility to determine if she/he satisfies the eligibility norms for each stage of the Mathematical Olympiads. If, at any stage, it is found that the student does not meet the eligibility norms, she/he may face immediate disqualification from the programme.
Syllabus for Mthematical Olympiad
The syllabus for Mathematical Olympiad (regional, national and international) is pre-degree college mathematics. The areas covered are arithmetic of integers, geometry, quadratic equations and expressions, trigonometry, co-ordinate geometry, the system of linear equations, permutations and combination, factorization of polynomial, inequalities, elementary combinatorics, probability theory and number theory, finite series, and complex numbers, and elementary graph theory. The syllabus does not include calculus and statistics. The major areas from which problems are given are algebra, combinatorics, geometry, and number theory. The syllabus is in a sense spread over Class XI to Class XII levels, but the problems under each topic involve a high level of difficulty and sophistication. The difficulty level increases from RMO to INMO to IMO.
Books for Mthematical Olympiad
Problem Primer for the Olympiads
C R Pranesachar, B J Venkatachala and C S Yogananda (Prism Books Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore)
Challenge and Thrill of Pre-College Mathematics
V Krishnamurthy, C R Pranesachar, K N Ranganathan and B J Venkatachala (New Age International Publishers, New Delhi)
An Excursion in Mathematics
Editors: M R Modak, S A Katre and V V Acharya and V M Sholapurkar (Bhaskaracharya Pratishthana, Pune).
Problem Solving Strategies
Arthur Engel (Springer-Verlag, Germany). Edited by K. Bencsath, P. R. Halmos.
Functional Equations
B J Venkatachala (Prism Books Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore)
Inequalities an approach through problems
(texts & readings in mathematics), B J Venkatachala (Hindustan Book Agency).
Mathematical Circles
Fomin and others (University Press, Hyderabad).
Dr. Homi Bhabha Balvaidnyanik Competition is conducted by The Mumbai Science Teachers’ Association since 1981 to encourage students to take interest in science, to inculcate scientific attitude and to search science talent in students and motive them towords basic sciences as well as to clear the scientific concepts among students.
Eligibility
This competition is conducted for the students studying only in VIth and IXth Std. of English and Marathi Medium of all boards.
Structure of the Competition
| Phase No. | Description of Phase | Max. Marks | Duration | Selection Procedure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase I | Written test : 100 multiple choice questions based on science & G.K.in science | 100 | 90-min. | (a) Top 7.5% students will be selected for phase II. They will get Merit Certificate. (b) Remaining passed students will get Passing certificate. |
| Phase II | Practical Test: For VI std.: There will be 5 experiments of 6 marks each based on general science. For IX std. : a) Physics: 1 experiment b) Chemistry: 1 experiment c) Biology: 10 questions based on 10 specimens | 30 10 10 10 | 30 min. (6 min per experiment) 10 min 10 min 10 min | (a) Selection for phase III - 30% of the marks obtained in phase I and marks obtained in phase II will be considered. (b) Top 10 % students will be selected for phase III |
| Phase III | Interview- a) General interview b) Evaluation of action research project | 30 30 | 5 to 10 min. 5 to 10 min. | Considering 30% marks of Phase I, + Marks of Phase II & Phase III (a) Top 10% candidates will get Gold Medal, certificate and scholarship of Rs. 3000/-. (b) Next 60% candidates will get Silver Medal, certificate and scholarship of Rs. 2000/- (c) Remaining all candidates will get Bronze Medal, certificate and scholarship of Rs. 1000/- b) Evaluation of action research project 30 5 to 10 min. |
SYLLABUS / PORTION
- Textbooks of IV, V and VI std of SSC syllabus and Content related to the above from ICSE and CBSE books for 6th std.
- Textbooks of VII ,VIII and IX std of SSC syllabus and Content related to the above from ICSE and CBSE books for 9th std.
- Marathi medium students should refer the English medium textbooks and the ICSE, CBSE books for examples.
- Majority of the questions will be from SSS board text books.
