(National Science Olympiad) NSO Exam 2025-26: The Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) has announced the exam dates for the Level 1 NSO 2025 on its official website (idioms website) – sofworld.org. The Level 1 exams will be held on November 13, November 27, and December 11, 2025. Schools can choose any one of these dates that suits them best. The Level 2 NSO exams for the 2025–26 session are scheduled for February 2026.
Students can find the NSO 2025 exam dates online at sofworld.org. The NSO 2025 exam will be held in pen and paper mode. The Level 1 results will be announced in January 2026. To check their results, students need to visit (idioms dictionary) the official website and enter their roll number.
National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2025-26 Exam Dates & Schedule
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of the NSO 2025-26 exam:
| Dates | Upcoming Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| 13 November 2025 | NSO Level 1 Exam 2025-26 – Date 1 |
| 27 November 2025 | NSO Level 1 Exam 2025-26 – Date 2 |
| 11 December 2025 | NSO Level 1 Exam 2025-26 – Date 3 |
| January 2026 | NSO Level 1 Result 2025-26 |
National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2025-26 Overview
The table given below provides an overview of the NSO 2025-26 exam:
| Features | Details |
| Full Exam Name | National Science Olympiad |
| Short Exam Name | NSO |
| Conducting Body | Science Olympiad Foundation |
| Frequency of Conduct | Once a year |
| Exam Level | Intermediate |
| Languages | English |
| Mode of Application/Exam | Offline |
| Application Fee (General) | 125 Rs [Offline] |
| Exam Duration | 1 Hour |
National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2025-26: Important Dates
The NSO exam dates for 2025–26 are below for students to review:
| Event | Date |
| NSO exam 2025 | November 13, November 27 and December 11, 2025 |
| Release of NSO answer keys for sets A, B, and C | December 2025* |
| NSO 2025 Stage 1 result | January 2026* |
| NSO admit card 2025 to be out for stage 2 | February 2026* |
| NSO stage 2 exam 2025-26 to be held on | February 2026* |
| NSO stage 2 result 2025-26 | March 2026* |
Read About – List of Olympiad Exams Conducted in India 2026
About (NSO) National Science Olympiad) 2025-26 Exam
The NSO 2025 Exam is an annual scholarship exam organized by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) with the objective of nurturing scientific reasoning and logical abilities among students from class 1 to class 12. It is a challenging test designed to assess their skills in these areas. The SOF NSO is conducted in two levels: Level 1 and Level 2. Level 1 is open to all students in classes 1 to 12, while only those who qualify the Level 1 exam (from class 3 to 12) are eligible to appear for the Level 2 exam. Registrations for SOF NSO 2025 will close 30 days prior to the exam, and students can register through their respective schools. Each year, approximately 10 lakh students register for the National Science Olympiad exam.
National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2025-26 Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for the NSO 2025 exam are as follows:
Level 1 NSO Exam Eligibility
- There are no specific eligibility requirements for the NSO level 1 test. All students studying in grades 1 to 12 across the country are eligible to participate.
Level 2 NSO Exam Eligibility
The following students are eligible to appear for the level 2 exam:
- Top 5% of students in each class who have taken the first-level test.
- Top 25 rank holders from each zone and class.
- Class toppers from each participating school, provided there are at least 10 students from each class who have taken the exam and achieved a qualifying score of 50%. In case of section-wise registrations, students with the highest grades, irrespective of section, will qualify for the second level. It is important to note that the winner(s) of the gold medal in the section-wise registrations may or may not qualify for the second level.
National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2025-26 Registration Process
The registration process for NSO 2025 is explained in detail below:
Offline Mode of Operation
Payment Type: Other
- Prospectus Distribution: All schools registered with SOF will receive a prospectus for SOF NSO 2025, which includes the necessary registration materials.
- Contacting the Institution: Students should contact their respective schools to complete the NSO application form. The schools will provide the required assistance and guidance throughout the registration process.
