NSO Olympiad 2021-22: SOF NSO Exam Dates, Eligibility, Pattern

NSO Olympiad Exam 2021-22: The Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) conducts the National Science Olympiad (NSO) every year. It is a Science competition that helps students judge themselves in terms of their knowledge of Science. Along with several other Olympiad exams like IGKO, IEO, IMO, and NCO, the SOF NSO exam is one of the most popular exams for school students in India.

According to the official notification, the SOF (Science Olympiad Foundation) will conduct the National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2021 on November 27, 28, December 11, 12, 18, and 19, 2021. The SOF NSO exam 2021 will be held for students of Classes 1 to 12. The SOF NSO is held at Levels 1 and 2. Level 1 is conducted for all students of Classes 1 to 12. Furthermore, the students who are successful in qualifying level 1 (Class 3 to 12) are eligible to sit for Level 2. It is also important to note that the SOF NSO 2021 registrations will conclude 30 days before the commencement of the exam. Students can register for NSO through their respective schools.

If you are looking for comprehensive information on NSO Olympiad, then you have landed on the right page. In this article, we will talk in detail about its eligibility, key dates, application procedure, results, awards, and syllabus.

Check SOF Revised Exam Calendar 2020-21

NSO Olympiad Exam 2021-22 For Class 1 To 12: Highlights

NSO is an annual scholarship exam that evaluates students scientific reasoning and logical ability. Before we explore about NSO Olympiad 2021, let’s have a look at the overview of the exam:

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NSO Exam Dates 2021-22

The SOF will conduct the NSO 2021-22 exams on November 27, 28, December 11, 12, 18, and 19, 2021. Students who intend to take part in this olympiad should make sure that they don’t miss out on important dates. Below, we have provided the important dates for NSO 2021-22:

Note: The NSO dates for 2021-22 may vary depending on the impact of Covid-19 on the functioning of schools.

Key Points On NSO Exam 2021-22

Owing to the recent coronavirus outbreak, SOF will conduct exams with some changes to comply with the rules and regulations set by the Government of India. Some of the important changes are:

1. During 2021-22, SOF NSO exam will be conducted online only. Roll numbers, guidelines, links for exams will be sent to the students directly at their mobile numbers shared.
2. The test will be organized online at the residence of students since schools are not allowed to open as per the order of the Government of India.
3. Each school may select a date for conducting the SOF NSO as per its convenience from the dates mentioned above. 
4. The medium of the test will be English only.
5. Any clarifications regarding exam date, rules & regulations, and exam pattern can be cleared from SOF through phone-call – 0124-4951200 or email at info@sofworld.org.

Note: The NSO exams for 2021-22 will be held offline. However, the NSO may conduct the exams online owing to the impact of Covid-19 on the functioning of schools.

Practice Exam Questions

NSO Olympiad Exam 2021-22 Eligibility Criteria

The students studying in classes 1 to 12 are eligible to apply for SOF NSO 2021-22. However, a student can apply for the exam once a year. It is also important to note that for a school to register for the NSO exam 2021, it should have at least 10 students. Below we have provided the eligibility criteria for NSO Level 1 and Level 2 exams.

There are no specific eligibility criteria for the NSO level 1 exam. All the students from the country enrolled in Classes 1 to 12 are eligible.

Students who qualify for the level 2 exam include:

1. Top 5% of students class-wise, who appear for the 1^st level exam,
2. Top 25 rank holders zone-wise and class-wise, and
3. Class toppers from each participating school where at least 10 students from a class appear in the exam & scores 50% qualifying marks. In case registration is received section-wise, students with the highest marks, irrespective of the section will qualify for the 2^nd level. For the section-wise registrations, winner(s) of the gold medal may not necessarily qualify for the second level.

Note: Students from classes 1 and 2 are not required to appear for the 2nd level NSO exam and are ranked based on their performance in the first level.

NSO Exam 2021-22 Registration Process

SOF sends the prospectus of SOF NSO 2021-22 to all the schools which are registered with it. Furthermore, the schools which are not registered with the SOF may request for prospectus by sending an email at info@sofworld.org or by giving a call at 0124-4951200. The prospectus comprises the registrations forms that are to be filled by the students. The schools are supposed to return the forms filled by students along with the application fees before the last date. As mentioned above, schools should have a minimum of 10 students to be registered from each school for the exams.