- Less emphasis will be given for knowledge based questions and more emphasis for understanding, reasoning, correlation, etc.
- The questions related to general knowledge in science will be based on the topics like happenings of the last year and science around day to day life
Answer Key for Dr. Homi Bhabha Balvaidnyanik Competition 2018-19
| STD VI (ENGLISH & MARATHI) | |||||||
| Q. NO. | ANSWER | Q. NO. | ANSWER | Q. NO. | ANSWER | Q. NO. | ANSWER |
| 1 | A | 26 | A | 51 | A | 76 | C |
| 2 | D | 27 | D | 52 | B | 77 | D |
| 3 | A | 28 | C | 53 | B | 78 | C |
| 4 | F.C. | 29 | A | 54 | B | 79 | C |
| 5 | C | 30 | A | 55 | C | 80 | B |
| 6 | B | 31 | A | 56 | B | 81 | A |
| 7 | C | 32 | D | 57 | D | 82 | D |
| 8 | C | 33 | B | 58 | C | 83 | C |
| 9 | A | 34 | C | 59 | A | 84 | D |
| 10 | B | 35 | D | 60 | C | 85 | C |
| 11 | D | 36 | B | 61 | B | 86 | C |
| 12 | D | 37 | D | 62 | C | 87 | A |
| 13 | B | 38 | C | 63 | B | 88 | C |
| 14 | B | 39 | A | 64 | A | 89 | A |
| 15 | C | 40 | D | 65 | A | 90 | B |
| 16 | A | 41 | D | 66 | B | 91 | D |
| 17 | B | 42 | A | 67 | A | 92 | D |
| 18 | A | 43 | C | 68 | D | 93 | C |
| 19 | A | 44 | D | 69 | B | 94 | B |
| 20 | C | 45 | B | 70 | C | 95 | C |
| 21 | A | 46 | C | 71 | C | 96 | A |
| 22 | D | 47 | B | 72 | F. C. | 97 | B |
| 23 | A | 48 | A | 73 | A | 98 | C |
| 24 | D | 49 | A | 74 | B | 99 | C |
| 25 | A | 50 | C | 75 | A | 100 | D |
Q. No. 04 – Full Credit
| STD IX (ENGLISH & MARATHI) | |||||||
| Q. NO. | ANSWER | Q. NO. | ANSWER | Q. NO. | ANSWER | Q. NO. | ANSWER |
| 1 | C | 26 | C | 51 | A | 76 | D |
| 2 | B | 27 | B | 52 | A | 77 | D |
| 3 | C | 28 | B | 53 | B | 78 | B |
| 4 | C | 29 | A | 54 | B | 79 | C |
| 5 | D | 30 | C | 55 | D | 80 | A |
| 6 | B | 31 | A | 56 | B | 81 | C |
| 7 | C | 32 | C | 57 | A | 82 | B |
| 8 | B | 33 | A | 58 | B | 83 | C |
| 9 | A | 34 | D | 59 | A | 84 | A |
| 10 | D | 35 | C | 60 | D | 85 | C |
| 11 | A | 36 | B | 61 | C | 86 | C |
| 12 | D | 37 | B | 62 | D | 87 | B |
| 13 | A | 38 | A | 63 | B | 88 | B |
| 14 | B | 39 | C | 64 | C | 89 | B |
| 15 | A | 40 | C | 65 | B | 90 | B |
| 16 | B | 41 | C | 66 | B | 91 | D |
| 17 | A | 42 | D | 67 | D | 92 | C |
| 18 | B | 43 | C | 68 | C | 93 | C |
| 19 | A | 44 | D | 69 | A | 94 | D |
| 20 | C | 45 | A | 70 | A | 95 | C |
| 21 | A | 46 | C | 71 | C | 96 | B |
| 22 | B | 47 | B | 72 | D | 97 | C |
| 23 | D | 48 | B | 73 | B | 98 | C |
| 24 | C | 49 | D | 74 | D | 99 | A |
| 25 | A | 50 | C | 75 | A | 100 | A |
