NSEA / INAO 2025–26 — Classes 11–12
Pathway: NSEA → INAO → OCSC → IOAA | Organisers: IAPT (Stage‑1) & HBCSE‑TIFR (Stages‑2/3)
📝 IAPT Student Login (Enrolment)
📄 NSE 2025–26 Student Brochure (PDF)
🌐 HBCSE Science Olympiad Brochure (2025–26)
📅 Key Dates (IST) — 2025–26
- Enrolment (students): 21 Aug – 14 Sept 2025 (IAPT portal); centre registration 1–20 Aug 2025; fee ₹300/subject.
- NSEA (Stage‑1): Sat, 22 Nov 2025 — 14:30 – 16:30 (OMR, offline).
- INAO (Stage‑2): Sat, 31 Jan 2026 — 9:00 – 12:00 (descriptive).
- OCSC‑Astronomy (Stage‑3): Apr–May 2026 (camp; dates via HBCSE notice).
🎯 Eligibility (Class 11–12 focus)
- Class: Studying in Class X/XI/XII at the time of enrolment (this page focuses on XI–XII).
- DOB window: 1 Jul 2006 – 30 Jun 2011 (both days inclusive).
- Passport / OCI: Eligible to hold Indian passport. OCI students are not eligible to represent India internationally; they are provisionally eligible up to OCSC, subject to court/government orders.
- Residency / Study: Residing and studying in India (or in the Indian school system) since 30 Nov 2023 or earlier.
- Not appearing in NSEJS 2025 (junior & senior NSEs are mutually exclusive in the same year).
📝 NSEA Exam Pattern (Total: 216 marks)
- Duration: 2 hours.
- Part A1: 48 single‑correct MCQs — +3 for correct, −1 for wrong.
- Part A2: 12 multiple‑correct MCQs — +6 only if all correct choices are marked and no wrong choice is marked; no negative in this part.
- Mode: OMR, offline; paper available in English & Hindi and select Indian languages (if ≥300 opt at enrolment).
🔭 INAO — What to Expect
- Format: Descriptive theory; English & Hindi; venues across ~18 cities.
- Duration: 3 hours (9:00–12:00); astronomy items include astrophysics, data analysis, celestial mechanics & observational reasoning.
⛳ Selection to INAO (from NSEA)
Shortlisting uses Minimum Admissible Score (MAS), Merit Index (MI), Proportional State/UT representation (min 4 per subject per State/UT), and a 15% super‑numerary quota for female students to reach the target intake. For Astronomy, the target N = 250 per group (Group‑A: Class XII; Group‑B: Class XI/X) — total 500 for INAO.
➡️ After INAO → OCSC‑Astronomy
- Target intake: 50 students (typically 15 from Group‑A and 35 from Group‑B), ranked by INAO merit.
- Outcome: Camp selection tests choose 5 students to represent India at the International Olympiad on Astronomy & Astrophysics (IOAA).
💳 Fees (Stage‑1 by IAPT)
₹300 per subject. Check the IAPT portal for centre‑specific payment instructions.
🧭 How to Apply (Quick Steps)
- Visit iapt.manageexam.com/Student/ and register.
- Fill profile, choose your NSE centre and subject: NSEA; pay the fee online.
- Download the hall ticket and appear for NSEA on 22 Nov 2025 (14:30–16:30).
- If shortlisted, register for INAO on 31 Jan 2026 (9:00–12:00) per HBCSE instructions.
📚 Preparation for Class 11–12 (Astronomy)
- Focus areas: mechanics & gravitation, optics & waves, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, stellar astronomy, cosmology basics, data handling; unit conversions & estimation.
- Practice: Solve NSEA/INAO past papers; aim for accuracy in A1 and complete correctness in A2; write full solutions for INAO.
🔗 Official Links
- IAPT Student Enrolment: iapt.manageexam.com
- NSE 2025–26 Student Brochure (PDF): iapt.org.in
- HBCSE Science Olympiad Brochure 2025–26: olympiads.hbcse.tifr.res.in
📝 Disclaimer
All dates, pattern and policies above are summarized from IAPT & HBCSE 2025–26 documents. Always verify latest notices on the official portals before applying.