Attempt Mock Tests

However, if the respective schools are unable to participate in the NSO 2021-22 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, students have the option to register themselves online. Below we have provided the steps to be followed while applying online for NSO 2021-22:

1. Visit the official NSO exam registration page: ors.sofworld.org/studentregistration
2. Fill in the basic details such as School Name, School Address, Student Name, Class, Gender, Section, etc. Please ensure correct details are filled in as roll number/test links/guidelines etc. will be sent as SMS/E-mail.
3. Select the Olympiad exam you wish to participate in as NSO.
4. Please select the mode of delivery of books (Online/Offline).
5. Enter the captcha and click on “Submit” to proceed with the payment.
6. After you successfully pay the fees and book charges (if any), your registration will be complete.

Note:
1. Students should ensure that they fill the form accurately with all the correct information.
2. The information shared by schools, if inappropriate, may lead to the cancellation of NSO registration.
3. The conducting authority will send the confirmation of receipt of registrations and payments after receipt of payment.

NSO Exam 2021-22 Registration Fees

Schools in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal will have to pay registration fees of INR 125 (Including GST) per student. The schools may also charge an additional INR 25 for coaching, mentoring, remuneration to teachers to teach and guide, and other expenses. The registration fee for other international students is USD 9.

However, NSO exempts the below-mentioned students from paying any registration fees: 

1. Students with any kind of physical disability
2. Students whose parent(s) were martyred during defence operations.

NSO 2021-22 Exam Pattern And Marking Scheme

As per the NSO exam patter 2021-22, the question paper involves 3 sections:

For Class 1 to Class 10

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

For Class 11 and Class 12

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

Now that we know the sections of the question paper, let us now have a brief look at the exam pattern and marking scheme. We have tabulated the NSO 2021-22 exam pattern and marking scheme below:

NSO Exam Pattern: Level-1

NSO Exam Pattern: Level-2

Best Books For NSO Preparation

NSO Syllabus 2021-22

NSO syllabus can be downloaded from the official website of SOF. It consists of all the aspects of school education requirements. You can also download SOF NSO Syllabus PDF from the website of Science Olympiad Foundation, i.e., sofworld.org.

NSO Sample Papers 2021-22: Download For Class 1 To 12

Students need to prepare effectively for NSO exams 2021-22. Students should also solve sample papers in order to get a fair idea of the level of difficulty of the exams. Practising the NSO sample papers will boost their confidence and ensure they perform well in the exams. Below we have tabulated the sample papers for NSO 2021-22 for classes 1 to 12. Students can download class-wise sample papers from here:

NSO Admit Card 2021-22

NSO Admit card is one of the essential documents that students have to carry with them to the examination centre. Students can get admit cards from their respective schools. However, in case the students do not receive their admit cards they can request their Principal / Science Teacher to inform the conducting authority about the non-receipt of the admit card. Once requested, the conducting authority will send the duplicate copies to the schools. The NSO level 2 admit cards will be issued in February 2022 (Tentative).

NSO Answer Key

SOF releases the NSO Answer Keys for all three sets on the official website. The NSO answer keys are generally released 3-4 weeks after the SOF NSO exam is conducted. Students can check NSO Answer Keys 2021 and arrive at a probable score. This score can then be compared with the cutoff to check whether the student will qualify for the Level 2 exam or not.

SOF NSO Result

NSO Results are declared within 7 to 8 weeks after exams are over. Students can check their scores using their roll numbers. SOF will declare the result of SOF NSO 2021 in January 2022. Students can check their results from their respective schools or by visiting the official website. Notably, students who qualify in level 1 will be eligible for the NSO level 2 exam, which will be conducted in February 2022 (Tentatively). The SOF NSO level 2 result will be declared in March 2022 (Tentatively).

NSO Olympiad Awards And Scholarships 2021-22

The NSO awards will be provided to the winners of the SOF National Science Olympiad 2021-22. The NSO awards will be granted to students who top the exam at school, zonal, and international levels. 