- Submission of Registration Forms: Once the application forms are completed, the schools will send the filled registration forms along with the application fees to SOF within the specified deadlines.
- Roll Number Generation: The coordinating teacher assigned to each school will generate roll numbers for the registered candidates. These roll numbers will uniquely identify the students during the exam process.
- Submission of Roll Numbers: The coordinating teacher will also submit a copy of the generated roll numbers to SOF, ensuring accurate record-keeping and identification of the candidates.
- Minimum Enrollment Requirement: Each school is required to enroll a minimum of 10 students for the NSO 2025 test.
By following these steps, schools can successfully register their students for the NSO 2025 exam using the offline mode of operation.
National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2025-26 Exam Pattern
SOF NSO Exam Pattern 2025 (Levels 1 & 2)
| Particulars | NSO Level 1 | NSO Level 2 |
| Type of Questions | Multiple-choice Questions (MCQs) | Multiple-choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Time Duration | 60 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Number of Questions and Marks | Class 1 – 4: 35 (40 marks)
Class 5 – 12: 50 (60 marks) |
Class 3 – 4: 35 (40 marks)
Class 5 – 12: 50 (60 marks) |
| Sections | Class 1 – 10:
Section-1: Logical Reasoning Section-2 : Science Section-3: Achievers Section Class 11 – 12: Section-1 : Physics/Chemistry Section-2 : Achievers Section Section 3: Mathematics/ Biology |
Class 1 – 10:
Section-1 : Science Section-2: Achievers Section Class 11 – 12: Section-1: Physics/ Chemistry Section-2: Achievers Section Section 3: Mathematics/ Biology |
| Medium of Paper | English | English |
| Syllabus | CBSE, ICSE/ISC and State Board syllabi | CBSE, ICSE/ISC and State Board syllabi |
National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2025-26 Syllabus
The curriculum for NSO can be downloaded from the official website of the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF). It covers all the educational requirements of the school. The SOF NSO Syllabus PDF is also accessible for download on sofworld.org, the Science Olympiad Foundation’s website.
Section 1:
The first part of the exam primarily concentrates on Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning questions. For a deeper understanding of reasoning, you can refer to additional resources on this topic.
Section 2:
This part is dedicated to science and covers all the relevant topics and sub-topics that are included in the exam syllabus.
Section 3:
The Achievers section is located in Part 3. It consists of Higher-Order Thinking Questions that require a comprehensive understanding of the material. It is recommended to attempt this section only after completing the previous two sections.
(National Science Olympiad) NSO Admission Process for 2025-26
The organizing body of NSO sends the prospectus for SOF NSO 2025-26 to all registered schools. The prospectus includes the registration forms for students. Schools are required to fill in the forms and submit them to SOF along with the application fees before the specified deadline. Each school must ensure a minimum of 10 student registrations for the exam.
How to Apply for the National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2025-26 Exam?
To apply for NSO 2025-26, students from classes 1 to 12 can follow these steps to submit their registration forms through their schools:
- Prospectus Distribution: The prospectus, which contains the registration forms, is sent to schools that are registered with SOF.
- Obtaining Registration Forms: Students can collect the registration forms from their respective schools.
- Requesting Prospectus: If a school is not registered with SOF, they can request the prospectus by contacting SOF via phone (0124-4951200) or email (info@sofworld.org).
- Filling the Registration Forms: Students should fill in all the required details on the registration forms and submit them to their schools.
- Submission by Schools: The schools must return the filled registration forms to SOF before the specified due date.
In addition, to streamline the registration process, SOF has introduced an online registration option for schools and students for the 2025-26 academic year. Here are the steps for online registration:
- Visit the official website of sofworld.org.
- Click on the ‘Online Registrations for Schools and Students’ tab.
- On the separate registration page, schools should select the ‘Registration by Schools’ tab, while students should select the ‘Registration by Students’ tab to initiate the registration process.
- Fill in all the required details and submit the registration fee.
- After completing the form, submit it online.
