International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO)

IJSO is a competitive examination open to students of all countries in the world, primarily studying in secondary schools. All basic subjects of Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics) are given roughly equal representation in the IJSO examination.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected educational systems worldwide, leading to the near-total closures of schools, universities and colleges.

The national Olympiad programme in science subjects culminating in the International Olympiads of 2021 has been disrupted by the Covid19 pandemic in the country. In view of the prevailing situation, the following decisions are announced.

In a departure from the usual three-stage procedure for the selection of the teams to represent India at the international Olympiads that has been followed in previous years, the selection procedure for the 2020-2021 cycle has been condensed to a two-stage process as a one-time exception.

There will be two stages in each subject :

Stage I: Indian Olympiad Qualifier (IOQ)

1. The IOQ in each subject will be a combination of two examinations, held in a single sitting for the examinee.
2. In this stage, a three-hour two-part examination will be conducted.

Part I : National Standard Examination (NSE): This will replace the standalone NSE of other years. The duration of this part will be 1 hour and will consist of multiple-choice questions, similar in standard to the usual NSE. This part will be a screening examination for selective evaluation of the second part (INO) only and performance in this part will not play any role in the selection for the next level (OCSC). This part of IOQ in different subjects will be called National Standard Examinations (NSEs) in Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Junior Science and Physics: NSEA, NSEB, NSEC, NSEJS and NSEP, respectively.

Part II : Indian National Olympiad (INO): This will replace the standalone INO of other years. The duration of this part will be two hours and will consist of detailed questions, similar in standard to the usual INO. This part will be evaluated only for students screened through the first part (NSE), and the selection for the next level (OCSC) will be determined solely by the performance in this part. This part of IOQ in different subjects will be called Indian National Olympiads (INOs) in Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Junior Science and Physics: INAO, INBO, INChO, INJSO and INPhO, respectively.

Stage-2 : Orientation-cum-Selection Camp (OCSC) organised by HBCSE

Online enrolment for IOQ is expected to start on IAPT website (iaptexam.in) by 15 October, 2020.

Exam Schedule : -

The tentative schedule of IOQ examinations is as under:

• Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Junior Science (IOQJS): January 17, 2021 (Sunday) 14:30 - 17:30 hrs
• Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Astronomy (IOQA): February 6, 2021 (Saturday) 9:00 -12:00 hrs
• Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Chemistry (IOQC): February 6, 2021 (Saturday) 14:30 - 17:30 hrs
• Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Physics (IOQP) February 7, 2021 (Sunday) 9:00 - 12:00 hrs
• Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Biology (IOQB): February 7, 2021 (Sunday) 14:30 - 17:30 hrs

*Please note that this schedule is tentative, and is subject to change at short notice, depending on the prevailing pandemic situation in the country.

Selection Criteria : -

For Part-2 Exam: The screening criterion for the Part II (INO) of IOQ to be evaluated will be similar to the qualification criteria for INO from NSE in previous years. Detailed criteria will be announced soon.

For OCSC: The criteria for qualification for OCSC on the basis of performance in Part II (INO) of IOQ will be similar to INO-to-OCSC criteria applied in previous years. Detailed criteria will be announced soon.