Rules for Distributing Prizes To NSO Olympiad Winners

Below we have provided the rules followed by SOF to distribute prizes to NSO Olympiad winners:

1. SOF NSO winners will receive International, Zonal, and Class topper awards.
2. Each winner will be eligible for receiving only one award for an exam.
3. The winners will be eligible for the higher level award.
4. The top three international rank holders will be eligible for awards based on their international rankings.
5. Awards accruing to International award winners for Zonal ranks will be granted to the next rank holder.
6. Class award accruing to a Zonal award winner will be awarded to the subsequent rank holder.

NSO Awards for Students At International Level

NSO Awards for Students At Zonal Level

NSO Awards for Schools

In order to ensure that schools participate enthusiastically in the NSO Olympiad 2021-22, SOF grants awards to schools as well. Below we have tabulated the different awards that schools receive for their extraordinary performance and participation.

About NSO Exam 2021

The National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2021 will be held on November 27, 28, December 11, 12, 18, and 19, 2021, by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF). The SOF NSO test 2021 will be held for students in Classes 1 through 12.

NSO is a scholarship exam held yearly by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) with the goal of fostering scientific thinking and logical ability among students in classes 1 to 12 through a difficult test. Levels 1 and 2 of the SOF NSO are held. Level 1 is for students in grades 1 through 12, and students who pass the level 1 test (grades 3 through 12) are eligible to take the level 2 exam. Registration for the SOF NSO 2021 test will close 30 days before the exam. Students can sign up for the programme through their schools. Every year, around ten lakh students enrol for NSO.

Only schools that have registered with SOF are eligible to apply for NSO. Schools must choose a convenient exam day and register for it 30 days in advance of the exam date. Students may only register for the SOF NSO test through their schools. Individual applications will not be accepted. A minimum of 10 students from each school must enrol for SOF NSO. Students can apply for SOF NSO 2021 by filling out an application form and sending it together with a Rs 125 registration fee.

Last year, NSO was held online on December 19, 20, 2020, January 9, 10, and January 30, 31, 2021 for Set A, B, and C, respectively, and on February 13, 2021 for Set D. On March 22, the SOF NSO Result 2020-21 was announced. Students were emailed their roll numbers, instructions, and exam URLs straight to their pooled cell numbers. Because to the Government of India’s decision, schools were not permitted to function due to COVID-19, thus the tests were held online at students’ home.

FAQs On NSO Olympiad Exam

Below are the frequently asked questions on SOF NSO Exam:

Q.1. When will the NSO exams be conducted for the academic year 2021-22?
Ans: The SOF (Science Olympiad Foundation) will conduct the National Science Olympiad (NSO) for students studying in classes 1 to 12 on November 27, 28, December 11, 12, 18, and 19, 2021.

Q.2. When are the results of NSO declared?
Ans: Results of NSO are declared within 8 weeks of the examination and are sent to the schools concerned. The NSO Results are also made available online.

Q.3. What is the syllabus for NSO Olympiad?
Ans: NSO Exam paper pattern is designed on the basis of the syllabus prescribed by the CBSE, ICSE and various state boards. One can find the exact details of the syllabus on the website of SOF.

Q.4. What are the best books for NSO preparation?
Ans: NCERT books/course books prescribed by the CBSE/ICSE/state boards can be referred for preparation. Some of the best books for NSO preparation are:
1. MTG NSO Class wise Workbooks (For Class 1 to 10)
2. SOF Olympiad Trainer – Mobile Apps
3. OSDS (Olympiad Skill Development System)
4. Olympiad’s Book of Reasoning (for preparation for the reasoning section of NSO).

Q.5. I am going to write the Olympiads for the first time. Can I get sample papers?
Ans: Yes, SOF releases sample papers for every Olympiad exam on its official website. You can download NSO sample papers on Embibe for free.

Q.6. Can we appear for the NSO again if we have appeared for it while in the lower classes?
Ans: Yes. This will give the students an opportunity to improve their previous rankings, and if they are successful in doing so, they will again be eligible for certificates and prizes.

Check List Of Olympiad Awards Scholarships

We hope this detailed article on the NSO Olympiad exam helped you. If you have any doubts regarding the NSO exam or any other SOF exams, feel free to comment down below. We will be more than happy to assist you.