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Olympiad News Roundup — 13 August 2025
1. IIT-Kanpur’s Direct Admissions for Olympiad Stars
IIT-Kanpur has granted direct BTech/BS admissions to five exceptional Olympiad achievers, bypassing JEE Advanced. Eligible candidates excelled in international Olympiads like IMO, IOI, IChO, IPO, and IBO. The process included departmental shortlisting, a written test, and possibly an interview. Similar pathways are active at IIT-Madras, IIT-Bombay, and IIT-Gandhinagar.
2. NSE 2025 (NSEP, NSEC, NSEB, NSEA, NSEJS): Registration Timeline Released
Enrollment for the 2025–26 National Standard Examinations begins soon:
Centre Registration: 1–20 August 2025
Student Registration: 21 August – 14 September 2025
3. Exam Dates for NSE Subjects Confirmed
All NSE exams will be held on 23 November 2025, except Astronomy (NSEA), which is on 22 November 2025:
NSEA (Astronomy): 22 Nov, 2:30 PM onwards
NSEP (Physics): 23 Nov, 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
NSEC (Chemistry): 23 Nov, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
NSEB (Biology): 23 Nov, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
NSEJS (Junior Science): 23 Nov, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
4. NSEP (Physics) Details: Purpose, Scale & Preparation
The National Standard Examination in Physics (NSEP) is the first selection stage for the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO). Held annually since 1987, it draws over 200,000 participants across ~1,500 centres. It promotes deep conceptual understanding and offers gold medalists scholarships and direct entry opportunities into institutions like DAE.
5. NSEC (Chemistry): Exam Pattern Highlights
NSEC, the Chemistry equivalent, typically comprises:
Section A: 48 questions, each worth 3 marks (1– deduction per wrong answer)
Section B: 12 questions, each worth 6 marks (no negative marking)
Duration: 2 hours. Over 1 lakh students participate annually.
6. Important Eligibility Criteria for NSEs (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy)
To appear for NSEs, candidates must:
Hold a valid Indian passport (OCI holders provisionally eligible until OCSC)
Be studying in Class 10–12 and born between 1 July 2006 – 30 June 2011 (for senior subjects)
Fulfill residency or schooling requirements in India (since before 30 Nov 2021)
Not have completed Class 12 before 30 Nov 2023 or commenced university studies by 1 June 2024
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