Please note that there is a registration fee applicable for NSO registration. The fee structure is as follows:
INR 125 (including GST) per student for schools in India.
USD 11 per student for international schools.
Additionally, schools may charge an additional fee of INR 25 (USD 1 for international schools) per student to cover expenses related to the incharge’s honorarium, teacher remuneration, study materials provided by SOF, and other miscellaneous expenses.
National Science Olympiad (NSO) Answer Key for 2025
NSO releases the answer keys for all three sets on its official website. Generally, the answer keys are made available 3-4 weeks after the completion of the SOF NSO exam. Students can access the NSO answer keys 2025 to estimate their probable scores. By comparing their scores with the cutoff, students can determine if they qualify for the Level 2 exam.
National Science Olympiad (NSO) Cut Off for 2025
Students can compare their calculated scores with the NSO cutoff score to ascertain whether they have qualified for the NSO Level 2 exam.
National Science Olympiad (NSO) Result for 2025-26
The NSO Level 1 result for 2025 will be announced in January 2026. Students can check their scores online by entering their roll number. NSO results are usually declared within 8 weeks after the exam. The results are sent to the respective schools and are also available on the official NSO website. To prepare well, students should review the NSO exam syllabus and pattern to understand the format and topics covered.
National Science Olympiad (NSO) Exam Centres 2025-26
The NSO exam is only given at the participating schools during class hours.
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD FOUNDATION: 1st Floor, Plot no. 99, Sector – 44, Gurgaon (Haryana) India. Pin- 122003
Landline No: 0124-4951200 Mobile: 9312680855, 9312680857
Regd Office: 406, Taj Apartment, Ring Road, Adjacent Safdurjung Hospital, New Delhi, India. Pin – 110029
| QUERIES PERTAINING TO | MAIL ID | CONTACT NO | |
| 1 | Registration | info@sofworld.org | 0124-4951200 |
| 2 | Exams | info@sofworld.org | 0124-4951200 |
| 3 | Result/Awards | result@sofworld.org | 0124-4951200 |
| 4 | Roll no/Admit Cards | rollnumber@sofworld.org | 0124-4951200 |
| 5 | General | info@sofworld.org | 0124-4951200 |
National Science Olympiad (NSO) 2025-26 FAQs
Q1: When are the National Science Olympiad (NSO) examinations scheduled for the academic year 2025?
Ans. The National Science Olympiad (NSO) exams for the 2025 academic year are scheduled for November 13, November 27, and December 11, 2025.
Q2: When will the National Science Olympiad (NSO) results be announced?
Ans. The NSO results are typically declared within 8 weeks after the examination. Once the results are compiled, they are sent to the respective schools. Additionally, the NSO results can be accessed online.
Q3: What is the syllabus for the NSO Olympiad?
Ans. The NSO Exam syllabus is based on the curriculum specified by CBSE, ICSE, and various state boards. Detailed information about the syllabus can be found on the SOF website.
Q4: Which are the recommended books for National Science Olympiad (NSO) preparation?
Ans. To prepare for NSO, students can refer to NCERT books or course books provided by CBSE, ICSE, or state boards. Here are some top books recommended for NSO preparation:
- MTG NSO Workbooks by Class (For Class 1 to 10)
- SOF Olympiad Trainer – Mobile Apps
- OSDS (Olympiad Skill Development System)
- Olympiad’s Reasoning Book (for the reasoning section of NSO)
Q5: Is there any negative marking in the (NSO) National Science Olympiad exam?
Ans. No, there is no negative marking in the NSO exam. Students are not penalized for incorrect answers, so they can attempt all the questions without the fear of losing marks.
Q6: Where can I check the NSO SOF Level 2 Results 2026?
Ans. You can check the NSO Level 2 results for 2026 on the official website at results.sofworld.org/results. To view your result, enter your roll number in the correct format, and submit the details.
Q7: Is the NSO exam conducted only in English?
Ans: Yes, the NSO exam is conducted only in English. It is not available in any other language.
